Course Information

Instructors: John Garcia

Location: Los Angeles

Format: In-person

Dates: August 12–16, 2024

Tuition: $1200

Description

This seminar provides the foundations for a critical analysis of “the book” in American society and culture, from the arrival of moveable type in North America to the immense world of nineteenth-century print culture. We will examine and discuss the varied ways that books and related print artifacts both influenced, and were influenced by, politics, commerce, technology, religion, and literary and popular culture. The course centers the experiences and voices of groups that struggled to find their way into print, especially Indigenous peoples and African Americans. Likewise, participants will learn how marginalized groups were always present in the material practices of early American printing, illustrating, papermaking, binding, and bookselling. Geographical coverage extends beyond the territories that became the United States to include the Caribbean, the Pacific, and portions of Latin America. Hands-on sessions with primary sources will explore ways that bibliographical analysis lends itself to richer interpretations of American history and culture. We will also give time to collecting Americana and discuss how collections reflect changing interests in American history and culture. While the seminar is offered in-person at UCLA, participants will be exposed to the rich collections of the American Antiquarian Society, the nation’s largest and most accessible collection of early American print culture. Scholars, librarians, collectors, and members of the antiquarian book trade are all encouraged to apply to the course.