Carnivalesque nominations: time’s a tickin’!

If you haven’t already done so, get your blog post nominations in for Carnivalesque 48, the early modern edition! If you’ve come across–or if you’ve written–a great blog post that concerns the period 1500 to 1800, please let me know about it by emailing me or by using the nomination form. I’ll be posting my edition this weekend, so get your suggestions in now! I assume most of you recognize the image I’ve used to illustrate my theme of time’s a tickin’–it’s Abraham Lincoln’s watch, recently opened up by the Smithsonian to reveal messages inscribed on the underside of the watch movement. It seemed appropriate for this post not simpy because it demonstrates the passage of time, nor because it lets me demonstrate my fondness for things pertaining to Lincoln, although it does do both of those things wonderfully. But it also gestures toward something that I am not usually…

pointing to Carnivalesque submissions

A quick but important announcement first: I am hosting the next early modern edition of Carnivalesque. Please nominate your favorite early modern blog posts by using the Carnivalesque nomination form, commenting here, or by emailing me directly (you can find my email address through my profile). The no-holds-barred Carnival fun and wisdom is scheduled for publication on March 21st, so get me pointed in the right direction now!   And that last bit is my not very subtle transition to the lovely pictures below. I promised my last commenter that I would follow up that great pointing forefinger (or Fonz’s thumb, depending on your tastes) with some more examples. So here’s another great set of pointing fingers, this time complete with fancy ruffles. This is from a 1475 commentary on Aristotle–again, more commentary on commentary, as we saw with the Boethius. Some genres of writing would seem to invite more…

happy new year

My 2009 has already gotten off to a rocking start: I am delighted and honored that Wynken de Worde has gotten a 2008 Cliopatria Award for Best New Blog. I started this blog last summer by sharing it with just a few friends, and have been slowly expanding its audience since then with the help of Folger denizens and other early modern bloggers. I’ve been grateful to all of you who have been following what I’ve been thinking about, commenting and linking and sharing your thoughts about books and early modern culture. In this age (yet again!) of information overload, I’m honored that you include my posts in your wanderings. And I’m looking forward to more posts: there’s more to say about the Folger’s digital collection, the use of woodcuts, how books act as social transactions, and even about Frances Wolfreston! So happy new year wishes to all of you….