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Katherine Howe, the author of Physick Book of Deliverance Dane, was adventurous enough to do our first Author Interview for Wonders & Marvels.
Katherine and I had a chance to touch bases this week about her thoughts on the book and why the study of history should matter.
My favorite quote from the interview: "It's unfair to accuse people of being crazy just because they happened to live in the past."
Absolutely. The study of past lives demands a deep level of respect as well as a willingness to enter into a world that may not be at all like our own. It means trying to understand and inhabit the cultural, political, and economic logic of the time--as well as its inconsistencies.
It means listening to the dominant, as well as the silenced, voices. And to do this requires patience, aptitude for meticulous research, and a willingness to share with others (both inside and outside academe) the things that we have seen in our journeys to the past.
What are your thoughts about all of this?
Looking forward to your comments on this first interview. And as Katherine said, she would love to respond to any questions you might have. We'll forward them to her without delay.
Note as well that Harvard University Bookstore will be hosting a book signing with Katherine on June 23 at 7pm.
What a wonderful idea to have podcasts of author interviews!
ReplyDeleteKatherine, your novel sounds very interesting, and I can't wait to read it. I'm sure many graduate students have dreamt of writing a novel while they were studying for their qualifying exams, but it's amazing that you actually managed to accomplish such an impressive goal. I was wondering if you would share your insights about the writing process and how you managed to work on the novel while also teaching and being a graduate student. Your insights will help those of us who are working on our dissertations!