There’s something quite special about seeing – and where possible, touching – historical artefacts, in that doing so can bring subjects to life in ways that merely talking about them can’t. In Handwritten we get to see handwritten manuscripts by monarchs, such as Henry VIII, poets, including Donne, novelists (Austen), scientists (Lovelace and Babbage) and many others.

The detailed photographs are fascinating, complemented by learned exposition concerning the people and issues involved – such as the revelation that Tolkien first conceived of the idea for The Hobbit while marking examination papers!

The book’s breadth, in terms of both the fields from which its subjects are drawn and the people themselves, would make it a good addition to your school’s library, or potentially a useful central resource for teachers to borrow and draw from. Highly recommended.

This review was originally published in Teach Secondary magazine.

Illustrations: (L) A page from The Watsons, Jane Austen; (R) John Donne, poem addressed to Letticec Rich, Lady Carey. Kindly supplied by the Bodleian.