Curiosity's Cats: Writers on Research

Curiosity's Cats: Writers on Research"Each morning I would strike out for this temple of learning in the crisp autumn air . . . with a sense of purpose and the conviction that this was where I belonged." Marilyn Stasio from "My Research Project" Inspired partly by Richard Altick's The Scholar Adventurers, the thirteen writers in Curiosity's Cats offer powerful arguments for the value of hands on research, be it chasing documents, cracking mysteries, interviewing long lost subjects, or

"Each morning I would strike out for this temple of learning in the crisp autumn air . . . with a sense of purpose and the conviction that this was where I belonged."--Marilyn Stasio from "My Research Project"
Inspired partly by Richard Altick's The Scholar Adventurers, the thirteen writers in Curiosity's Cats offer powerful arguments for the value of hands-on research, be it chasing documents, cracking mysteries, interviewing long-lost subjects, or visiting exotic and not-so-exotic locales.

Alberto Martinez explains how diligence with dates can provide clues to unlock the most difficult historical puzzles. Jan Reid explores the difference between research for an epic novel and research to write the epic biography of a friend. Margot Livesey suspects that she continues to write novels simply to do the research. But every essay testifies to the fact that research is valuable not only because of the product that may result from it, but because the process itself fulfills a basic human need.

Contributors include: Philip J. Anderson, Annette Kolodny, Theodore Kornweibel Jr., Margot Livesey, Alberto A. Martinez, Bruce Joshua Miller, Katherine Hall Page, Jan Reid, Ali Selim, Marilyn Stasio, Ned Stuckey-French, Bruce White, and Steve Yates.

Bruce Joshua Miller has edited two books and written for public radio, the Chicago Tribune, and other publications. He has worked in the book industry for thirty-five years.


Binding Type: Paperback
Publisher: Minnesota Historical Society Press
Published: 04/15/2014
ISBN: 9780873519229
Pages: 296
Weight: 1.01lbs
Size: 8.96h x 6.11w x 0.85d

Review Citations: Shelf Awareness 06/17/2014
Choice 10/01/2014 pg. 225