The Development of Peasants’ Reading Habits in Courland and Livonia in the 18th Century*

The article explores the development of peasants’ reading habits over 18th century in Latvian-inhabited Lutheran regions Russia’s Baltic provinces Courland/Kurzeme and Latvian Livonia/Vidzeme. By analysing transition from intensive to extensive patterns, as well loud ceremonial silent private reading, insight into available statistical sources information subscription lists is provided observations contemporaries are scrutinized. views on expressed by Baltic-German parsons Friedrich Bernhard Blaufuß, Joachim Baumann, Christian David Lenz, Johann Casimir Rosenberger, Alexander Stender, those published Steffenhagen, discussed within context urban middle-class patterns. While number literate peasants was high, reaching one third Courland two thirds Livonia turn 19th century, motivation for everyday differed, while increased, before 1840s, rural so­ciety did not see a phenomenon similar European rea­ding revolution. focuses differentiating among various types readers, divided according their confessional lines (Herrnhutian Brethren or Orthodox Church), social stan­ding (reading patterns were different depending professions) genera­tion (the older generation tended prefer religious younger more often adopted silent, secular reading). collective books has been explored demonstrating how it allowed combining with other activities also performed socializing function. avai­lable demonstrate that quiet replace aloud, same way intensive, but all practices continued co-exist alongside each other, creating an increasingly diverse saturated experience.