Books and Religious Devotion

Allan F. Westphall explores the intersection of literacy and faith in Books and Religious Devotion, Volume 1. This historical biography examines the life of Thomas Connary, an Irish immigrant farmer in nineteenth-century New Hampshire. Through a detailed study of Connary's book-collecting habits and annotation practices, Westphall reveals how a common reader transformed religious texts into sacred objects. The text investigates how these physical volumes served as tools for recording personal fervor and communicating spiritual devotion.

This work of history and literary criticism situates Connary within the broader cultural landscape of New England. It analyzes how books functioned as instruments of social interaction and testimonies of personal faith during this era. By examining the material aspects of book adaptations, Westphall provides insight into the role of reading and religious practice in the Americas. Books and Religious Devotion, Volume 1, offers a scholarly look at the relationship between physical books and human salvation.