Research Catalog

The words in my hand / Guinevere Glasfurd.

Title
The words in my hand / Guinevere Glasfurd.
Author
Glasfurd-Brown, Guinevere
Publication
London : Two Roads, an imprint of John Murray Press, an Hachette UK company, 2016.

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StatusFormatAccessCall NumberItem Location
TextRequest in advance PR6107.L347 W67 2016Off-site

Details

Description
414 pages : map; 24 cm
Summary
The Words in my hand is the reimagined true story of Helena Jans, a Dutch maid in 17th-century Amsterdam, who works for Mr Sergeant the English bookseller. When a mysterious and reclusive lodger arrives -- the Monsieur -- Mr Sergeant insists everything must be just so. It transpires that the Monsieur is René Descartes. This is Helena's story: the woman in front of Descartes, a young woman who yearns for knowledge, who wants to write so badly she makes ink from beetroot and writes in secret on her skin -- only to be held back by her position in society. Weaving together the story of Descartes' quest for reason with Helena's struggle for literacy, their worlds overlap as their feelings deepen; yet remain sharply divided. For all Descartes' learning, it is Helena he seeks out as she reveals the surprise in the everyday world that surrounds him. When reputation is everything and with so much to lose, some truths must remain hidden. Helena and Descartes face a terrible tragedy and ultimately have to decide if their love is possible at all.
Subject
  • Descartes, René, 1596-1650 > Fiction
  • Strom, Helena Jans van der > Fiction
  • Historical fiction
  • Amsterdam (Netherlands) > Fiction
  • Netherlands > Amsterdam
Genre/Form
  • Fiction
  • Biographical fiction.
  • Historical fiction
Bibliography (note)
  • Includes bibliographical references (pages 413-414).
Processing Action (note)
  • committed to retain
ISBN
  • 9781473617865
  • 1473617863
  • 1473617855
  • 9781473617858
  • 9781473617841 (canceled/invalid)
OCLC
944720548
Owning Institutions
Harvard Library