Willa Cather, the Archival Chain, and the Making of a Literary Legacy

We are pleased to welcome author Rebecca Romney! Her lecture on "Willa Cather, the Archival Chain, and the Making of a Literary Legacy" considers the effects of archival collections on the writing of literary history, with special emphasis on Cather’s posthumous legacy. Such collections are not formed accidentally. They exist through the efforts of individual people, archival agents who save material, become its long-term caretakers, and make it accessible for study. The decisions of archival agents, big and small, can cause ripple effects across the stories we tell. With Cather as our primary case study, we will consider some of the most impactful, unexpected, and exciting of these ripple effects. Join us in the bookstore following the event for a book signing.

The talk will be broadcast live on YouTube and a recording will be available for two weeks after the event.

This event is free to attend thanks to the generosity of Humanities Nebraska and the Nebraska Cultural Endowment. The views expressed in spring conference programs do not necessarily reflect the view of Humanities Nebraska or the Nebraska Cultural Endowment.

Rebecca Romney is a rare book dealer and author of three books, Jane Austen’s Bookshelf, Printer’s Error: Irreverent Stories from Book History), and The Romance Novel in English: A Survey in Rare Books. As a generalist rare book dealer, Romney handles work in all fields, from first editions of Jane Austen to science fiction paperbacks to Shakespeare Folios. Since 2011, Romney has appeared on the HISTORY Channel’s television show Pawn Stars as the rare book specialist. Romney was also featured in The Booksellers, a documentary about the rare book trade in New York that premiered at the New York Film Festival. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Atlantic, Forbes, Variety, The Paris Review, and more. With a passion for discussing the enduring power of literature, the relevance of book collecting, and the preservation of history, Romney weaves together her experience and knowledge in captivating talks.

The National Willa Cather Center is ADA accessible. We offer physical, visual, and audio accommodations for all attendees. If you require handicapped accessible seating, an ASL interpreter, or any other accommodations, please contact our Visitor Services Coordinator, Nick Powers, at npowers@willacather.org. Advance notice is necessary to arrange for some accessibility needs.