Sweet Briar College Library Gazette Vol. XLIII 2010 Bill Blackbeard: The Collector Who Rescued the Comics

n January of 1998, a team of movers arrived at this typical, unassuming Spanish stucco home in the quiet residential neighborhood knownI as the Sunset District of San Francisco. Inside, it was anything but typical. The movers discovered that every nook and cranny was overflowing Blackbeard's San Francisco home with printed material of all shapes and sizes—books, magazines, comic books, pulps, story papers, prints, posters and, most importantly, newspapers—bound newspapers, individual newspapers, newspaper tearsheets, and newspaper clippings. The massive collection filled most of the 12 rooms upstairs and the entire ground-floor garage that ran the length of the building. Walking down the stairs to the immense garage, they saw a maze of narrow alleys created by floor-to-ceiling stacks of individual newspaper pages and bound newspaper volumes, boxes and file cabinets containing millions of comic strip clippings; and rows of shelves made from Kin-der-kids by Lionel crates turned on their sides housing all Feininger, May 6, 1906 kinds of popular narrative. Feininger was an established In addition to housing the collection, known as the San German artist at the time he Francisco Academy of Comic Art, the building also served as the was recruited to create comics. This strip featured the Kin- residence of the man responsible for collecting this mass of paper: der-kids taking off on a sea Bill Blackbeard. He lived there with his wife, Barbara, and over adventure in the family bathtub. 75 tons of popular culture material. Feininger is most famous for A few months earlier, the Blackbeards, who had lived in this his paintings, which were heavily influenced by cubism, house for decades, learned that the new owner of the building and for his affiliation with the would not renew their lease and he wanted them and all of this Bauhaus school. material out. Blackbeard began negotiations with Ohio State’s All images courtesy of Ohio Cartoon Research Library, and it was eventually decided that State University Billy Ireland Cartoon Library and Museum. Jenny Robb, Assistant Professor and Associate Curator of the Bill Blackbeard with his collection Cartoon Library and Museum at Ohio State University, was the Gerhard Masur Memorial speaker at the spring Friends of Library and Friends of Art. Her talk was “Bill Blackbeard: the Collector who Rescued the Comics. the only way to save the material, was presented problems: there was no index to move it all to Columbus, OH. With of which papers ran which strips and only a few days to go, the movers faced it often changed from day to day or the daunting task of packing the entire month to month. collection to be shipped across the Plus, Blackbeard soon discovered country. The collection was by far the that even this last resort would not be largest ever acquired by the Library a viable alternative for long. Librarians and is one of its most important for the across the country had encountered study of popular culture in general and problems of their own with regards graphic narrative —or sequential art—in to the over-sized newspaper volumes. particular. They were running out of room to Bill Blackbeard grew up in Lawrence, Indiana. Blackbeard was born in 1926. store them, and they feared that the old He spent his early childhood in the After high school, Blackbeard joined newsprint—due to the acidic nature of rural town of Lawrence, Indiana. His the army in 1944 and served in Europe the paper—would deteriorate over time grandfather operated a service station; during WWII. Next he attended college becoming brittle and unusable, even father was an electrician; mother until his GI funding ran out then turning to dust. handled the bookkeeping side of her became a free-lance writer, including A solution borrowed from the world husband’s business. When he was authoring stories for the pulps. of military technology gained popularity approximately 8 or 9, he moved to He continued to develop his interest starting in the mid-twentieth century: Newport Beach, CA. in the humanities and popular literature. microfilm. Libraries could have long His interest in newspaper comics In 1967, Blackbeard saw the need for runs of newspapers microfilmed, then started when he was a child. The high a scholarly history of the newspaper transfer, sell or destroy the original point of the week for young Blackbeard comic strip. The comic strip, created paper volumes. The microfilm would, was the arrival of the Sunday comics.1 in the mid 1890s to sell newspapers of course, take up only a fraction of At some point in his youth, he made and amuse the masses, had rarely the storage space and proponents the happy discovery that many people been considered worthy of promised that it would last longer then accumulated stacks of newspapers in serious analysis or study. their basements and garages; sometimes Several pioneering efforts3 to use as wrapping or scrap paper; fell short of the up-to-date sometimes because they just didn’t get and accurate history that around to disposing of them (Those Blackbeard intended to were the days before recycling). When write. By the late 1960s, I interviewed Blackbeard for this social history and popular project, he said “Once I discovered culture studies were gaining this, I had no other interest in life than respect as legitimate fields finding these caches of newspapers.” of academic inquiry, and He mined the newspapers for their he sold the concept to the comic pages, which he eagerly read and Oxford University Press. began to keep in stacks, although he But Blackbeard faced a complained that his mother didn’t allow dilemma. In order to be able him enough space in the house to keep to write about the origins, San Fran Call, June 21, 1903 On the left is the microfilm of the page. them, so he limited himself to daily trends and advances, and On the right is a scan from the original tearsheet. In the microfilm comic pages and Sunday sections from social significance of comic version, we lose not only color but text as well. Also, this piece is one or two newspapers. strips through the years, particularly interesting because of the unusual color printing method. Although collecting often runs in Multiple plates were used but the color areas are solid instead of a he would need to access dot screen, making only three colors possible. It demonstrates the families, it seems that Blackbeard did complete runs of individual truly experimental nature of newspaper color printing at the time, not inherit his collecting obsession strips. But no such archive which can’t be seen on the microfilm. or his interest in comics from his existed. The syndicates parents. When asked if either of them routinely destroyed original the newsprint. In addition, copies of collected anything, he replied “Oh no, comic strip drawings and proofs that the microfilm could be sold to other I’m afraid they were pretty much the they no longer wanted to store; and libraries, who could then dispose of typical fine people of their time. No, few cartoonists kept complete records their paper volumes. The Library there was no interest along that line at of their strips. He knew that the comics of Congress began its newspaper all.”2 He said that there was nothing in could be found in the bound newspaper microfilming project in 1950; other family background, going back to his volumes in libraries, but even that public and university libraries followed grandparents that would indicate an their lead. 4 interest in collecting. 3 including The Seven Lively Arts by Gilbert In the late 1960s, when Blackbeard Seldes, [a writer, editor and cultural critic], was trying to figure out the best 1 Interview with Bill Blackbeard, May 14, Comics and Their Creators: Life Stories of 2007. American Cartoonists by Martin Sheridan, and 2 Ibid. The Comics by Coulton Waugh 4 Ibid, p. 26-34.? 2 way to research comic strips, the San “An obsession organized” In a 1975 brochure, Blackbeard Francisco Public Library also made the wrote “The Academy founder and decision to dispose of a portion of its Collecting comic strips became more director is in residence at the Academy bound newspaper collection. He knew than a hobby and more than a career; with his wife (who is employed some the librarians there and offered it became his way of life. Blackbeard elsewhere), and is thus able to work to take the volumes off their hands and his San Francisco Academy of with the collections and Academy rather than see them go to the dump; Comic Art epitomize the definition of a undertakings during his waking but, according to Bill, the library’s collection in an essay called “Calm and hours seven days a week.” In another policies prohibited them transferring Uncollected,”7. The author defines a brochure, he promises 24-hour the volumes to a private individual. So collection as “an obsession organized” accessibility to the material. Blackbeard decided to become a non- and he goes on to say of the collector, Russell Belk points out in Collecting profit organization. He said, “I never “if he has any introspection, he in a Consumer Society, that collecting did anything so fast in my life. In less begins at some point to sense that the is a form of consumption but it is than a week, I was the San Francisco collection possesses him.” This is very also a creative and productive act.9 Academy of Comic Art.”5 The San fitting for Blackbeard. Blackbeard did more than just hoard Francisco Public Library could now An early newspaper article about the the newspapers. He set out to create transfer the newspapers to the new Blackbeard collection reported that he a unique archive that would better Academy. serve his own studies and those of Even 40 years later, when you talk to other cartoon historians, scholars and him about this collection, his face lights publishers. He knew first-hand how up and becomes very animated and he tedious and physically exhausting it talks about this “endless, unfathomable, was to page through the huge, heavy unbelievable body of bound newspaper and bulky volumes. So, he and his wife, volumes, complete for decades.”6 But along with other comic strip fans who Blackbeard didn’t stop there. Aided by volunteered at the Academy, laboriously his wife, Barbara and various friends, clipped the daily and Sunday comic he continued his quest to rescue the strips out of many of the newspapers comics that libraries across the country in order to assemble complete runs of were discarding. the strips. In the 1990s, he estimated In addition to the initial cache they had clipped 350,000 Sunday strips from the San Francisco Public Library, and 2.5 million dailies. A daily, by the Blackbeard picked up runs of bound way, refers to strips that ran Monday- newspapers from many libraries, Saturday. including the Library of Congress, the Clearly, Blackbeard is an extreme Chicago Public Library, the Los Angeles example of a completist, a systematic Public Library, and the California “type A” collector, rather than an State Library in Sacramento. He also aesthetic “type B.”10 Collectors like him received some collections from the gain pleasure and satisfaction through newspapers themselves. According to completion, or, if completion is not Blackbeard, by and large, the librarians possible, through achieving progress were happy to see them go. Blackbeard toward it. He talks about experiencing “There’s barely room for the couple’s bed, stove and even responded to emergencies—the refrigerator,” noted an early newspaper article about “collector’s anguish,” which he California State Library called him in the Blackbeard collection. described as “knowing that there was the mid-70s because the powers-that- more out there that had to be found be had demanded that they build some and his wife sold their car and most of but [not] know[ing] where to find it.”11 kind of safety corridor through the their possessions to start the Academy. It wasn’t enough to have examples of basement newspaper stacks and they Blackbeard is quoted as saying “We’ve strips, he had to have complete runs in wanted to know if he could take all of spent our life savings giving birth to chronological order. Some strips would the library’s out-of-state newspapers, what we believe a very necessary and not suffice; he aspired to acquire runs of but the catch was that he had only 2 important repository for a major art every strip ever published. weeks to do it. Bill dispatched and filled form.” 8 The article noted that “there’s Even that was not satisfactory. 4 successive truck-loads of papers within barely room for the couple’s bed, stove Blackbeard recognized the the time allowed and managed to rescue and refrigerator. The bathroom is the interrelationships between all forms of the newspapers. only room in the house that does not popular culture. He believed comics double as academy space.” The reason could be best understood in the larger given for this one exception was the risk of moisture damage to the objects. 9 Russell W. Belk, Collecting in a Consumer Society (London: Routledge, 1995), p. 55. 5 Interview with Bill Blackbeard, May 14, 7 American Scholar 10 Danet and Katariel, 1989 and Belk, 1995, p. 2007. 8 Charles Hillinger, “Museum of Comic Strip 46 6 Ibid. Art,” Los Angeles Times, December 13, 1971 11 Interview May 14, 2007 3 The Upside-Downs, 1904 McCay, Little Nemo in Slumberland, 1905 Little Nemo original, 1905 This is a wonderful and odd little treasure: The This is another example of an extraordinary work of . . . as you can see from this example of a Little Nemo Upside-Downs of Little Lady Lovekins and Old Man art, a Little Nemo page by the great Winsor McCay, original. It begs the question, what is the original? Muffaroo by Gustav Verbeek. When you have read the and it only exists in color in this format. The original, I submit that both objects have artistic and historic strip right-side-up, you turn the strip upside down, of course, is black ink on paper . . . value and both should be preserved. and the story continues. context of all narrative and graphic Private vs. it made it available for me. It wasn’t material created for the common for this wonderful world out there; I masses: from penny dreadfuls to dime institutional collection? wanted it!” 13 novels; pulp magazines to comic books. Belk writes in Collecting in a Was this a private or a public His ambition for his collection grew to Consumer Society that “consumers can collection? In many ways, the Academy include the whole of popular narrative almost always control what they own functioned as a legitimate non-profit. so that he and other researchers and possess, collectors who possess Blackbeard initially institutionalized his could examine the ways that different an interrelated set of objects control a collection as a matter of expediency— popular art and literature informed and ‘little world’” (70). Blackbeard indeed to acquire objects for it—but he also influenced each other. served as creator, savior and controller genuinely wanted to make the materials Blackbeard does not appear to have of his “little world.” accessible to others. In other respects it been motivated by profit; he seems to was very much a private collection—it have been content to make enough was his vision and his obsession and to support himself and the needs he certainly had complete control of Blackbeard’s Contribution of the collection. He never took a the collection from its origin until it Blackbeard collected bound salary from the Academy, although its was sold in 1998. When I asked him newspaper comics to facilitate his own funds undoubtedly paid for his living if he was required to have a board of research, but he also very clearly saw expenses. He funded his collecting directors to maintain non-profit status, himself as a crusader. He was rescuing activities by selling copies or duplicates he candidly stated, the materials from certain destruction. of the comic strips and reproductions of From the beginning, he realized the pulps to collectors and researchers. “Oh, theoretically, but they never check how inadequate microfilm was for the He also edited over a hundred books on you on that. So any group of your friends can be the board. Oh, yeah, there preservation and study of comics and using material from the collection, cartoons. There has already been a great which brought in additional funds. are certain tangible things that you’re supposed to do, but nobody every looks deal of discussion about the problems When I interviewed him, he claimed into it. It just gets in the way [laughs], in of relying on microfilm to preserve our that he never wrote grants or raised my point of view. Of course, the purpose newspaper heritage, most notably by money, as other non-profit museums of regulations is to prevent malfeasance of some sort or another. I wasn’t Nicholson Baker in his controversial and libraries do and that income was book Doublefold, so I want to focus not a problem.12 Certainly he ran the malfeasying [sic] anybody [laughs].” on one of the most important issues academy on a bare-bones budget. Blackbeard very clearly collected for his for comics historians. Incidentally, own satisfaction. While discussing the Blackbeard himself is featured in importance of his collection to popular that book as the person who alerted culture scholars, he exclaimed “Well, 12 Ibid. 13 Interview 4 Gasoline Alley

In the 1920s, cartoonists began to take advantage of serialized stories that had long been a tradition in popular literature. Stories were serialized in the strip over some number of months or years. This allowed them to develop more complicated narratives and to ensure that customers would come back day after day to find out what happens. These were called continuity or story strips. Gasoline Alley originated as a single panel cartoon featuring guys in a garage arguing about automobiles. The publisher of the newspaper decided that the strip should become a story strip and that

New York Herald, 1900, Dan Smith it should feature a baby. So a baby was This page is interesting because of the way it incor- left on the doorstep of the principal porates photographs around this stunning drawing by illustrator Dan Smith. character, Walt, who was a bachelor. So of course, Walt decided to raise the child himself. From that point on, the strip becomes more of a gentle soap opera or Baker to what the libraries were doing. melodrama strip. In the installment at left, Blackbeard consistently refuted the the baby, Skeezix, goes on a wonderful argument that newsprint is inherently self-destructive. Blackbeard told me dream adventure with a witch. Also, note though, that Baker disapproved of up in the corner, that the Tribune ran a Gasoline Alley, 1923 what he was doing, because it involved contest—readers could win $10,000 cash cutting up the newspapers that he if they had an idea for Gasoline Alley that rescued. In 1980, Blackbeard wrote “It is was used in the strip. my conviction that the present and Perhaps King’s greatest contribution is long-extended determination of most that he was the first to allow his characters American libraries to dump their often to age. So the child you see in the upper literally priceless printed newspaper files upon ‘replacement’ by microfilm is strip in 1923 is a young boy in the lower nothing less than an archival disaster.”14 one from 1934. In hindsight, it’s surprising that national This is one large image of a house under library leaders did not work together construction, but King has divided it into to ensure the survival of at least one original and complete paper run of panels and the reader understands that the each newspaper, or at least each major characters which appear in each panel, are newspaper, which could serve as the moving through time as they also physically master copy and could be used when move through the partially constructed researchers needed to examine the original or wanted high quality, color house. So it works as a single image but reproductions. Thankfully, Blackbeard also as sequential panels. It’s really quite a managed to rescue and preserve a large sophisticated graphic narrative technique. part of our heritage that otherwise may The next week was similar, but you can see have been lost. He was at the forefront of the trend that the house is much further along in the construction process. Eventually Skeezix Gasoline Alley, 1934 14 Letter from Bill Blackbeard to Charles Blitzer, Smithsonian Institution, 2/15/80; San grows up, gets married, and has kids of his Francisco Academy of Comic Art Collection, own. The Ohio State University Cartoon Research Library. 4 5 Nell Brinkley, Kathleen and the Great Secret, 1920 The Sunday supplements had more than comics. They included serialized and illustrated fiction, poetry and illustrated non-fiction. This is a serialized romance and adventure story by Nell Brinkley from 1920. Brinkley, one of only a few women working in the business, became a celebrity and a household name. The Brinkley Girl succeeded the Gibson Girl, but she was much more spirited and independent. Brinkley was of the first to link young, beautiful women with the women’s suffrage movement. They actually sold hair curlers, so women could copy the Brinkley Girl’s famous hair style. In one story from 1918, Golden Eyes goes to Europe, where her love, Bill is fighting in WWI. She drives an ambulance for the Red Cross, is captured by an evil German captain, steals secret plans from him, and finally rescues Bill who was injured in the battlefield. Brinkley girls didn’t sit around and wait for their man to come home, they acted heroically themselves.

Froggies Jazz Band This is a page from the “Book of Magic,” which was a quirky activity supplement for kids. You could cut out these frogs and make your own Froggy Jazz Band. in late-20th century contemporary time focused on the original art, what create an online digital finding aid. We collecting, (examined by Paul Martin could be considered the “masterpieces,” were able to hire a full-time archivist in Popular Collecting and the Everyday rather than the mass-produced for 3 years, but still, less then half of the Self,) to collect everyday objects, the newsprint. collection has been processed to date. “inexpensive and unconsidered,” the These collections include the The decision was made to focus on “material detritus of consumer society,” Swann Collection, started in 1967 and the oldest material first. In general, as newspapers, comic books and pulp now at the Library of Congress, the the material is organized by the title fiction certainly were—and sometimes International Museum of Cartoon Art, of the strip. The daily strips (Monday- still are—considered. The strips were started by cartoonist Mort Walker in Saturday) are stored by year. The full ephemeral and common. They were 1974, and the Art Wood Collection, pages, or tear sheets, from the Sunday considered throw-away; something to also now at the Library of Congress. newspapers are stored in acid-free read today and use to light a fire or to When Blackbeard lost the lease on folders organized chronologically by line the bird cage tomorrow. his home in 1997, these objects were the title of the strip. In many cases, And in creating the collection from again in danger of being destroyed. Blackbeard saved entire comics or everyday, mass-produced emphemera, After a year of negotiation, the color supplement sections, which are he made a conscious effort to elevate Cartoon Library & Museum was able also organized chronologically by the status of the comic strip, to to purchase the entire collection. It newspaper. transport it from the profane to the consisted of six tractor-trailer trucks full The collection is used by researchers sacred. His crucial contribution was of material. Although Blackbeard and from a wide variety of disciplines, in recognizing the value of objects his wife Barbara had kept the materials including English, communications, art, that others considered so common as organized and neatly stacked, there was American studies, pop culture studies to be worthless, or at the very least, no written index or finding aid. inappropriate for serious efforts at Having literally lived with the preservation. collection for over 30 years, Blackbeard Blackbeard was not alone; he was undoubtedly knew where everything part of a wider movement in the second was. The complications of packing and half of the 20th century of scholars, transporting the mass of material caused cartoonists, and cultural critics who a portion of the original arrangement attempted to legitimize cartoons and to be lost, which made processing the comics as an art form worthy of serious collection a truly daunting task. study. It is important to note, however, Fortunately, the Getty Foundation that most other major collections of provided funding for a three-year Daily strips are now stored in comic strips started around the same project to process the materials and to acid-free folders

6 Blackbeard, without question “or quibble, is the only absolutely indispensable figure in the history of comics scholarship for the last quarter century. —R. C. Harvey, Comics” Historian The Tigress and her cubs. Both of these were drawn by an early animator named E. G. Lutz, who wrote a book about animation published in 1920. It was this book that inspired and taught Walt Disney.

and history. And it is heavily used by was called the Smithsonian Collection, comic strip reprint publishers. I should none of the hundreds of comic strips also add that the pulp fiction and featured in its pages actually came from science fiction was transferred to OSU’s the Smithsonian; they were all supplied Rare Books and Manuscripts Library by Blackbeard from the Academy’s where it complements the extensive treasures. Charvat Collection of American Fiction. Individual collectors like him Blackbeard never did produce have made a critical contribution to the comic strip history that he had the preservation of popular culture originally set out to write for Oxford materials, collecting and caring for Univ. Press; instead he embarked on a ephemeral items that libraries, museums project that has contributed more to the and universities long thought were scholarship in the field than any single not worth saving. In this case, not book could have. Comics historian only did institutions fail to acquire R.C. Harvey wrote, “Blackbeard, comic strip material, but they were without question or quibble, is the actually discarding what they had only absolutely indispensable figure in inadvertently collected. It was at this the history of comics scholarship for point that Blackbeard found his mission the last quarter century.”15 In many in life. His obsession resulted in a cases the current generation of comics remarkable contribution to the scholarly scholars discovered these wonderful community and helped make possible old comics from the reprint books that the preservation and documentation of Blackbeard edited, one in particular a rich and colorful part of our heritage. called the Smithsonian Collection of Newspaper Comics. It featured many early strips. One comics scholar, said that he considered the book to be as important as the Bible or the Koran. Originally published: Jenny E. Robb. “Bill Interestingly, even though the book was Blackbeard: The Collector Who Rescued published by the Smithsonian and it the Comics.” Journal of American Culture. Vol. 32, no. 3. (September 2009): 15 R.C.Harvey, “Milestones at Two Score and 244-256. One,” Comics Journal 200 (December 1997), This article has been edited for space. p. 79 6 7 2010 Nicole Basbanes ’04 Book Collecting Contest Collection First Place Winner: Courtney Cunningham ’10

y interest in Alexander than not I flew through the books so about Alexander led to a desire for the Great, and thus my quickly I failed to really absorb the anything written about Alexander, largest individual book content. For some reason, out of all which in turn brought me into contact collection, was inspired the books I read up to that point, the with books on the classical world in Mby a historical fiction trilogy I checked “Alexander trilogy” by — general and Greece in particular. out from a nearby public library at age , The Persian Boy, and When I had exhausted the library’s eleven. I had always been a voracious —was the only series to small Alexander collection I begged reader, but by that year I was reading completely capture my attention and my mother to bring me to Half Price as many as six novels per week. It had imagination. I returned to the library Books, an independent used bookstore become an addiction fueled mainly by and checked out every Renault book that was close to my house in Houston the boredom I experienced while in they had, including The Mask of Apollo, (I recently learned that it is actually school and at home, for my classes were The Last of the Wine, and The Nature a large chain). I checked both the not challenging and we had little in of Alexander. The first two are other biography and the history sections, but the way of entertainment at my house historic fiction novels set in ancient all I could find was one thick book with beyond my mother’s impressive library. Greece, but the latter is actually a a gold cover titled Alexander the Great The ability to read quickly allowed me nonfiction biography. My interests were and His Time by Agnes Savill. This was to keep up this pace, but more often rapidly expanding; the initial curiosity a bit daunting for a twelve year old, but

8 I bought it anyway and managed to purple hair tied up in a side ponytail by thought of having to adjust to a new get through most of it despite the fact a green scrunchie, and Alexandria is a school, a new city, a new country that I rarely understood even one entire futuristic space age metropolis complete without a single friend. I tried to keep sentence. Savill, along with Renault to with robots and flying vehicles. Despite my obsessive tendencies under control an extent, is one of the more radical all of these bizarre alterations I loved so as not to alert the other students apologists, so their work obviously the series and watched every episode to my truly geeky nature, so of course influenced my unabashedly positive multiple times. my Alexander interest went dormant interpretation of Alexander. At the age of fifteen I was suddenly for a couple of months. The following By this time my closest friends had uprooted from everything familiar and spring I apprehensively tried out for discovered my bizarre interest in a long- moved to London. Never before had the school’s M.U.N. team and was dead man and thus were not surprised I been the stereotypical new student; selected to represent Turkey. At the by the next (rather embarrassing) stage I was paralyzed with fear at the very mock general assembly meeting, held of my obsession. Alexander Senki, in Surrey and involving students from strangely translated as Reign: The As a classical studies all over Europe, I received a note from Conqueror when it was exported to a member of the group representing America, is a Japanese anime cartoon major I have had the France. The note complimented me on that came to my attention during opportunity to incorporate my reading material, for I had brought my freshman year in high school. a book on Alexander to covertly read The artwork is almost terrifying in my Alexander collection when the meetings became boring, its attempt at realism and the plot is into a few independent and asked if I had read the Renault only connected to the historical life of series. This began a series of memorable Alexander by only the most tenuous research projects and correspondences and ended in a new of threads. In the show, Bucephalus to attempt to generate friendship. As it turns out, the girl’s (Alexander’s famous warhorse) is a name is Olwen Lachowicz and she is wild man-eating beast, Cassander (one some interest in the half Polish and half Welsh, but lives in of Alexander’s generals) is the female Hellenistic Age within the London and speaks with a posh English Cassandra, (Alexander’s accent. Our mutual love for all things close friend and likely lover) has long, department. Alexander naturally led to my renewed

Partial Bibliography

1. Arnold-Biucchi, Carmen. Alexander’s Coins and to the Hellenistic World. New York: Cambridge expectations were spot on. Alexander’s Image. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press, 2006. 12. Dahmen, Karsten. The Legend of Alexander the University Art Museums, 2006. 8. Burn, Lucilla. Hellenistic Art from Alexander the Great on Greek and Roman Coins. New York: 2. Arrian. Anabasis of Alexander. 2 vols. Loeb Great to Augustus. Los Angeles: The J. Paul Getty Routledge, 2007. Classical Library. Trans. P.A. Brunt. Cambridge, Museum, 2004. 13. Finneran, Niall. Alexandria: A City & Myth. MA: Harvard University Press, 1976. 9. Carney, Elizabeth. Olympias: Mother of Alexander Gloucestershire: Tempus Publishing, 2005. Besides Plutarch, Arrian is the most famous of the the Great. New York: Routledge, 2006. 14. Foreman, Laura. The Epic Story of the Warrior Alexander biographers. He was a Roman general, Olympias is a fascinating historical figure, but King: Alexander the Conqueror. Cambridge: a fact clearly reflected in his obsessive descriptions there has been surprisingly little written about Tehabi Books, 2004. of Alexander’s great battles. He considers her. I was excited to discover news of this book Alexander a brilliant military commander, but 15. Fox, Robin Lane. Alexander the Great. London: before it was released, hoping it would balance Penguin Books, 2004. he criticizes him for being a seriously flawed out the influx of pro-Philip II books of recent man. I had read the Anabasis in high school, years. This book is indeed a great asset to the Despite the fact that my copy of this book but I first looked at it closely this past summer field of Alexander scholarship because it offers has an embarrassing and unfortunate cover while working on my Summer Honors Research in-depth analysis of her various portrayals—both (Colin Farrell dressed as Alexander from that thesis. I translated several selections of the Greek the negative and the occasional positive—in awful Stone movie), I would recommend this original, particularly focusing on the highly an attempt to discover the woman beneath the biography as a great starting point for anyone negative scene in which Arrian depicts some of stories of her cold-blooded murders, feuds with interested in Alexander. Although it boasts an Alexander’s “court sophists” arguing in favor her husband, overbearing influence on Alexander, Oxford professor as its author and is quite thick, of performing proskynesis (prostration) before and involvement in bizarre cult rituals (like this book manages to remain entertaining and their king, something that shocked and angered supposedly keeping snakes in her bed). In this readable even for novices. In fact, it was Alexander’s Macedonian and Greek men. book she is actually likeable! the first scholarly book I ever read on Alexander 3. Bosworth, A. B. and E. J. Baynham, eds. after purchasing it at the British Museum in 10. Cartledge, Paul. Alexander the Great. New York: 2004! Alexander the Great in Fact and Fiction. New Vintage Books, 2004. York: Oxford University Press, 2000. 16. _____. The Search for Alexander. Boston: Little, 11. Chugg, Andrew Michael. Alexander’s Lovers. Brown and Co., 1980. 4. Bosworth, A. B. Alexander and the East: Lulu, 2006. The Tragedy of Triumph. New York: Oxford 17. _____. The Search for Alexander: An Exhibition. University Press, 1996. I decided to annotate this book because it is a bit Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1980. of a joke. You might notice that it was printed on 5. _____. Conquest and Empire: The Reign of Lulu, a self-publishing website. In this laughably 18. Gergel, Tania, ed. Alexander the Great: The Brief Alexander the Great. Cambridge: Cambridge ugly book, Chugg attempts to reconstruct the Life and Towering Exploits of History’s Greatest University Press, 1988. lives of Alexander’s various lovers despite the fact Conqueror as Told By His Original Biographers. 6. Briant, Pierre. Alexander the Great: Man of that most of them are mentioned in one line of New York: Penguin Books, 2004. Action, Man of Spirit. Trans. Harry N. Abrams. one primary source. He does this by basically 19. Green, Peter. Alexander of Macedon: A Historical New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 1996. offering a lot of off-topic filler material and some Biography. Berkeley: University of California 7. Bugh, Glenn R., ed. The Cambridge Companion wild theories based on little or no evidence. I Press, 1991. bought this for a laugh, and as it turns out my

9 interest in the academic side of ancient compiled before I graduated from high Much to my surprise, I have found history because Olwen was a student of school, but the remaining books were several other enthusiasts over the years, Greek and Latin and entered university purchased over the last three and a and through this network of fellow as a budding classicist one year before half years as a student at Sweet Briar. I 20-something history nerds I have kept me. even returned home from two trips to up with the most recent Alexander I purchased my first truly scholarly Greece with an Alexander coin necklace scholarship and added many new books. Alexander the Great book while visiting (I have worn it nearly every day for over General interest in Alexander the Great the British Museum with Olwen. five years now), two antique maps of seems to be on the rise lately, so my It was Robin Lane Fox’s famous Alexander’s empire, and two busts of collection will no doubt continue to biography and the catalyst for the Alexander to display on the bookshelves expand in both scope and physical size. sudden expansion of my previously in my room. And speaking of modern interest, one of modest collection. Almost all of the As a classical studies major I have my other goals (and I seriously do mean new additions were either academic had the opportunity to incorporate this) is to erase that embarrassingly or primary sources thanks to Olwen’s my Alexander collection into a few awful movie from the influence and recommendations, and independent research projects and to world’s collective memory… since that time the trend has continued. attempt to generate some interest in the At least half of my collection was Hellenistic Age within the department.

20. ___. Alexander to Actium: The Historical example of military genius and great leadership. Conqueror. New York: Perseus Books Group, Evolution of the Hellenistic Age. Los Angeles: He is more interested in Alexander as a man, so 2006. University of California Press,1990. his biography is filled with intriguing anecdotes 37. Savill, Agnes. Alexander the Great and His Time. 21. Hamilton, J.R. Plutarch Alexander. Second and memorably witty quotes. In fact, if you New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1993. Edition. London: Bristol Classical Press, 1999. happen to know anything about Alexander it probably comes from this source. I highly This was the first “academic” Alexander book I 22. Heckel, Waldemar and Lawrence A. Tritle, eds. recommend Plutarch’s Alexander to anyone ever purchased, but considering it was published Alexander the Great: A New History. Malden, interested in history and biography! by Barnes & Noble and the only book this author MA: Wiley-Blackwell, 2009. ever wrote I really only consider it nonfiction. 28. Pressfield, Steven. The Virtues of War: A Novel Even though there are probably already hundreds This book is almost over the top with its gushy of Alexander the Great. New York: Bantam Dell, admiration for Alexander, so much so that even of books on Alexander, this book proves that 2004. some fertile academic ground still remains! This I, generally an Alexander fan, found it a bit is a collection of academic articles covering a wide 29. Prevas, John. Envy of the Gods: Alexander the embarrassing. She focuses only on events that range of topics, including many that the scholars Great’s Ill-Fated Journey Across Asia. Cambridge, make Alexander look worthy of the title “the of the past have shied away from. Some of my MA: Da Capo Press, 2004. Great” while minimizing, rationalizing, or even favorite essays are “Alexander’s Sex Life” (not as 30. Pseudo-Callisthenes. The Greek Alexander omitting some of the more questionable parts of raunchy as it sounds!) and “Alexander and His Romance. Trans. Richard Stoneman. New York: his legend. ‘Terrible Mother’.” Penguin Books, 1991. 38. Spencer, Diana. Roman Alexander: Reading a 23. Holt, Frank L. Alexander the Great and the 31. Renault, Mary. Fire From Heaven. New York: Cultural Myth. Exeter: The University of Exeter Mystery of the Elephant Medallions. Berkeley: Pantheon Books, 1969. Press, 2003. University of California Press, 2003. 32. _____. Funeral Games. New York: Vintage I bought this book fairly recently to use for my 24. McCarty, Nick. Alexander the Great. New York: Books, 1981. summer research paper, so I have not yet finished Gramercy Books, 2004. it. The chapters I have read so far have been 33. _____. The Nature of Alexander. New York: about Alexander’s legacy during the Roman 25. Mosse, Claude. Alexander: Destiny and Myth. Pantheon Books, 1975. Republic and Empire and it catalogues all the Baltimore: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 34. _____. The Persian Boy. New York: Vintage ways in which Roman generals and political 2004. Books, 1972. leaders recalled Alexander in portraiture, dress, 26. O’Brien, John Maxwell. Alexander the Great: The Mary Renault’s historical fiction was the original speech, action, etc. It is a fascinating read and Invisible Enemy. New York: Routledge, 1992. inspiration behind my fascination with Alexander one of the only books that focus on Alexander’s I must say that I am surprised Routledge agreed the Great. Her “Alexander trilogy” turns legacy outside his Successors, coinage, and post- to publish this book, considering it is yet another Alexander’s life into a novel; Fire from Heaven antiquity. reactionary anti-Alexander book following in Ian covers his youth from birth to his succession to 39. Stoneman, Richard. Alexander the Great: A Life Worthington’s footsteps. Alexander scholarship the Macedonian throne, The Persian Boy follows in Legend. New Haven: Yale University Press, seems to appear in waves of pro- and anti- the events of his reign and his conquest of the 2008. despite the fact that there has not been much Persian Empire, and Funeral Games focuses on 40. Thomas, Carol G. Alexander the Great in His new evidence surfacing in the past century or the bitter breakup of Alexander’s empire after World. Oxford: Blackwell Publishing, 2007. so. In this particular book, O’Brien attempts to his untimely death at age 32. I last read these prove that Alexander was a raging alcoholic with years ago, but if my memory is correct these 41. Worthington, Ian, ed. Alexander the Great: A a penchant for violence and that he died from are breathtakingly beautiful books that give a Reader. New York: Routledge, 2003. alcohol consumption. His proof relies only on lot of insight into Alexander as a person and a few events described in the primary sources the beginning of the Hellenistic Age in Greece. where bad decisions were made while drinking. Renault also happens to be a scholar (The Nature I find the entire argument hilarious and utterly of Alexander is an academic biography), so these unconvincing, but then again I tend to be in the books are well researched and stick to the primary pro-Alexander camp… sources as much as possible. 27. Plutarch. Greek Lives. Trans. Robin Waterfield. 35. Romm, James, ed. Alexander the Great: Selections New York: Oxford University Press, 1998. from Arrian, Diodorus, Plutarch, and Quintus Plutarch was a Greek biographer and philosopher Curtius. Trans. Pamela Mensch and James writing during the Roman Empire, and he Romm. Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., happens to be one of my favorite ancient authors. 2005. His is one of the most sympathetic portrayals of 36. Saunders, Nicholas J. Alexander’s Tomb: The Alexander, who he pairs with Julius Caesar as an Two Thousand Year Obsession to Find the Lost

10 2010 Nicole Basbanes ’04 Book Collecting Contest Horse Racing: Humanity within the Pages

Second Place Winner: Lauren Shoff ’11

made my first sentimental bet on these people weren’t only the ones at a tremendously human character to a a horse race when I was fourteen the bottom of the rung with no say in dark backdrop that continues to grey. years old. Sentimental, I say, racing’s future and only a quarter in I’m not sure if there was ever an because I still have the ticket stub their pocket for their toil. I had to know exact moment when that realization sittingI in my box of racing memorabilia I wasn’t the only one out there who hit me. But the books piling up in my back home in Chesapeake, Virginia. It placed a bet on a horse simply because I collection kept dragging me back and was a blustery February day (Valentine’s, felt an attachment to her. But what my forth between humanity and cruelty, to be exact), and I had pleaded my dad collection came to be was a mixture of passion for sport and greed for a harsh to drive me south from our home in sadness and unrelenting hope, revealing business. What Ruffian: Burning From Pennsylvania to watch my favorite mare, the Start taught me about greed in the Gazillion, run in a stakes race at Laurel media and absurdity in match races, it Park in Maryland. She finished a close . . .the books piling up taught me about compassion for a filly second that day and, although she never in my collection kept whom a nation loved and grieved when got her revenge, I have the goggles lost. What Three Strides Before the Wire that the winning jockey wore proudly dragging me back and showed me in Chris Antley, an inspiring displayed in my room next to a photo of forth between humanity jockey who came back from a drug Gazillion running second, with only a addiction to win the 1999 Kentucky wisp of the winner’s tail in the frame. It and cruelty, passion for Derby, it showed me in his Derby- was one of the only races I saw Gazillion sport and greed for a winning mount’s break down five weeks lose and, though it’s still somewhat of a later and Antley’s ultimate death from a sore spot, the photo next to the winner’s harsh business. drug overdose over a year later. The love goggles makes me smile. I can’t explain what made me latch onto the plain-looking bay mare—why I got so sentimental about her, or even horse racing in general. I had heard stories about my grandmother buying tickets for the Kentucky Derby each year, but she had passed away long before my passion grew into what it is today. My sister rode hunters, as I do now, but she always prodded me with the idea that racehorses are treated cruelly and forced to run. Even today, as I work within a business dominated by bloodlines and ‘who you know,’ people are amazed that I emerged from such a tiny town to enter into the secluded industry. Perhaps my beginning is why my collection came about. Amongst all the screaming naysayers who swore the traditions, industry, and sport I loved were cruel, I had to know there was more to it. I had to see a human side, where money didn’t run the trade and horses weren’t treated as mechanical machines. I had to know there were people out there who were in the business because they loved it, and that

11 that went into Barbara Livingston’s Old continues to write itself today. overshadowed by greed. If anything, Friends and her attempt to pay tribute to My collection didn’t necessarily I have learned that the naysayers are racing’s older legends was tossed away accomplish for me what I had hoped justified in their thinking. But I’ve also when reading Wild Ride, which showed it would. It doesn’t scream that racing realized that I can look beyond the dark J. T. Lundy destroying legendary stallion is the most humane sport and that side and know for certain that humanity Alydar’s leg with a crowbar in order to everyone in the industry would still be does exist in the unlikeliest of places. collect insurance money. The elementary there if it weren’t for the money. But it And if humanity is coursing through struggle between good and evil is traced does show me a sympathetic approach even just one small vein of this industry, across the thousands of pages, and to the business, even if it does get it’s enough.

Bibliography trainer, and jockey who all faced their own struggles, from humans in the toughest moments. Auerbach, Ann Hagedorn. Wild Ride: The Rise and Seabiscuit provided proof that racing isn’t just about Mooney, Nan. My Racing Heart: The Passionate Tragic Fall of Calumet Farm Inc., America’s Premier the money. There were thousands of fans who went World of Thoroughbreds and the Track. New York: Racing Dynasty. New York: Holt Paperbacks, 1994. to tracks simply to watch the little bay horse run, and Harper Collins Publishers, 2002. the beauty in that alone showed me that racing was This book chronicles the rule of Calumet Farm, one more than an industry of dollar signs. This book is a more personal approach to racing, as of the most prestigious racing and breeding farms Mooney explains how she came to love the sport of in the world. What makes it most important to Horse Racing’s Top 100 Moments. Lexington: Blood- Thoroughbred racing despite all its negative aspects. this collection, however, is its fall. Readers see how Horse Publications, 2006. A great addition to my collection, it never fails to the farm was passed through the generations into Horse Racing’s Greatest Rivalries. Lexington: Blood- address the issues within the industry while also the hands of J. T. Lundy, who turned Calumet’s Horse Publications, 2008. explaining how one can still love the sport despite Thoroughbreds into pure cash machines and Livingston, Barbara D. Four Seasons of Racing. these issues. It balances both the cruelty and the eventually killed one of its top stallions, Alydar, for Lexington: Eclipse Press, 1998. passion that I, along with other fans, face daily within insurance money. This investigative book is one of racing. the darker ones of the collection, showing how the Livingston, Barbara D. Old Friends: Visits With My Favorite Thoroughbreds. Lexington: Eclipse Press, Paulick, Ray. Sunday Silence: Thoroughbred Legends. brilliant reign of Calumet came to a crashing halt Lexington: Eclipse Press, 2001. because of greed. 2002. One of my favorites, Old Friends is a cherished book Schwartz, Jane. Ruffian: Burning From the Start. Baffert, Bob. Baffert: Dirt Road to the Derby. New York: Ballantine Books, 1991. Lexington: Blood-Horse Publications, 1999. to those lucky enough to have gotten a copy while it was still in print. Written by photographer Barbara Despite being a heart wrenching novel, this book Capps, Timothy T. Affirmed and Alydar: Racing’s Livingston, the book tells the stories of racing’s is one of my favorites. As one of the most famous Greatest Rivary (Thoroughbred Legends). forgotten legends, now well into their later years, and horses in racing, Ruffian was always in front in her Lexington: Blood-Horse Publications, 2007. provides stunning photos that shows their grayed races and remained undefeated until a match race Clancy, Sean. Barbaro: The Horse Who Captured hairs and swayed backs. What makes this book so with Derby winner Foolish Pleasure, where she broke America’s Heart. Lexington: Blood-Horse important to the collection is that the horses, despite down and was subsequently euthanized. Although Publications, 2007. being past their money-making years, are being the book shows the media circus that surrounded Conley, Kevin. Stud: Adventures in Breeding. New remembered and honored for the memories that they the match race, it also shows the terrifically human York: Bloomsbury, 2002. gave to so many fans. Although some of the horses effort to save the filly and an emotional side of her are extremely well-known in the racing world, others hardened-by-the-business trainer that not many had One of the most humorous in the collection, are more obscure and would have faded unnoticed previously seen. Stud is an insightful look into the multi-million had this book not been published. dollar Thoroughbred breeding industry. It covers Shulman, Lenny. Ride of their Lives: The Triumphs everything from the high-class Storm Cat, who McEvoy, John. Great Horse Racing Mysteries: True and Turmoil of Today’s Top Jockeys. demands a $500,000 stud fee per live foal, to a band Tales from the Track. Lexington: Eclipse Press, Lexington: Eclipse Press, 2002. of semiferal Shetland ponies who breed freely with 2004. Squires, James D. Horse of a Different Color: A Tale one another. Conley provides an inside look at the Mearns, Dan. Seattle Slew: Thoroughbred Legends. of Breeding Geniuses, Dominant Females, and the expensive industry and its sales, and moves from Lexington: Eclipse Press. Fastest Derby Winner since Secretariat. New York: blueblood to blue-collar as he attempts to understand Written about one of my favorite racehorses, the PublicAffairs, 2002. the draw of the breeding industry. Its purpose in this story within this book is the epitome of the humanity Smiley, Jane. Horse Heaven. New York: Ballantine collection is to contrast the Sheikhs with the bottom- I search for. Seattle Slew was an “ugly” horse, Books, 2000. rung farms, and to show a different view of the trade. purchased for a low price at auction by outsiders of This is a novel that covers many different aspects While many are passionate about horses and the the industry, who went on to win racing’s Triple industry, an undercurrent runs where nearly every of the industry. What stands out, however, are the Crown and became one of the greatest studs in the passages about horse slaughter, cruelty, and trainers worker is pushing their stud to perform so as to earn industry. What’s better is that the owners took great that paycheck when a foal hits the ground. who are abusive to their animals. Although none of care of the horse, especially in the latter years when the stories are true, they are well-founded and can be Davidowitz, Steve. The Best and Worst of he underwent a delicate spinal surgery. This book used as reminders within this collection of just how Thoroughbred Racing. New York: Daily Racing Form shows that, although the horse was by all accounts a inhumane the lower levels of racing can be. Press, 2007. cash machine, his owners still cared greatly for him beyond his money-making years. Stevens, Gary. The Perfect Ride. New York: Citadel Georgeff, Phil. Citation: In A Class By Himself. Press Books, 2002. Maryland: Taylor Trade Publishing, 2003. Mitchell, Elizabeth. Three Strides Before the Wire: The As told from a jockey’s perspective, this book is Heller, Bill. Go For Wand: Thoroughbred Legends. Dark and Beautiful World of Horse Racing. New York: Hyperion, 2002. important because it shows the passion that jockeys Lexington: Eclipse Press, 2000. have for a sport so incredibly dangerous and Heller, Bill. Graveyard of Champions: Saratoga’s A book that covers several different issues, Three demanding on them. Although Stevens was a top- Fallen Favorites. Lexington: Eclipse Press, 2002. Strides Before the Wire tells the story of jockey Chris class jockey and it is at times difficult to see his love Antley and his comeback to win the 1999 Kentucky for the sport overriding the business, he tells his story Heller, Bill. Saratoga Tales. Albany: Whitston Derby. Acting as a proper biography, the book Publishing Company Inc., 2004. from the beginning and you can see what a struggle follows Antley from his childhood to his death, which it is for jockeys to make their break. Those at the Hillenbrand, Laura. Seabiscuit: An American Legend. resulted from a drug overdose despite his hard- bottom levels, along with specific horses that Stevens New York: Random House, 2001. fought comeback into the industry. On the other felt close to, are who really stand out in this read. Seabiscuit is especially interesting to this collection side of this book, however, is the story of his Derby mount, Charismatic. As the inspiration of Antley’s Walsh, Mary. Sham: In the Shadow of a Superhorse. San because, although it has less to do with a dark Diego: Aventine Press, 2007. underbelly to racing, it shows the excitement that an comeback, Charismatic fought his own battles until underdog horse once brought to a nation recovering his broke down in his bid for the Triple Crown. from an economic downfall. With an unlikely owner, I think that the book is a portrait of the difficult lifestyles of jockeys and the compassion that can come

12 2010 Nicole Basbanes ’04 Book Collecting Contest Rule Britannia All Aspects of British Life from the Middle Ages to World War I

Third Place Winner: Caroline Rainey ’10

irst of all, allow me to introduce forms of decorative arts. At this point, London and Scotland and have studied myself. My name is Caroline I switched from simply wanting to at Oxford during my summer breaks. Rainey and I am an Anglophile. know the historical figures to wanting While there I have spent my free time My family comes from Britain to understand their culture completely, perusing books stores, finding several andF I would like nothing more than to including their choices in art and hidden gems that are not available in return. In an ideal world, I would spend architecture. I feel that these choices America. If I had to choose, I would say my time between touring the museums reflect the values of a culture. My hope that Blackwell’s in Oxford is my favorite and theatres of London and spending for the future is to enter a Master’s bookshop in England. Nowadays, my the rest at my Scottish country estate. program in British Decorative Arts in free time is now spent reading about My love of Britain started at a young London or to work at Sotheby’s or different periods in Britain and playing age. My mother believes in education Christie’s. I try to visit Britain at least “What Would Jane Austen Do?” or and so on road trips I had to watch four once every two years, though recently “What Would Elizabeth Do” depending hours of educational documentaries I have been doing several internships in on the time period. In this little game, before I was allowed to watch I think about if my scientifically the Muppets. I chose this time to I switched from simply wanting brilliant roommate created a time watch documentaries on Britain, machine, how would I survive in from Roman times to World to know the historical figures to Regency England or in the court War I starring strange, elderly, wanting to understand their of Queen Elizabeth. I have gotten balding British men in tweed to the point where I have read three-piece suits. I immediately culture completely, including their about period dancing, favorite fell in love with Queen Elizabeth. choices in art and architecture. menus and what exactly haggis is. From there I have delved into the If I win a prize, I will use that world of Jane Austen and have money to finally fix the binding recently become preoccupied on my Silver in Tudor and Early with Victorian and Edwardian Stuart England by Philippa England. Glanville and to expand my The collection began through collection to include the British my love of British history. I had Pre-Raphaelites. I have recently seen many documentaries on become very interested in the the lives of several key players in Pre-Raphaelites and the Arts Tudor England and wanted to and Crafts Movement after my learn more. From a very early age last journey to Britain where I I developed an intellectual crush visited several Victorian homes on David Starkey. I spent hours and purchased a wonderful in the library researching people. antique Arts and Crafts jewelry I became focused on learning box. I am drawn to the colors not just a person’s biography, used and the historical and but their hopes, dreams, and literary setting of their paintings. motivations. I also wanted to Architecturally, I have become understand their humor and their drawn to the whimsicalness of lives. I read plays and poems, their architecture. I would like trying to decipher whose recent to purchase Early Victorian indiscretions were being mocked Architecture in Britain by Henry- and who were the dandies of Russell Hitchcock and The Art of the court. When I became an the Pre-Raphaelites by Elizabeth art history major, I switched to Prettejohn. learning about their environment. I have studied extensively British architecture, painting, and various

12 13 Winter Forum – Blog by Lisa Johnston 3.8.10 Cochran Library: A Perfect Setting for StARs Winter Mixer

They thought we were crazy. Crazy stacks! With careful planning thanks to Saturday, we had to protect all the to invite over 300 students from SBC StARs, the evening was a great success. books and equipment, and we had to and VMI to use the Library’s historic I’m sure Daisy enjoyed it, too. ensure that all of our decorations would Ralph Adams Cram designed reading Here’s an account by StAR’s own not harm anything. room and upstairs study gallery for a Elizabeth Young ’11 The StARs tackled the project and raucous winter mixer, complete with The culmination of almost a semester we were so excited to see it all come DJ and a lot of creative decorations, and a half of planning, Winter Mixer is together. Hiccups occurred on the not to mention food and a cash bar! the crowing achievement of the Student night of, and we had to nix some of the We wanted to show SBC the Powell Activities Representatives (StARs). The decorations ideas we were planning on Reading Room was not just a reading Mixer was only given to us last year, doing, but it did not really matter. After room, but also a space for campus but we have worked hard to ensure that all, as one student said in amazement, events, both formal and informal. students have a free semi-formal dance “It’s just a party in the Library!” We Please note: the revelers only had access in the spring semester. Last year we had over 350 students attend from to those two areas, the rest of the held the dance at the Elston Inn and Sweet Briar and VMI and we had Library being locked up—especially the Conference Center here on campus; students in ball gowns and corsets this year we wanted to shake things up as well as jeans and tee shirts. While and we pursued an alternative venue. the event was officially a semi-formal, Surprisingly, the library seemed perfect. the StARs basically have an “all are We were worried that our proposal welcome” philosophy because more would be denied for the safety of the people=more party. It was a Masquerade books, however the librarians backed but masks were optional and most us as we mounted a project that would people ditched theirs fairly quickly. Ms be a much larger than our first try at Meta Glass did manage to keep hers on Mixer. The location change presented a the entire night, however. much larger challenge than last year’s: Any way you swing it, the library was we had to ensure that no one’s studying rockin’ last Friday, and the StARs know was interrupted, we had to completely students were surprised at how much empty the biggest room in the library fun a party in the library could be. and put it all back before hours on

Library Staff Activities:

Lisa Johnston was elected to the following: Liz Kent published Wikipedia article about Vladimir_ Chair of the American Library Association’s Stonewall Book Littauer Awards Jury and the ACRL Arts Section Membership and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vladimir_Littauer. She also Outreach Committee. She was also a member of the ALA attended Women’s Studies Conference in North Carolina. RUSA (Reference and User Services Association) CODES Ms. Kent is heading up a digitalization program for Sweet (Collection Development and Evaluation Section) Reference Briar College’s archival pictures. Publishing Advisory Committee Joe Malloy was reappointed to the Virtual Library Lisa Johnston named ACRL Member of the Week. of Virginia (VIVA) Interlibrary Loan Committee. He www.acrl.ala.org/acrlinsider/2009/11/16/member-of-the- coordinated and hosted the 12th Annual VIVA-ILL Forum at week-lisa-n-johnston/ the Sweet Briar College Conference center July 16th. Julie Kane published “Mr. Monk Goes to the Library.” http://www.vivalib.org/committees/rsc/forum/ and Philosophy: the Curious Case of the Defective Detective. Mr. Malloy also served as Academic Advisor to nine new, Ed. D.E. Wittkower. Chicago, IL: Open Court, 2010. 105- transfer and turning point students, January 2010. He taught 118. Hiking in the Blue Ridge class in the fall and spring. Ms. Kane was nominated for American Library Association New Members and the ACRL New Members Roundtable Marketing Officer.

14 Paint & Patches Murder Mystery Evening 4.19.10 samples from the Needs Lists Spring 2010 Fall 2009 Library as Place … Archaeology Requests Art History Department The historical archaeology of the Requests or Crime Scene? Ottoman Empire: breaking new Introduction to manuscript By Julie Kane ground; edited by Uzi Baram and studies—Cornell University Press / Lynda Carroll - Kluwer Academic / 2007 $102.81 Last weekend saw a break from the routine in the reading 2000 $109.00 Biology Requests room, as William Shakespeare, Emily Dickinson, Charles Biology Requests Botanical medicine in clinical Dickens, Jane Austen, Edgar Allan Poe, and other classic Biology of Freshwater Crayfish; practice; edited by Ronald R. authors came to life. Paint ’N Patches hosted an entertaining edited by David M. Holdrich— Watson, Victor R. Preedy. CABI murder mystery — participants were asked to help solve Wiley Publishers / 2001 $279.99 Press / 2008 $224.00 the despicable murder of Marian (of course) the Librarian. Advances in Fisheries Science: 50 Fall 2009 Needs Committee Authors were in character and costume, reading and acting years on from Beverton and Holt; Requests their respective parts with great drama (and sometimes edited by Andy Payne—Wiley Classical Studies Requests hamming it up, especially in the case of the great Bard Publishers / 2008 $211.99 The Cambridge economic history himself) from the reading room’s upper balcony while Sir Classical Studies Requests of the Greco-Roman world; Arthur Conan Doyle acted as sleuth and mediator from the Smith, M. edited by Walter Scheidel, Ian floor below. Traversing eternity: texts for Morris, Richard Saller—Cambridge Imaginations ran high as Dickens and Dickinson were the afterlife from Ptolemaic and University Press / 2007 $195.00 obviously carrying on an affair as they’d been shelved Roman Egypt—Oxford University English Department Requests together (ahem, the cataloger coughs, PR and PS are Press / 2009 $250.00 Middleton, Thomas entirely different sections! but I digress) and the fabulous English Thomas Middleton: the collected euphemism of the year was coined by Shakespeare, lo these Virginia Woolf’s Bloomsbury; many years after his death: they’d been “bumping bindings” works & companion—Oxford edited by Gina Potts, Lisa University Press / 2007 (2 volumes) (!!!) Amusing facts were revealed about all of the authors, Shahriari—Palgrave Macmillan / $350.00 including Tolkien’s obsession with shiny objects and devotion 2010 (two volumes) $160.00 to his World of Warcraft guild. Nearly the only thing all of the Masculinity, gender and identity Reference Requests in the English Renaissance lyric— “classic” authors could agree on was their universal derision The Oxford Dictionary of the Cambridge University Press / 2007 of J.K. Rowling and the Harry Potter series, which they all Middle Ages $490.88 $95.00 agreed should be removed from their presence and reclassified Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Environmental Studies to a “juvenile” library. Warfare and Military Technology Shakespeare in particular had plenty of words for Rowling Neoliberal environments: and went on at great length (in his many arm-waving $325.88 false promises and unnatural consequences; edited by Nik balcony-held soliloquies) to goad her, incorporating some Oxford Companion to the book Heynen—Routledge / 2007$43.95 works of Monty Python into his repertoire (“your father $268.13 smelled of elderberries!”) and at least once telling her to Encyclopedia of Africa $243.38 French Department Requests “suck it!” The Bard was always amusing but perhaps never so Oxford International Encyclopedia Levi-Strauss, Claude wide-ranging in flinging his epithets as at Sweet Briar on this of Peace $325.88 Oeuvres—Gallimard / 2008 night. Oxford Encyclopedia of African $99.28 The students attending obviously had a great time traipsing Thought $243.38 Reference Requests through the library gathering clues from the authors, finding The corporeal imagination: Encyclopedia of Human Rights— out various tidbits about their relationships with each other signifying the holy in late ancient Oxford / 2009 $654.50 and the librarian. Christianity— Companion to Pennsylvania Press / 2009 $50.00 Architecture—Oxford / 2009 ***Spoiler alert*** Religion Requests $275.00 As it turned out, Charles Dickens had been carrying on a Burrus, Virginia dalliance with Jane Austen long before he met sweet, naive Grove Encyclopedia of Northern Saving shame: martyrs, saints, and Renaissance Art—Oxford / 2009 Emily Dickinson. He continued to see her while he was with other abject subjects—University $357.50 Emily, and Marian found evidence of the two-timer. Jane of Pennsylvania Press / 2008 and Charles together planned Marian’s demise in the reading $45.00 Parry and Grant Encyclopaedic Dictionary of International Law, 3rd room. Shakespeare’s manhandling arrest of Dickens was Burrus, Virginia ed.—Oxford / 2009 $203.50 something to behold. The sex lives of saints: an erotics We sincerely hope P&P continues the tradition, though of ancient hagiography— The Oxford International maybe the librarian doesn’t always have to be the victim…? University of Pennsylvania Press Encyclopedia of Peace—Oxford / Hmmmm. /2008 $23.00 2010 Boyarin, Daniel $434.50 Socrates and the fat rabbis—The Oxford Encyclopedia of Ancient University of Chicago Press /2009 Greece & Rome—Oxford / 2010 $45.00 $935.00 14 15 The Friends of the Mary Helen Cochran Library 2009-2010 Elizabeth Lipscomb ’59, Chairman Dick Wills, Vice Chairman Janet Steven, Treasurer John G. Jaffe, Secretary Joyce Kramar, Friends Coordinator Board Members Rebecca Ambers Mrs. Milan Hapala Bonnie Marsh Friends John Ashbrook Larry Janow Sigrid Mirabella of the Melissa Coffey ’98 Debbie Kasper Sarah Jane Moore’59 Roscoe Fitts Helen Lewis ’54 Ro Putz ’88 Mary Helen M. Polk Green ’82 John E. Marsh Anne Richards ’84 Cochran

Ex-Officio Members(College Administrators) Library President Jo Ellen Parker Sweet Briar College Dean Jonathan Green Sweet Briar, VA 24595 Connor Forren, Director of Donor Relations & Operations www.cochran.sbc.edu Mrs. Louise Swiecki Zingaro ’80, Vice-President and Chief of Staff [email protected] Ex-Officio Members (Past Friends of the Library Chairman) Ann Morrison Reams ’42 Jane Nelson ’66 Mrs. Raymond Rasenberger (Nancy Pesek ’51) Mrs. R. Gene Goley (Laura Radford ’52) Mrs. John Albert (Jean Love ’46) Mrs. M.R.J. Wyllie (Peggy Jones ’45) Mrs. Caroline Lindemann (Caroline Y. Casey ’49) McVea Scholars: Kathryn Jeanne Alexander ’11 Maria El-Abd ’12 Katie Jane Bitting ’13 Gazette Editor Joe Malloy

Library Launches New Web Presence

The library staff launched a blog page this year (http:// library.blog.sbc.edu/) as well as a Facebook page (www. facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Briar-VA/Sweet-Briar-College- Cochran-Library/175385405887 ). The staff added Text a Librarian program for anyone to ask the library staff questions by texting 66746 and starting your question with the word Daisy.