Since my last post, there has been a flurry of media interest around the news of the very real possibility that the copy of the Shakespeare First Folio at the Free Library of Philadelphia once belonged to—and is indeed annotated by—John Milton. Jason Scott-Warren floated this claim on Cambridge’s Centre for Material Texts blog early last week. His post was shared and vetted widely on social media and quickly picked up by the mainstream press.
It has been heartening to see at least some of the coverage pick up on the way Jason was able to identify Milton as the plausible reader of this book, rather than focusing squarely on the discovery. In particular, see the pieces in The Philadelphia Inquirer and The New York Times and listen to Jason’s interview on BBC Radio 4’s Front Row. For a corrective to some of the reporting that characterizes the book as previously “hidden” and “languishing” in the Free Library, see Free Library rare book curator Caitlin Goodman’s op-ed for The Inquirer.
Below is a digest of media coverage. I will continue to update this list, so please feel free to contact me if you come across an article, radio bit, or TV segment not listed.
PRINT (ORIGINAL REPORTING)
The Guardian • When Milton met Shakespeare: poet’s notes on Bard appear to have been found • Alison Flood • September 16, 2019
The Washington Post • ‘Juliet and Romeo’: Newly unearthed text suggests how Milton might have edited Shakespeare • Hannah Natanson • September 17, 2019
The Philadelphia Inquirer • A rare Shakespeare First Folio annotated by John Milton hid in Free Library of Philadelphia for 75 years • Bethany Ao • September 17, 2019
The New York Times • Milton’s Shakespeare Was Just a Trans-Atlantic Tweet Away • Jennifer Schuessler and Jon Hurdle • September 19, 2019
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review • Penn State professor’s discovery sets off Shakespeare tweetstorm • Deb Erdley • September 20, 2019
The Wall Street Journal • Duly Noted: John Milton’s Marginalia • Terry Teachout • September 25, 2019
Onward State • Paradise Found: Penn State Professor Helps Make Massive Literary Discovery with an Unlikely Tool • Matt Paolizzi • September 30, 2019
The Daily Collegian • How one Penn State professor discovered 17th century annotations of Shakespeare's First Folio • Haron Sharifi • November 19, 2019
The Pennsylvania Gazette • Milton Reads Shakespeare • Molly Petrilla • December 23, 2019
RADIO & PODCASTS
Front Row (BBC Radio 4) • September 17, 2019 [coverage begins at 12:45]
Morning Edition (NPR) • September 18, 2019
WHYY • Notes scribbled in Free Library’s copy of Shakespeare were written by ‘Paradise Lost’ poet John Milton • Peter Crimmins • September 17, 2019
Shakespeare Unlimited (Folger Shakespeare Library) • Groundbreaking Discovery: John Milton’s Copy of Shakespeare • October 1, 2019
The Stage Show (Australian Broadcasting Corporation) • Was this folio of Shakespeare plays owned by John Milton? • November 5, 2019
POP CULTURE
Vulture (New York Magazine) • Someone Just Discovered John Milton’s Copy of Shakespeare, Which is Absolutely Bananas • Kathryn VanArendonk • September 17, 2019
AGGREGATE COVERAGE [selected]
Open Culture • John Milton’s Hand Annotate Copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio: A New Discovery by a Cambridge Scholar • Josh Jones • September 16, 2019
Mental Floss • Annotations in Copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio May Have been John Milton’s • Garin Pirnia • September 17, 2019
Smithsonian Magazine • Is This John Milton’s Annotated Copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio? A copy of the Bard’s collected plays may contain notes penned by the ‘Paradise Lost’ author • Meilan Solly • September 17, 2019
VOX • Scholars think they’ve found Milton’s annotated copy of the Shakespeare First Folio • Constance Grady • September 21, 2019
PennLive • Pa. library discovered something amazing about its rare Shakespeare book and scholars are freaking out • Julia Hatmaker • September 21, 2019
OPINION & ANALYSIS
The Philadelphia Inquirer • Contrary to news reports, Milton’s Shakespeare didn’t languish in obscurity in Philly • Caitlin Goodman • September 19, 2019
The Philadelphia Inquirer • How Twitter added cred to Milton’s Shakespeare annotations • John Timpane • September 20, 2019
PRESS RELEASES
Free Library of Philadelphia • Free Library to Display Rare Shakespeare First Folio Now Believed to Have Belonged to John Milton • September 16, 2019
University of Cambridge • Shakespeare’s mystery annotator identified as John Milton • September 17, 2019
Penn State • Milton's Shakespeare: Penn State professor helps uncover rare treasure • October 4, 2019
[Updated: December 22, 2019]