The Library of the Sidneys of Penshurst Place circa 1665

‘This masterful edition, the product of decades of collaborative research, represents a remarkable contribution both to Sidney studies and to early modern book history.’

Katherine R. Larson, Renaissance and Reformation vol 37:01:2014

‘Warkentin’s successful efforts provide a fascinating analysis of book-collecting and reading of the Sidney Earls of Leicester… This volume will be prized by Sidney scholars.’

Susan Whyman, SHARP News vol 23:04:2014

‘Warkentin, Black, and Bowen have produced an extremely careful publication, attractively and logically presented … The Library of the Sidneys is an important publication that offers insights into the mysteries of manners, arms, and arts’ that the Sidneys commanded – and collected – for so many years.’

Daniel Starza Smith, Library & Information History vol 31:01:2014

‘It is an informative work, admirably organized and structured. The research is exhaustive and scholarly and it is a fascinating book to read.

Renae Satterley, The Library vol 15:04:2014

“The Library of The Sydneys is the product of more than forty years labour and it is saturated with the incremental accumulation of expertise. Some books take time, and are better for it, and this is one of those.“

Adam Smith, Times Literary Supplement, June 12, 2015.

“This is a meticulous and scholarly study of a family archive and its innumerable literary ramifications.”

David Pearson, The Book Collector 64.4 (Winter 2015)

‘The Library of Sidneys of Penshurst Place is a monumental achievement that will contribute to scholarship on the history of reading, libraries, and the Sidney family… It is a book worthy not only of any decent research library, but of a private collection – a joy to read, skim, and to display on the bookshelf.’

Andrew Strycharski, Sidney Journal vol 34:02:2016

“The Library of the Sidneys of Penshurst Place circa 1665 is a major piece of scholarship that has been eagerly awaited, and it will be used and cited for many years. An admirably researched edition, it includes an elegant introduction that presents the history of the manuscript catalogue and intellectual  biographies of the owners of the books, in particular the second Earl of Leicester, about whom relatively little is otherwise known. Until recently, much of the scholarly speculation about early modern reading has been based more on academic instinct than fact, but this book should change that.”

F.J. Levy, Department of History, University of Washington

“An important research tool and a serious advance in state-of-the-art research, The Library of the Sidneys of Penshurst Place circa 1665 offers a comprehensive account of the books of one of England’s most important literary families. This catalogue is the work of over twenty-five years of sustained exploration by a team that could scarcely be better qualified, and the expertise they have developed is evident everywhere throughout this volume. The editors have combined their knowledge  with a real effort to keep the reader in mind, making for a lucid, helpful introduction that tells the collection’s moving story.”

Andrew Taylor, Department of English, University of Ottawa