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Archive: "Literature" Category

Women’s Impact on Popular Literary Genres

Special Collections’ latest small case exhibit focuses on women writers’ influence in literature, from the middle ages to the present. Curated by undergraduate intern Sayle Owen, the exhibit features rare and modern editions by women authors who indelibly shaped such literary genres as science fiction, fantasy, and poetry. The exhibit is on display in the …

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New acquisitions in Spanish and Portuguese

In 2020, BYU Special Collections acquired a significant collection of early modern and Baroque books in Spanish and Portuguese from a private collector. These materials are now available for researchers. Highlights include literary, historical, and religious titles, and early dictionaries and works on composition. A few examples are shown below:

In her own words: 19th century women’s life writing exhibit

A new exhibit for Women’s History Month is now on display in the Special Collections lobby area. In Her Own Words features autobiographical writings by 19th century American women, including prominent and lesser-known writers. Their life experiences reflect many of the major themes and events of 19th century American history, such as the Great Awakening, …

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The Wealth of Nations: Earthly Things, Heavenly Things

A new small exhibit in Special Collections highlights first editions of major economic texts, including works by Adam Smith, David Hume, and David Ricardo. The Wealth of Nations: Earthly Things, Heavenly Things pairs these famous works with primary sources about the economic history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The exhibit is …

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Claire Wilhelm Collection on Zane Grey

L. Tom Perry Special Collections is pleased to announce the availability of a newly digitized collection: Claire Wilhelm Collection on Zane Grey (MSS 8277).  The collection contains documentation of Wilhelm’s interactions with Grey while accompanying him on various expeditions. The collection contains black and white photographs of Zane Grey and his family, Claire Wilhelm and …

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Beautiful bindings: the vellucent binding

In the 1890s, English bookbinder Cedric Chivers (1853-1929) introduced a new book decoration process which he called the “vellucent” binding. First, an artist would create a painting on a very thin medium. The design might include mother-of-pearl inlays, gold leaf, or other decoration. It would then be overlaid with a specially-treated sheet of vellum — …

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Historic Clothing and Classic Literature

If you’re a fan of 19th and early 20th century literature, you won’t want to miss Special Collections’ newest reading room exhibit! “A Century of Style: Historic Clothing and Classic Literature” pairs rare editions from the The L. Tom Perry Special Collections with original pieces from BYU’s Historic Clothing Collection, which is now housed in …

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World War I and British Literature

In honor of Armistice Day, which commemorates the end of the First World War, Special Collections is highlighting the impact of the War on English literature. As the First World War ruptured all aspects of European society, writers like Siegfried Sassoon, T. S. Eliot, and Rupert Graves broke with traditional forms of literary writing and …

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“Little Women” at 150

September marks the 150th anniversary of the publication of the beloved classic novel Little Women. Special Collections is celebrating with a small exhibit drawn from our extensive collection of works by Louisa May Alcott. “Little Women at 150″ features the first editions of parts one and two of the novel, early European reprints and translations, …

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American literary classics in picture books

Many classic works of literature have been adapted for younger readers over the years. At L. Tom Perry Special Collections, where we have large collections of works by American authors Walt Whitman, Louisa May Alcott, and Herman Melville, we’ve collected numerous picture books adapted from their most famous works, dating all the way back to …

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