Reconstructing the Personal Library of William James: Markings and Marginalia from the Harvard Library Collection

(Hardback)

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While a reconstruction of the whole of William Jamess personal library isnt feasible, there are significant portions of it that reside within the Harvard University Library system and this book is a partial reconstruction of their story. Reconstructing the Personal Library of William James offers a new, comprehensive account of the James collection at Harvard University, bringing together all known Harvard-owned entries into one comprehensive volume. The annotated bibliography contains data on 2,554 entries (2,862 volumes) from Jamess personal library, including both the 1923 Philosophical Library and all known additional donations by James and his family. . Each entry, when applicable, contains the following data points: Harvard Library location and call number, provenance, bookplate, accession record, autographs, inscriptions, ownership marks, indexical annotations, markings, and marginalia. To orient the reader, Ermine L. Algaier IV supplements the bibliography with essays that examine the history of the Jamess library at Harvard, assess the size of the collection and how it came to reside at Harvard, and showcase patterns that emerge from looking at the collection as a whole. Additional essays are devoted to explaining the source lists and archival resources used in reconstructing Jamess personal library, as well as outlining steps for continued research on the collection.

Reviews

Algaier brings meticulous research and a thorough knowledge of James's writings, life, and interests to this important volume. In reconstructing James's personal library, Algaier has produced a work of impressive scholarship. -- Linda Simon, Skidmore College
A scholar's bookshelves can track the travels of a mind's adventures. The product of meticulous academic research, Algaier's work is practically unparalleled. To know William James's library and marginalia presents a rare opportunity to get acquainted with him personally. This reading bibliography amounts to an intellectual biography of one of America's most profound minds. -- John Shook, Bowie State University

Author Bio

Ermine L. Algaier IV is visiting assistant professor of philosophy and religious studies at Monmouth College.