I recently had the opportunity to represent the Letters of 1916 project at Wolfson College, Oxford as a part of the Speaking in Absence conference organized by members of the Digital Epistolary Network: Helen Brown, Michaela Crawley and Olivia Thompson.
The day featured a number of talks, posters, and presentations concerning textual scholarship in the 21st century. The title of the conference, Speaking in Absence, refers to the English poet John Donne’s quote ‘More than kisses, letters mingle souls, For thus, friends absent speak.’ A number of interesting projects and talks addressed Donne’s quote head on, including Letters from Baghdad, a documentary concerning Gertrude Bell, and a roundtable discussion about publishing letters in the digital age.
The Letters of 1916 wishes to thank Helen, Michaela, Olivia, and all involved in the planning and organisation of this highly enjoyable and informative event.
By Neale Rooney