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jamesafox.bsky.social
James Fox
@jamesafox.bsky.social
1.6K followers 1.6K following 17 posts
Social historian of numeracy, communication, knowledge, books | Postdoc at Glasgow Uni researching early modern how-to books howtobook.eu | PhD from St Andrews on numeracy in early modern Britain | Writer and co-editor at scilicet.org.uk
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Reposted by James Fox
scothistorysociety.bsky.social
Scottish History Society @scothistorysociety.bsky.social · 5h
We've joined the blue sky! Just as the skies darken for winter too

Please let your followers know that the Scottish History Society has arrived!

Find out more about memberships, the society, and events at our website: scottishhistorysociety.com
The Scottish History Society
scottishhistorysociety.com
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · 7h
In our latest article, @jamesafox.bsky.social charts the meteoric rise and eventual decline of #18thcentury mathematician 🧮 Thomas Simpson.

👉 Read more here: scilicet.org.uk/becoming-a-m...

#history #mathematics #skystorians
Thomas Simpson (1710–1761)
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · 1d
In our latest blog post, intern Sandrine Hoppe explores the earliest known recipe book authored by a woman in vernacular German, Anna Wecker's Ein köstlich new kochbuck (1598)

howtobook.hypotheses.org/4596

#bookhistory #cookbook #blog
Title page of Ein köstlich new kochbuck (1598)
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · 7d
🤔 Is it better to learn from the wisdom of the ancients or from your experience gained over time?

📚 In our latest blog post, @guyfassler.bsky.social explores a 15th-century Tuscan dialogue debating that very question...
scilicet.org.uk/whats-the-po...

#bookhistory #medieval #knowledge
Leon Battista Alberti, (possibly) Self-Portrait, c. 1435
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · 14d
What do beekeeping books tell us about changes in early modern science and society? @jamesafox.bsky.social has some suggestions, especially in relation to #17thCentury England scilicet.org.uk/the-hive-tur...
#Skystorians #EarlyModern #Bees #AnimalHistory
An early pamphlet printing of The World Turn’d Upside Down (1647).
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · 15d
We're back from our summer break, and are ready for a new season ☀️ Keep an eye on this page tomorrow, there's something buzzing...
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Reposted by James Fox
nicolemaceira.bsky.social
Nicole Maceira Cumming @nicolemaceira.bsky.social · 20d
Great to see the latest issue of Scottish Archives in print! I've written a wee something about James VI's Scottish menagerie 🐆 🐪 👑

Looking forward to reading all the other fantastic contributions when my copy arrives!
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jamesafox.bsky.social
James Fox @jamesafox.bsky.social · 21d
That's very kind of you @mchapelproject.bsky.social, looking forward to reading yours too!
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jamesafox.bsky.social
James Fox @jamesafox.bsky.social · 21d
The latest issue of Scottish Archives has now been published, featuring work from @mchapelproject.bsky.social @nicolemaceira.bsky.social @ksmcgregor.bsky.social and myself, among others. If anyone would like a PDF of my article, just send me a message!

#bookhistory #scottishhistory #Archives
First page of 'Record-Keeping and the Business of Books in Pre-Union Edinburgh' by James Fox
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · 28d
In our latest #blog post, Stefan Laube explores the role of #how-to knowledge in the long span of human history

Read more here: howtobook.hypotheses.org/4498
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · Sep 3
Earlier this summer, project members Billy Grove and @luisgomes.bsky.social introduced our project at the 13th Society for Emblem Studies conference in Vienna. Read more here:

howtobook.hypotheses.org/4453

#howto #emblems #conference
Emblematically How-to in Vienna
Every three years, in the height of summer, scholars from around the world come together to exchange ideas and explore new directions in emblem studies. This year’s conference, organized as always by ...
howtobook.hypotheses.org
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · Sep 1
New on our #blog: @jamesafox.bsky.social explores the unique #marginalia in a one-of-a-kind 16th-century French arithmetic book from the Herzog August Bibliothek 📖🇩🇪🧮

Read more here: howtobook.hypotheses.org/4415

#bookhistory #rarebooks #knowledge #mathematics
Aritmetiqve facile (1588)
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · Aug 20
Everyone likes a good villain. One who is just waiting for a biopic about him is Gautier de Brienne (duke of Athens) who briefly became the autocratic ruler of Florence. If you want to learn more about him, give this post a read or explore others in our back catalogue!
#Skystorians #Florence
Medieval Elections I: The Duke of Athens goes to parliament | Scilicet
In celebration of the UK 2024 general election, we delve into some intriguing and intricate elections from medieval Italy. This first one comes from 14th C. Florence and involves the mysterious Duke o...
scilicet.org.uk
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · Aug 13
Before becoming the king of Sweden, young Gustav Adolf showed remarkable aptitude for drawing. His doodles of horses and military scenes give a fascinating insight into the childhood of a future king. Read our post here, and why not explore our back catalogue!
#Skystorians #Sweden #AnimalHistory
Royal Doodles: Gustav IV Adolf of Sweden’s childhood drawings of horses | Scilicet
A curious set of drawings by the future king of Sweden, 10 year old Gustav IV Adolf, shed some light on a royal childhood.
scilicet.org.uk
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · Aug 11
In our latest blog post @jamesafox.bsky.social examines the only surviving copy of the first Paracelsian medical text printed in English, 1575 - an important milestone in the history of Anglophone how-to books.

howtobook.hypotheses.org/4371

#bookhistory #rarebooks #medicalhistory
A rare treasure in the Ferguson collection: The true and perfect order to distill oyles (1575)
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jamesafox.bsky.social
James Fox @jamesafox.bsky.social · Jul 1
#bookhistory people get your proposals in 📖
universalstc.bsky.social
Universal Short Title Catalogue @universalstc.bsky.social · Jul 1
🚨Call for Papers: The 18th St Andrews/USTC Book History Conference on 'Print and Education' will take place 18–20 June 2026.

👉 Further details here: www.ustc.ac.uk/conference

📅 Application deadline: 12 December 2025

📖 We look forward to receiving your proposals!

#CfP #bookhistory #skystorians
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · Jun 25
Elmswell Hall in Yorkshire, where 17th-century landowner Henry Best handwrote a farming #how-to book for his son.
In our latest blog, @jamesafox.bsky.social compares Best's advice on beekeeping with a printed equivalent. 📚🐝

👉 howtobook.hypotheses.org/4150

#bookhistory #bees #nationalwritingday
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · Jun 23
New on our blog: Stefan Laube on the #howto of thrift, sustainability and making do...

📚 read more here: howtobook.hypotheses.org/3935

#blog #skystorians #thrift #sustainability
Those Who Patch Know. On How-Toes that Flourish
A flat bicycle tire is never welcome. It usually happens at the worst possible moment: on the way to my seminar or at the start to an excursion to the idyllic lakes in Brandenburg. Strangely, it almos...
howtobook.hypotheses.org
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · Jun 10
Fantastic bees and where to find them 🐝 What can a #medieval book of strange animals teach us about kingship and ideal society? @guyfassler.bsky.social explains how the Aberdeen Bestiary can answer these questions in our latest post: scilicet.org.uk/fantastic-be... #Skystorians #MedievalHistory
A drawing from the Aberdeen bestiary of a dog and two bees
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · Jun 9
Last month the Scottish 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 and German 🇩🇪 sides of our project met in Glasgow. In our latest blog post, Alina Lange reports on a successful trip 👇
howtobook.hypotheses.org/3851
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · May 21
Happy #NumeracyDay! ✖️➕➗🔢 We're celebrating by revisiting some excellent numeracy-related blog posts by @jamesafox.bsky.social First, we have the curious case of Cocker's Arithmetick being the butt of a joke scilicet.org.uk/no-laughing-... #SkyStorians #BookHistory #Numeracy
No laughing matter? The curious case of Cocker’s Arithmetick | Scilicet
Why was Cocker’s Arithmetick, the most successful arithmetic textbook of its day, the butt of a joke?
scilicet.org.uk
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Reposted by James Fox
nataliesmith.bsky.social
Natalie M. Smith @nataliesmith.bsky.social · May 19
Really enjoyed working on this collaborative piece with @jamesafox.bsky.social and @guyfassler.bsky.social Hopefully the first of many more! #skystorians
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · May 19
We all need to eat, but the way we cook and share food says a lot about class, culture and identity. In our latest post, @guyfassler.bsky.social, @jamesafox.bsky.social and @nataliesmith.bsky.social dig in to some historical recipes from across Europe 🍽️
scilicet.org.uk/food-for-tho... #Skystorians
Food for thought: Recipe books through history | Scilicet
We all need to eat, but the way we do says much about our place in society. Looking at a range of recipe books through history shows this has long been the case.
scilicet.org.uk
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Reposted by James Fox
scilicetblog.bsky.social
Scilicet - History of Knowledge @scilicetblog.bsky.social · May 19
We all need to eat, but the way we cook and share food says a lot about class, culture and identity. In our latest post, @guyfassler.bsky.social, @jamesafox.bsky.social and @nataliesmith.bsky.social dig in to some historical recipes from across Europe 🍽️
scilicet.org.uk/food-for-tho... #Skystorians
Food for thought: Recipe books through history | Scilicet
We all need to eat, but the way we do says much about our place in society. Looking at a range of recipe books through history shows this has long been the case.
scilicet.org.uk
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Reposted by James Fox
howtobooks.bsky.social
Early Modern How-to Books @howtobooks.bsky.social · May 15
Whether on conduct or conversion, early modern etiquette manuals said much on the concept of 'galanterie'. 📖
Read more in our latest blog post by Stefan Laube 👇
howtobook.hypotheses.org/3633

#bookhistory #skystorians
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Reposted by James Fox
louisefalcini.bsky.social
Louise Falcini @louisefalcini.bsky.social · May 12
I have finished posting the 420,000 words in Thomas Turner's diary of 18thC rural life ( as transcribed by Dean K Worcester). This is significantly more than the published edition (Vaisey, 1984). www.thomasturner.org.uk It's a work in progress. #18c
Thomas Turner – The Diary, 1754–1765
www.thomasturner.org.uk
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