Catharine Gould Scrapbook

Introduction

Tucked away in the corners of archives and special collection libraries are a number of old, handmade books that have baffled historians for decades. These books are often hidden under the guise of many names: scrapbooks, albums, commonplace books, blank books. Because these books were never published or circulated in the public sphere, they do not follow the rules and conventions that govern other printed books, providing little information about their production and making it difficult to catalog and understand. At the same time, because of their idiosyncratic nature, these books provide readers with a fascinating glimpse into the inner lives of their makers, offering a snapshot of reading practices of the time.