The Scholar-Adventurers

by Richard D. Altick

Richard Altick’s classic portrayal of scholars on the prowl has delighted generations of readers. From the exposure of British rare book dealer Thomas Wise—the most famous authority of his day—as a master forger of first editions to the discovery of thousands of new James Boswell papers, Altick shows the scholar at work. Chaucer, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats, and many others surrender previously unrevealed secrets to these dogged researchers, whose ceaseless sleuthing has increased our knowledge and appreciation of both literature and the people who created it.

Genres: History, Essays, Books About Books, Nonfiction, Writing, Literary Criticism, Literature

350 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1950

About the author

Richard Altick was Regent’s Professor of English, Emeritus, at The Ohio State University and the author of numerous important works in the field of literary studies.

Reviews

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm fortunate to have attended a high school with a traditional English department which had us read, over our four years of required courses, many of the classics. In college I took only one such class, majoring in history and religious studies, and, except for an occasional foray, didn't seriously continue the study of English literature.

This book, chosen for it's suitability as a bed-time book, each chapter covering a different aspect of literary research, was such a foray and, happily, thanks to high school exposure, I got most of the references to major writers and their works.

Being a bit of a bibliophile myself, these accounts of others, more learned and serious than I of course, were comforting in alleviating some of my intellectual loneliness. There were even a few chuckles.

[R. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very entertaining, educational, and humorous anecdotes about literary mysteries -- forgeries, missing manuscripts, even ~*MURDER*~ (e.g., who killed Christopher Marlowe?) -- solved by academics, librarians, collectors, and passionate readers in the years before 1950, when the book was first published. I'd love to read (or write??) a follow-up book providing updates on all the loose ends Altick notes as still needing answers, as well as mysteries solved in the years since publication and those still open for enterprising and determined scholars of all kinds to investigate.

[Sandi · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very entertaining series of vignettes about literary biographers and the adventures they have in tracking down manuscripts often misplaced in castle cabinets, or auctioned off to rich misanthropes. Along the way, little-known facts about quirky authors come out (about Byron's feet, or Malory's multiple imprisonments), but this is more about the search, and how one thread can lead to another to another, rather than the actual research that results. Very readable, particularly the later chapters, which get shorter and more entertaining. A word of warning: The book is definitely dated, and goes off on rambles about the modern marvel of microfiche. However, this in itself brought up an interesting question--have scholarly searches lost their romance in the digital age, when manuscripts hidden in a remote monastery can just be scanned and emailed?

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love reading about researchers doing their research, and this is chapter after chapter of scholars adding to our understanding of interesting books. There are treasure hunts here, and they're fun to read about.

Because of when it was written, the book's adventurers are mostly white men researching white authors who are part of a very narrowly defined canon. But it's an entertaining look at some excellent researchers (and privileged: a whole YEAR to travel the world, looking for info on Lord Byron? Wow!) doing their work.

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

Positively delightful read!

[Martin]

What I learned from this book: that Westernesse, as used as a place name by Tolkien, is an appropriation from the Middle-English romance "King Horn". Among other things, like that Wordsworth had a love-child in France with a passionately Royalist frenchwoman, early in his life (how did I miss that one?). An entertaining ramble through the genteel world of literary scholarship as practiced during the first half of the 20th C. If I have a complaint it's just that the book is not as technical as I prefer my non-fiction to be.

[Paul Bond · Rating 4 out of 5]

Perhaps more accurate would be "The Scholar-Detectives" -- this is a short series of essays/ mysteries concerning literary documents found or lost, encoded or finally understood, forged, destroyed, stolen, or forever out of reach.

[Fred Eisenhut · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a wonderful read for those interested in the tracing down papers, documents, items of interest about famous authors. Reading about the personal backgrounds of Boswell, Chaucer, Shakespeare, Wordsworth, Shelley, Keats and Byron was fascinating.

[JD Waggy]

Left the book at page 65; had to return it to a friend. I may go back some day and finish it, but I recall it being rather dry and not very adventurous at all.

[Anca Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like this book.

[Jack Ballard · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, and given the subject matter that. I also received this book anonymously in the mail which was greatly intriguing.

[Patrick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anyone with a serious interest in literature should get a total kick out of this. Immensely informative and entertaining.