Sam Brown

Sam is a part-time PhD student at UCL’s Centre for Editing Lives and Letters, where her research investigates knowledge of the Arabic language in early modern England through the circulation and use of printed texts and manuscripts. She is also the research assistant on David Pearson’s Book Owners Online project. Prior to developing an obsession for old books, Sam studied Arabic and Islamic Studies at SOAS and embarked on a career in television, which saw her researching and producing documentaries for the BBC and other major broadcasters for nearly a decade. In 2018 she returned to academia to pursue her love of history, and UCL’s MA in Early Modern Studies introduced her to the world of manuscripts, archives and early printed books. It also introduced her to Grace, her Miscellany co-founder, and starting their PhDs at the height of the pandemic encouraged them to hatch a plan to meet more of their early modern book loving peers.

Sam’s parrot, Katie, is an honorary Miscellany member. Her relationship with paper is problematic, but she enjoys making regular appearances on our Zoom calls.