Books! "Survival of the Thickest? Or, Why Do Some (Very Old) Books Survive Better than Others?" 2/6/23

Please join the program in British, Irish and Empire Studies at the University of Texas at Austin for “Books!,” our fourth series of virtual speaker events. 

The first of nine sessions will take place Monday, February 6, at noon CST, 6 p.m. GMT, via Zoom. In "Survival of the Thickest? Or, Why Do Some (Very Old) Books Survive Better than Others?" Dr. Aaron Pratt, the Carl and Lily Pforzheimer Curator of Early Books and Manuscripts at UT-Austin’s Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, will explore how we can know whether and why some books do indeed survive better than others. By pursuing case studies from the 17th-century English book trade, he will challenge prevailing theories that explain survival rates by books' format or length, elevating instead the role of private and institutional book collectors. When properly ascribed to collecting practices, he will argue, we can more fully appreciate survival for what it was: a function of books’ meaning to their owners. Dr. Madeline McMahon of UT-Austin's History Department will chair the session.

Please register in advance at https://utexas.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJctduCtqDwjHtDvgdx0NgFrSBaffxgao_Rx

Questions? Please contact BIES staff at Marian.Barber@austin.utexas.edu.