William H. Gass: Life and Legacy—Part 1

This past Friday, Washington University in St. Louis hosted a celebration of the life and work of William H. Gass, longtime Washington University professor and one of the most notable American writers of the 20th and 21st Centuries. The day included an open house at the Special Collection library, showing a selection from the William H. Gass Papers, and a series of tributes from speakers Joy Williams, Garth Risk Hallberg, Lorin Cuoco, Matthias Goeritz, Michael Eastman, and University Chancellor Mark S. Wrighton, among others.

To accompany the event and the following reception, Catherine Gass, adjunct assistant professor of photography at School of the Art Institute of Chicago, prepared the following slideshow, which through photographs and clippings charts the course of her father’s life and career. The slideshow can also be accessed via our Modern Literature Collection YouTube channel. Enjoy, and stay tuned for more photos and videos from the event.