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

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Record Number: 8671


Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'... he devotes a whole serious and excellent essay to an exploration of the fame of Silas Hocking, who wrote novels calculated to please "the taste of the Methodist million, who was unheard of in Knightsbridge but wildly popular in the dissenting provinces". Apart from any other interest, this essay throws light on Bennett's own reading background; he discusses the debate between Puritanism and the arts, describes the deep suspicion with which all fiction was regarded in Hocking circles and says: "How often have I heard the impatient words: 'This is too exciting for me; if I went on I shouldn't be able to leave it'." It must have been up in Burslem, where reading had recently been regarded as a wicked sin, that he heard such remarks.'

Century:

1850-1899

Date:

Between 1 Jan 1890 and 31 Dec 1901

Country:

England

Time

n/a

Place:

city: London

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:

Arnold Bennett

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

27 May 1867

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Writer / editor

Religion:

Christian

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

England

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

n/a


Additional Comments:

n/a



Text Being Read:

Author:

Silas Hocking

Title:

unknown

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

unknown


Source Information:

Record ID:

8671

Source:

Print

Author:

Margaret Drabble

Editor:

n/a

Title:

Arnold Bennett

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1974

Vol:

n/a

Page:

60

Additional Comments:

Refers to an essay in Fame and Fiction, 1901, a collection of Bennett's articles originally written for the review magazine Academy.

Citation:

Margaret Drabble, Arnold Bennett (London, 1974), p. 60, http://can-red-lec.library.dal.ca/Arts/RED/record_details.php?id=8671, accessed: 29 March 2024


Additional Comments:

Secondary source

   
   
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