The Social Life of Books: Reading Together in the Eighteenth-Century Home

by Abigail Williams

"A vivid exploration of the evolution of reading as an essential social and domestic activity during the eighteenth century. Two centuries before the advent of radio, television, and motion pictures, books were a cherished form of popular entertainment and an integral component of domestic social life. In this fascinating and vivid history, Abigail Williams explores the ways in which shared reading shaped the lives and literary culture of the time, offering new perspectives on how books have been used by their readers, and the part they have played in middle-class homes and families....