BEGIN:VCALENDAR
VERSION:2.0
PRODID:-//Talks.cam//talks.cam.ac.uk//
X-WR-CALNAME:Talks.cam
BEGIN:VEVENT
SUMMARY:Encountering Aristotle's Masterpiece\, or how to find a racy book 
 about reproduction - Mary Fissell (Johns Hopkins University)
DTSTART:20110120T163000Z
DTEND:20110120T180000Z
UID:TALK26661@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Francis Neary
DESCRIPTION:_Aristotle's Masterpiece_ was the most popular English book ab
 out reproduction from its first publication in 1684 all the way into the 1
 930s. It is not by Aristotle\, nor a masterpiece\, but affords the histori
 an an unusual glimpse into plebeian sexuality and reading habits. While mu
 ch of the content is typical of a late 17th century midwifery guide\, its 
 extremely long life makes it unique.\n\nThe lecture explores the many phys
 ical spaces in which readers encountered and bought the _Masterpiece_ in a
 n attempt to understand its long-lived success. The book was hidden under 
 teenage boys' mattresses\; thumbed through in book stalls\; read aloud in 
 girls' boarding schools\, and sold by chapmen bringing metropolitan wares 
 to distant rural communities. These many venues provide a key to the book'
 s success: it was many things to many readers.\n\n*There will be tea befor
 e the lecture\, at 4pm in Seminar Room 1\, and a drinks reception afterwar
 ds\, at 6pm in Seminar Room 1.*
LOCATION:Seminar Room 2\, Department of History and Philosophy of Science
END:VEVENT
END:VCALENDAR