The book is _Women and History. Voices of Early Modern England_ (Coach
House Press, Toronto, 1995) published as a paperback, selling very cheaply
at 14.95 US or [19.95 Canadian]. It has short but fascinating extracts
from primary sources [church and secular court depositions, 17th-c
diaries, popular literature, 18th-c newspapers, contemporary
correspondence etc etc] on such topics as crime, wifebeating, infanticide,
newspaper political debates, amateur science etc etc - each one introduced
and analysed by a scholar [contributors include Donna Andrew, John
Beattie, Margaret Hunt, Phyllis Deutsch, Hilda Smith & others aside from
myself] who has tried to 'illuminate' the text by showing how it can
be read to reveal insights into early modern society. Although it is
meant to be centred on topics relating to women and gender history, the
extracts have a much wider relevance to social and cultural [and even
political] history. The editor, Valerie Frith, has already tested the
book on her undergraduate students at Guelph: they find the material very
accessible and stimulating for class discussions.
If you write to the publisher, Coach House Press, you can get an
examination copy at 50% off. Their address is:
Coach House Press
760 Bathurst Street, 2nd floor
Toronto, Canada M5S 2R6
To order the book, there is a toll-free US number:
800/283-3572 [doesn't work for Canadians though].
or fax: 612/221-0124
If you are planning to attend the NACBS, the book will be displayed there.
[It has a gorgeous cover, too!]
Sara Mendelson, Arts & Science, McMaster University
mendelsn@mcmail.cis.mcmaster.ca
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