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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 29002


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'The single bed proved very unsuitable for Joseph Conrad, because apart from its legitimate purpose as a resting place, his bed had to be hospitable to a heap of books, all open and face downwards, maps, bed-rest, and more than once a wooden Spratt's dog-biscuit box he had ordered his man to place at the foot of the bed to brace his feet against.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 1921 and 1924

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bishopsbourne
county: Kent
specific address: Oswalds
location in dwelling: Joseph Conrad's bedroom

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown


Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Joseph Conrad

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

3 Dec 1857

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry
'Szlachta', or Polish landed gentry/nobility

Occupation:

Master mariner and author

Religion:

Roman Catholic

Country of Origin:

Poland

Country of Experience:

England

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

unknown unknown

Title:

unknown

Genre:

Unknown

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

owned


Source Information:

Record ID:

29002

Source:

Print

Author:

Jessie Conrad

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Joseph Conrad and His Circle

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1935

Vol:

n/a

Page:

268

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Jessie Conrad, Joseph Conrad and His Circle, (London, 1935), p. 268, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=29002, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

This is submitted as evidence of both 'spaces of reading' and 'rhythms of reading' (in this case reading several books at once). The single bed was acquired at the time of the marriage between the Conrad's chauffeur Charles Vinten and Jessie's nurse/maid Audrey Seal, to whom Joseph Conrad, according to his wife, donated his more comfortable double bed as a wedding present.

   
   
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