Record Number: 29002
Reading Experience:
Evidence:
'The single bed proved very unsuitable for Joseph Conrad, because apart from its legitimate purpose as a resting place, his bed had to be hospitable to a heap of books, all open and face downwards, maps, bed-rest, and more than once a wooden Spratt's dog-biscuit box he had ordered his man to place at the foot of the bed to brace his feet against.'
Century:1900-1945
Date:Between 1921 and 1924
Country:England
Timen/a
Place:city: Bishopsbourne
county: Kent
specific address: Oswalds
location in dwelling: Joseph Conrad's bedroom
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: Age:Adult (18-100+)
Gender:Male
Date of Birth:3 Dec 1857
Socio-Economic Group:Gentry
'Szlachta', or Polish landed gentry/nobility
Master mariner and author
Religion:Roman Catholic
Country of Origin:Poland
Country of Experience:England
Listeners present if any:e.g family, servants, friends
n/a
Additional Comments:
n/a
Text Being Read:
Author: Title:unknown
Genre:Unknown
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
Provenanceowned
Source Information:
Record ID:29002
Source:Jessie Conrad
Editor:n/a
Title:Joseph Conrad and His Circle
Place of Publication:London
Date of Publication:1935
Vol:n/a
Page:268
Additional Comments:
n/a
Citation:
Jessie Conrad, Joseph Conrad and His Circle, (London, 1935), p. 268, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=29002, accessed: 25 November 2024
Additional Comments:
This is submitted as evidence of both 'spaces of reading' and 'rhythms of reading' (in this case reading several books at once). The single bed was acquired at the time of the marriage between the Conrad's chauffeur Charles Vinten and Jessie's nurse/maid Audrey Seal, to whom Joseph Conrad, according to his wife, donated his more comfortable double bed as a wedding present.
