Items related to Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Synopsis
Accusatory, libellous, or just bizarre, Penning Poison unveils the history of anonymous letter-writing.
'er at number 14 is dirty
Receiving an unexpected and unsigned note is a disconcerting experience. In Penning Poison, Emily Cockayne traces the stories of such letters to all corners of English society over the period 1760-1939. She uncovers scandal, deception, class enmity, personal tragedy, and great loneliness. Some messages were accusatory, some libellous, others bizarre. Technology, new postal networks, forensic techniques, and the emergence of professional police all influence the phenomenon of poison letter campaigns. This book puts the letters back into their local and psychology context, extending the work of detectives, to discover who may have written them and why.
Emily Cockayne explores the reasons and motivations for the creation and delivery of these missives and the effect on recipients - with some blasé, others driven to madness. Small communities hit by letter campaigns became places of suspicion and paranoia. By examining the ways in which these letters spread anxiety in the past Penning Poison grapples with the question of how nasty messages can turn into an epidemic. The book recovers many lost stories about how we used to write to one another, finding that perhaps the anxieties of our internet age are not as new as we think.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
Emily Cockayne, Associate Professor in Early Modern History, University of East Anglia
Emily Cockayne is Associate Professor in Early Modern History at the University of East Anglia. The author of several well-known books, including Hubbub (2007; second edition 2020), Cheek by Jowl. A History of Neighbours (2012), and Rummage (2020), Emily's research ranges freely across modern English social and cultural history. It is characterized by extensive primary research, immersion, and a delight in sleuthing.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
Search results for Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Stock Image
Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Published by
Oxford University Press, 2023
ISBN 10: 019879505X
ISBN 13: 9780198795056
Used
Hardcover
Seller: My Dead Aunt's Books, Hyattsville, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Unmarked hardcover in unclipped jacket. Seller Inventory # 143149
Quantity: 1 available
Seller Image
Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Seller: WeBuyBooks, Rossendale, LANCS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Like New. Most items will be dispatched the same or the next working day. An apparently unread copy in perfect condition. Dust cover is intact with no nicks or tears. Spine has no signs of creasing. Pages are clean and not marred by notes or folds of any kind. Seller Inventory # rev5871957793
Quantity: 2 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Published by
Oxford University Press, United Kingdom, Oxford, 2023
ISBN 10: 019879505X
ISBN 13: 9780198795056
Used
Paperback
Seller: WorldofBooks, Goring-By-Sea, WS, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. Accusatory, libellous, or just bizarre, Penning Poison unveils the history of anonymous letter-writing. 'er at number 14 is dirty Receiving an unexpected and unsigned note is a disconcerting experience. In Penning Poison, Emily Cockayne traces the stories of such letters to all corners of English society over the period 1760-1939. She uncovers scandal, deception, class enmity, personal tragedy, and great loneliness. Some messages were accusatory, some libellous, others bizarre. Technology, new postal networks, forensic techniques, and the emergence of professional police all influence the phenomenon of poison letter campaigns. This book puts the letters back into their local and psychology context, extending the work of detectives, to discover who may have written them and why. Emily Cockayne explores the reasons and motivations for the creation and delivery of these missives and the effect on recipients - with some blase, others driven to madness. Small communities hit by letter campaigns became places of suspicion and paranoia. By examining the ways in which these letters spread anxiety in the past Penning Poison grapples with the question of how nasty messages can turn into an epidemic. The book recovers many lost stories about how we used to write to one another, finding that perhaps the anxieties of our internet age are not as new as we think. The book has been read, but is in excellent condition. Pages are intact and not marred by notes or highlighting. The spine remains undamaged. Seller Inventory # GOR013331028
Quantity: 2 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Published by
Oxford University Press, 2023
ISBN 10: 019879505X
ISBN 13: 9780198795056
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Half Price Books Inc., Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_433171179
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Published by
Oxford University Press, 2023
ISBN 10: 019879505X
ISBN 13: 9780198795056
Used
Hardcover
Seller: HPB-Ruby, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_435033398
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison: A history of anonymous letters
Published by
Oxford University Press, 2023
ISBN 10: 019879505X
ISBN 13: 9780198795056
Used
Hardcover
Seller: MusicMagpie, Stockport, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. 1750839907. 6/25/2025 8:25:07 AM. Seller Inventory # U9780198795056
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison : A History of Anonymous Letters
Published by
Oxford University Press, Incorporated, 2023
ISBN 10: 019879505X
ISBN 13: 9780198795056
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Better World Books Ltd, Dunfermline, United Kingdom
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Ships from the UK. Used book that is in excellent condition. May show signs of wear or have minor defects. Seller Inventory # 52718964-20
Quantity: 1 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison : A History of Anonymous Letters
Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 45559215-n
Quantity: Over 20 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison Format: Hardback
Seller: INDOO, Avenel, NJ, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 9780198795056
Quantity: Over 20 available
Stock Image
Penning Poison : A History of Anonymous Letters
Published by
Oxford University Press, 2023
ISBN 10: 019879505X
ISBN 13: 9780198795056
Used
Hardcover
Seller: GreatBookPrices, Columbia, MD, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: As New. Unread book in perfect condition. Seller Inventory # 45559215
Quantity: Over 20 available