On the evening of October 24, 1978, William H. Gass and John Gardner stepped onto a stage at the University of Cincinnati. For two hours they held forth in debate on a topic close to the heart of both men: the nature and purposes of fiction. Those in attendance, and those reading and listening la...
We could not let Women’s History Month pass without highlighting a woman who was incredibly important to the history of Washington University Libraries’ own Modern Literature Collection: Mona Van Duyn. Mona Van Duyn was a brilliant poet, editor, and instructor, who served as a pillar ...
On Friday, April 6, 2018, Washington University in St. Louis is hosting “William H. Gass: His Life and Legacy.” Gass died on December 6, 2017, at the age of 93. He was the David L. May Distinguished Professor Emeritus in the Humanities at Washington University, where he taught philosophy for 30 y...
Yesterday morning, many of us awoke to the sad news that the great theoretical physicist, cosmologist, and author Stephen Hawking had passed away. Hawking was a well-known figure not only for his extraordinary intelligence and contributions to our knowledge about black holes, quantum mechanics, a...
We are excited to announce that the Washington University Libraries, in collaboration with the Lindenwood University School of Arts, Media, and Communications, will be hosting a screening of Sunlight Man, a documentary on the life of novelist (and Washington University alum) John Gardner, on Marc...
For Women’s History Month, we have decided to highlight some of Washington University Libraries’ suffrage materials from early twentieth century England. Although British suffragettes have become famous for their sometimes violent and even deadly demonstrations, a vast majority engage...
Funding will support the Libraries’ Modern Literature Collection and the digitization of student publications Washington University Libraries have been awarded a $50,000 grant from Newman’s Own Foundation, the independent foundation created by the late actor and philanthropist, Paul Newman...
The April 6 activities celebrating the life and legacy of William H. Gass are starting to take shape. We will have photographs, manuscripts and other materials on view, his friends, colleagues and fellow writers speaking about Gass and reading his work, and a reception. Please save the afternoon...
Joel Minor, curator of manuscripts and the Modern Literature Collection, and Cassie Brand, curator of rare books, showcase love-themed books, papers, and artifacts for Valentine’s Day.
What is an Educated Woman to Do? At the turn of the twentieth century, it was becoming more common for young, upper-class women to go away to receive an education, but few ways for them to use it once they returned home. A 1906 article in the St Louis Post-Dispatch laments, “There are already 10 ...
