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The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies

September 10, 2011 in history, Literary Event by Kim | No comments

I love hearing about Frances McClellan’s literary excursions.  Today she is sharing a visit into the life of Steinbeck, I can’t wait to visit myself.  Check out Frances’ past contributions, Hicklebee’s, The King’s English Bookshop, Bookbuyers Used Books and Media, and The Twig Bookshop.

Hoping to share a unique experience with a good friend and Steinbeck admirer who was in for the weekend from Los Angeles, my husband and I took him to The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies. Housed in the Martin Luther King library on the campus of San Jose State University the center is open most days. Having already visited the center in the past for readings, I endeavored to experience this place anew.

My own experience during past visits to this Steinbeck sanctuary included introductions to emerging authors and poets as well as a brief handshake with Steinbeck’s son, Thomas. This visit was one of discovery compelled by my desire to know more about the man so many admire.

Getting to know an author is a complex, involved business. Reading works of literature, poetry or commentary can’t quite give a reader the full understanding of the person. The works will never fully show the author’s method of writing nor the instrument or influences used in the craft.

Walking up to a side table, I noticed a ream of paper sitting there for anyone to pick up and review. Curiosity getting the better part of me, I picked up the stack of paper as the docent walked over to describe the item I was holding. The long, legal sized papers were copies of Steinbeck manuscripts. Holding them up to read, I noted for the first time that John Steinbeck had minute and scribbled penmanship, practically illegible to the untrained eye. The pages are chock full of line after line of minuscule, quickly written prose. Paper was scarce when Steinbeck wrote so he literally filled pages with words creating his masterful stories, allowing only a slight margin on his work pages. In addition, I am told that he wrote in pencil, never pen.

The center is modest in size with two small offices in the corner and a visitor desk welcoming inquiries. High windows, allowing the warming California sunshine into the room also providing ample light for reading and exploring the space. A quiet place, with its worktables, colorful posters and broad bookshelves housing the largest collection of first edition, John Steinbeck works. The collection of books, is augmented by thousands of related materials such as personal letters, photographs, original manuscripts and even a few of the author’s own pencils, giving this archival collection a singularly refined focus.

We are shown by the docent, Steinbeck family pictures as well as pictures prepared by the publisher. Studio posters are available for study as they tout a movie based on the various books. Steinbeck is, after all, an American classic.

A Steinbeck enthusiast would have to make the pilgrimage to this place in order to appreciate the depth of these collected works and artifacts.

The Martha Heasley Cox Center for Steinbeck Studies

San Jose State University

Room 590, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library

San Jose, CA 95192 0202

T:  408.808.2067

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Museum Monday – National Museum of American History, Washington, DC

July 25, 2011 in bookstore, history by Kim | 2 comments

Checking out the event calendar for the National Museum of American History for the days I would be in DC, I was thrilled to see that my favorite non-art museum was hosting an author talk and book signing the day I was visiting.  I had a lovely chat with John Ferling about his book, Independence:  the Struggle to Set America Free.  The timing was perfect, on July 5th we just finished celebrating Independence Day.  Ferling described two of the book’s premises, that independence from Britain wasn’t inevitable and that as the war continued, it radicalized the population (a tendency seen over and over again in war torn areas).  His book is organized around various historical figures each giving a different perspective.  The book sounds fascinating, I’m looking forward to reading it.  The presence of the author demonstrated that the bookstore at the National Museum of American History is well worth stopping by.

At the risk of being redundant, the books here are about American history, but what a variety of options.  There are shelves and shelves towards the back of the main store that cover just about every topic.  There are scads of books concerning Revolutionary, Civil War, Presidential, African-American, World War II, and general history.  I was particularly interested in the Civil War shelves given the current 150th anniversary of the start of the war.  I wanted a general history that I could follow along with the events as they happened and settled on James McPherson’s well known Battle Cry of Freedom.  I’m a little daunted by the fact that just to catch up to 150 years ago, July, 1861, I need to gulp down 360 pages.  I’m feeling a little behind.  The selection isn’t just about wars and politicians, there are dozens and dozens of cultural options, books on Barbie, baseball (lots of baseball books everywhere), sports, gun collecting, gardening, comics, cooking (a good selection of cooking, but I wouldn’t expect anything less from the museum that houses Julia Child’s kitchen).  The options are a snapshot of Americana.

What really wowed me was the curator’s recommendation shelves, they showed a real indie bookstore spirit.  The Curator’s Choice books reflected the diversity of our history, one book was about cooking another Malcolm X.

The slice of America doesn’t stop with books, there are all kinds of jewelry, clothing, and knick-knacks that incorporate American history.  It’s a shopper’s delight.

This is a museum worth spending a day wandering around in and a bookstore worth dropping by even if you aren’t looking at an exhibit.

National Museum of American History

1400 Constitution Ave, NW

Washington, DC

Tel:  202.633.1000

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Recommended Reading for the 4th of July

July 1, 2011 in book review, history, holiday by Kim | No comments

I’m sure I’ve mentioned before that Joseph Ellis is my favorite historian.  He’s concise and erudite, for me very high praise.  I love non-fiction, but I dread being on page 500 of a biography and still haven’t reached the event for which the person is famous.  I don’t want to know that much about any event or life, not even my own.  Ellis tells the reader the salient facts with the supporting information that’s necessary to understand the person’s life or event, all in an enjoyable narrative.  (I liked his biography of Jefferson also, 464 pages for Jefferson’s entire life and I feel like a have a solid working understanding of it).  I’ve read many of Ellis’ books, the first and best, in my opinion is Founding Brothers:  The Revolutionary Generation.

The book looks at six decisive moments in the American Revolution including a dinner party during which the location of the capitol was decided (it’s intentional that our financial center and our political center are separate), the Hamilton Burr duel (juicy with an academic nuance), Washington’s Farewell Address (under Ellis’ pen George doesn’t appear quite so dry), and the friendship between Adams and Jefferson.  After reading the book, I’ll never forget that they both died on July 4th, within hours of one another; that’s a relationship deeply entwined with each other and the nation they created.

By providing these six vignettes, Ellis’ book is a lighter read than a slog through a chronological history, but it’s packed with information.   I have a renewed appreciation for Adams (I can’t wait to read Ellis’ latest book about John and  Abigail) and an understanding that there is nothing new about our current contentious political atmosphere, it is inherent in our system.  This is history that comes up all the time in conversation.  The roots of our financial system go back to Jefferson and Madison.  The underlying issues in race relations are foundational in our system from the time of the Constitution, everyone was well aware of the issue and knew that it was being foisted on future generations.  Ellis argues that slavery was the sacrifice to ensure a Constitution and a nation.  Every time I’m in DC I think about the dinner party that decided that our nation would be lead from the middle.

Founding Brothers is a history book that is a joy to read and one that I’ve recalled over and over again.  Read it and let me know what you think.

And if you’re up a dramatic reading of the Declaration of Independence, check out this version with several stars including Whoopi Goldberg, Michael Douglas, Kathy Bates and Mel Gibson, it never sounded so good!

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Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman” Speech

March 14, 2011 in history, speeches by Kim | 1 comment

Recommended Reading for Black History Month and Women’s History Month?

I’m conflicted about allocating issues to certain months of the year, African-Americans get February while women get March (I have no doubt that every month has it’s topic).  On the one hand, it leads to greater awareness.  Drop into many classrooms in February and there are posters up of Martin Luther King, Jr or Fredrick Douglass.  I haven’t seen women get quite as much visual coverage in March, but at least we get a month that’s three days longer.  It is important to highlight the contributions people have made in very oppressive systems and at great cost to themselves.  I think what bothers me a bit is how routine it feels.  Every February we remember the contributions of blacks and then in March we think about women, I wonder if it enhances a division.  I wonder if it is time to do it better.  Don’t get me wrong, we need to compensate for the dominance of white-male-Western-history, we don’t live in a world where everyone has the same starting line and all is equal, but can we improve on what we’ve built so far?

I came across Sojourner’s speech during Black History Month, it reminded me that there are still people who suffer solely because of their ethnicity or gender.  Sojourner Truth was born a slave.  She had nine or ten older siblings that she only knew from her mother’s memories, they had all been sold before she was born.  She was sold multiple times, “walked” away from slavery (she felt running away was wrong, walking away after satisfying her obligations was permitted) and eventually was emancipated.  She became a traveling preacher and spoke on a variety of topics:  emancipation, women’s rights, temperance, Christianity.  Her most famous speech was delivered at a Women’s Rights Conference in Akron, Ohio in 1851:

Sojourner Truth’s “Ain’t I a Woman?” Speech

Well, children, where there is so much racket there must be something out of kilter. I think that ‘twixt the negroes of the South and the women at the North, all talking about rights, the white men will be in a fix pretty soon. But what’s all this here talking about?

That man over there says that women need to be helped into carriages, and lifted over ditches, and to have the best place everywhere. Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud-puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could head me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman? I have borne thirteen children, and seen most all sold off to slavery, and when I cried out with my mother’s grief, none but Jesus heard me! And ain’t I a woman?

Then they talk about this thing in the head; what’s this they call it? [member of audience whispers, "intellect"] That’s it, honey. What’s that got to do with women’s rights or negroes’ rights? If my cup won’t hold but a pint, and yours holds a quart, wouldn’t you be mean not to let me have my little half measure full?

Then that little man in black there, he says women can’t have as much rights as men, ’cause Christ wasn’t a woman! Where did your Christ come from? Where did your Christ come from? From God and a woman! Man had nothing to do with Him.

If the first woman God ever made was strong enough to turn the world upside down all alone, these women together ought to be able to turn it back , and get it right side up again! And now they is asking to do it, the men better let them.

Obliged to you for hearing me, and now old Sojourner ain’t got nothing more to say.

 

I don’t care what month it is, this speech is worth reading any time of the year.


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Reading L.A.

March 2, 2011 in art, Challenge, history by Kim | 2 comments

I find it interesting that books about L.A. tend to be dark.  There’s usually some sort of cataclysmic event or at the very least most likable character ends up destitute or dead.  Day of the Locust?  Dark, gloomy and ends in a riot scene (and if that isn’t enough, the author Nathanael West died in a car crash on the way to F. Scott Fitzgerald’s funeral).  Golden Days?  Starts with a strong female character, ends with a nuclear bomb.  The Tortilla Curtain?  My favorite L.A. novel washes away with a massive flash flood.  Honestly, a reader could think no one gets out of here alive.

Keith and I enjoy learning about our city, so much so that a few years ago, we spent 10 weeks of our date nights attending a History of L.A. course at UCLA.  We learned some of the reasons behind the literary and cultural views of the city.  It was born on a bed of hype.  The sales pitch has variations, but from the beginning L.A. has been sold as an image and, as we all know, images rarely live up to their promise.  It’s almost doomed from the beginning to disappoint.  Knowing our city, rather than just living on the surface of it, has added a lot to our lives.  That’s why I’ve been excited to follow Christopher Hawthorne’s Reading L.A. series on Culture Monster.

Christopher is the architecture critic for the L.A. Times and he’s spending this year reading about Los Angeles.  He’s picked 27 books, all non-fiction with a variety of history, memoir and architecture choices.  There’s even potential that some of them won’t be dismal.  Working through the books chronologically, the first two discussed in January were fairly obscure, I think reading his overview of them is sufficient.  However, my favorite and in my opinion the best history of L.A., Southern California: An Island on the Land by Carey McWilliams, was on tap for February.  If you are only going to read one book about L.A., this is the one.  Hawthorne acknowledged it as the source of future books on the city:

Southern California: An Island on the Land is, if not quite our urtext, then easily the most significant volume ever published on L.A.’s civic and urban character.  What makes the book feel so definitive begins with the way it knits skepticism with consistent, if always clear-eyed, enthusiasm — and in so doing anticipates the whole diverse spectrum of later studies of Los Angeles and its architecture, from the upbeat rhapsodies of Reyner Banham to the bleak-black critique of Mike Davis.

There are a few other books on Hawthorne’s list that I’ve read, most notably City of Quartz by Mike Davis (very dark view of L.A.) and Holy Land by D.J. Waldie (a lovely memoir that I think of every time I travel south on the 405).  I know I can’t keep up with all the books, but February’s post on Five California Architects by Esther McCoy caused me to look for a copy and there are a couple I’m going to try to read with Hawthorne.  GOOD Magazine’s Book Club is taking on Reyner Banham’s Los Angeles:  The Architecture of Four Ecologies in April, I’m going to join in.

Check out the list of books, let me know if your interested in reading any and we can pair up to read together, along with with Christopher Hawthorne.

 

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