Behind the Book: Writing and Editing “Last Seen”
Last Seen: The Enduring Search by Formerly Enslaved People to Find Their Lost Families book follows 10 stories of people seeking to rebuild their family ties after the abolition of slavery. Join author Judith Giesberg, PhD, Robert M. Birmingham Chair in the Humanities and professor of History, and editor Bob Bender ’70 CLAS, vice president and executive editor at Simon & Schuster, on Monday, March 10, at 4 p.m. in Falvey Library’s Speakers’ Corner for a discussion of the book, moderated by Crystal Lucky, PhD, associate dean for Undergraduate Programs for the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and professor of English.
Dr. Giesberg’s book is a product of her ongoing project “Last Seen: Finding Family After Slavery,” which aims to identify, digitize, transcribe and publish thousands of newspaper ads placed by formerly enslaved people who were eager to reconnect with loved ones. Dr. Giesberg will delve into her extensive research and the stories that have shaped her book. Bender worked closely with Dr. Giesberg as her editor at Simon & Schuster, where he spent his publishing career. Bringing together the author and editor perspectives, Dr. Giesberg and Bender give a behind-the-scenes look into the research, writing, editing and collaboration it took to publish Last Seen, the first book of its kind to bring these heart-wrenching narratives to life.
The talk will be followed by a book signing and light reception. The event is free and open to the public. Cosponsored by The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and Falvey Library.
Event Links
Website: https://go.evvnt.com/2880336-0
