John Dewey's lost manuscript, now available!

In 1947, John Dewey supposedly left the manuscript for his philosophical interpretation of the history of modern philosophy in a cab. Sixty-five years later, we now have that manuscript in which Dewey reveals how “unmodern” modern philosophy is and begins his own account of a truly modern theory of knowing.

Phillip Deen shares how the book was found in the introduction to the book, excerpted here:


So how do we have the present manuscript? The short answer is that it was among the Dewey Papers in the Special Collections at Southern Illinois University, catalogued and waiting for decades to be rediscovered. Archivists at the Special Collections Research Center believe that the manuscript was included in the original collection. The more difficult question is how it made it into the Dewey Papers at all. Each document had been catalogued by Jo Ann Boydston, the esteemed editor-in-chief of the Collected Works of John Dewey. However, in personal correspondence with me, Dr. Boydston recalled some of the chapter titles but had no other recollection of the manuscripts.

As for where it was before it appeared in the Special Collections, there are at least four theories. The first is that Joseph Ratner had it. Dewey frequently gave early chapters to him for comment. Ratner, a noted packrat, may have contributed the chapters to the Dewey Papers. This is possible, since his contributions to the collection were extensive. However, it does not explain why, in 1949, Ratner commiserated with Dewey over the loss of the manuscript and encouraged him to begin again (1949.07.06, 07255). Perhaps he simply forgot that he had them. Nor does it account for the fact that the manuscript was catalogued as part of the Dewey Papers, rather than Ratner’s. The second theory is that Roberta Dewey had it. Shortly after Dewey’s passing, George Dykhuizen asked her, “Have you investigated farther the manuscript which you uncovered in Nova Scotia and which you think may be the one believed to be lost?” (1952.10.01, 13674). In other words, the manuscript might not have been stolen, but left behind in Nova Scotia. We do not know if Roberta ever confirmed her suspicions. Her 1959 comments would indicate that she did not. Third, it is possible that the full manuscript was not lost, as Dewey indicated above that only a few chapters were in the briefcase. It may be that the legend of a missing manuscript, rather than missing chapters, was too tempting and spread falsely through the Dewey community. But why would Dewey speak so often as if the entire manuscript had been lost? Lastly, it is possible that Dewey lost the final draft, and what we have now is an assortment of earlier drafts. But, again, that does not explain why Dewey and Ratner spoke as if the entire thing had been lost and it was necessary to begin again. Dewey’s correspondence also indicates that his work on the manuscript dried up after the burst of activity between 1941 and 1942—the period during which the extant manuscripts were written.
In short, it is presently a mystery how a manuscript thought to be lost by everyone, including the author, should reappear in the archives. Perhaps Dewey’s “grand design—a philosophical interpretation of the history of Western man”—was never truly lost, only incomplete and forgotten somewhere among Dewey’s papers. It would be ironic, after years of speculation on its content and the theft, if we were to discover that the manuscript had been waiting for us all along. Though we would be left to wonder, “What was actually in that briefcase . . . ?”

New books on Mary Lincoln

Southern Illinois University Press specializes in, among other things, books on Lincoln. This extends beyond just Abraham, to the other members of his family--his wife, Mary, and his son, Robert, in particular. This season we have an exciting new book that looks at Mary's complex nature. We're also bringing out a paperback edition of a very popular book that examines Mrs. Lincoln's mental health based on her own writings.

Mary Lincoln is a lightning rod for controversy. Stories reveal widely different interpretations, and it is impossible to write a definitive version of her life that will suit everyone. The thirteen engaging essays in this collection introduce Mary Lincoln’s complex nature and show how she is viewed today. 

The authors’ explanations of her personal and private image stem from a variety of backgrounds, and through these lenses—history, theater, graphic arts, and psychiatry—they present their latest research and assessments. Here they reveal the effects of familial culture and society on her life and give a broader assessment of Mary Lincoln as a woman, wife, and mother. Topics include Mary’s childhood in Kentucky, the early years of her marriage to Abraham, Mary’s love of travel and fashion, the presidential couple’s political partnership, and Mary’s relationship with her son Robert.

The fascinating epilogue meditates on Mary Lincoln’s universal appeal and her enigmatic personality, showcasing the dramatic differences in interpretations. With gripping prose and in-depth documentation,  this anthology will capture the imagination of all readers.
 

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This compelling story of the purported insanity of one of America’s most tragic first ladies covers Mary Lincoln’s life from childhood to death and asserts that she suffered from bipolar disorder. Utilizing a set of letters that had been lost for eighty years, Jason Emerson shows how Mary Lincoln’s predisposition toward psychiatric illness and a life filled with mental and emotional trauma led her son, Robert T. Lincoln, to commit her to an insane asylum. Named Book of the Year by the Illinois State Historical Society, The Madness of Mary Lincoln is a gripping historical page-turner. 

“Jason Emerson should be congratulated for both his detective work and his historical analysis which have culminated in a groundbreaking study on the life of this complex and troubled woman.”—Civil War Book Review

New film books from SIU Press

We're proud to announce the latest additions to our film list!

A Nightmare on Elm Street. Halloween. Night of the Living Dead. These films have been indelibly stamped on moviegoers’ psyches and are now considered seminal works of horror. Guiding readers along the twisted paths between audience, auteur, and cultural history, author Kendall R. Phillips reveals the macabre visions of these films’ directors in Dark Directions: Romero, Craven, Carpenter, and the Modern Horror Film.

Phillips begins by analyzing the works of George Romero, focusing on how the body is used cinematically to reflect the duality between society and chaos, concluding that the unconstrained bodies of the Living Dead films act as a critical intervention into social norms. Phillips then explores the shadowy worlds of director Wes Craven. In his study of the films The Serpent and the Rainbow, Deadly Friend, Swamp Thing, Red Eye, and Shocker, Phillips reveals Craven’s vision of technology as inherently dangerous in its ability to cross the gossamer thresholds of the gothic. Finally, the volume traverses the desolate frontiers of iconic director John Carpenter. Through an exploration of such works as Halloween, The Fog, and In the Mouth of Madness, Phillips delves into the director’s representations of boundaries—and the haunting consequences for those who cross them.

The first volume ever to address these three artists together, Dark Directions is a spine-tingling and thought-provoking study of the horror genre. In analyzing the individual works of Romero, Craven, and Carpenter, Phillips illuminates some of the darkest minds in horror cinema.

Written exclusively for this collection by today’s most significant writers and researchers on Sam Peckinpah, the nine essays in Peckinpah Today explore the body of work of one of the most important American filmmakers, revealing new insights into his artistic process and the development of his lasting themes. By unearthing new sources—from modified screenplay documents and pulp fiction novels to interviews with screenplay writers and editors—this book, edited by Peckinpah scholar Michael Bliss, provides groundbreaking criticism of Peckinpah’s work.

To better understand Peckinpah’s artistic process, four of the essayists examine the transformation of written material into film, while acknowledging the significant contributions of screenwriters and producers. Included is a rare interview with A. S. Fleischman, author of the screenplay for The Deadly Companions, the film that launched Peckinpah’s career in feature films. The collection also contains essays by scholar Stephen Prince and Paul Seydor, editor of the controversial special edition of Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid, who explains his editing rationale in detail. In his essay on Straw Dogs, film critic Michael Sragow reveals how Peckinpah and co-scriptwriter David Zelag Goodman transformed a pulp novel into a powerful film.

Other contributors explore spiritual and biblical themes in The Wild Bunch, The Ballad of Cable  Hogue, The Killer Elite, and Cross of Iron. Tony Williams’s essay on The Osterman Weekend proposes that this  underappreciated film is a sophisticated tract on the media. The final essay of the collection surveys Peckinpah’s career, showing the dark turn that the filmmaker’s artistic path took between his first film, The Deadly Companions, and his last film, The Osterman Weekend. This broad assessment helps to reinforce the book’s dawn-to-dusk approach, which provides a fascinating picture of the great filmmaker’s work.

SIU Press book receives an award for Superior Achievement from the Illinois State Historical Society

The Illinois State Historical Society announced the recipients of its 2012 Annual Awards program during the 32nd annual Illinois History Symposium in April. Nobody Calls Just to Say Hello: Reflections on Twenty-Two Years in the Illinois Senate by Philip J. Rock with Ed Wojcicki received the honor. Ed Wojcicki accepted the award.

The Awards were presented in several categories: Publications, Scholarly and other; Public Programming, Educational and Exhibits; On-going Periodicals and Newspaper columns: Multimedia Productions; Special Projects; and Collections Preservation. The Society also awarded four “Lifetime Achievement” awards to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to “preserving, promoting, and commemorating Illinois history” in their communities.

 

“These awards acknowledge the highest individual and institutional achievement in historic preservation, history publications, and public education through exhibitions and programming,” said ISHS Executive Director William Furry. “Through its awards programs the ISHS recognizes the extraordinary commitment of our historical societies, museums, and public and academic historians to articulate the Prairie State narrative in a state, national, and global context, and to give meaning and depth to the Illinois experience. We extend a hearty ‘congratulations’ to all our award recipients.”

Ed Wojcicki accepts the award of Superior Achievement from ISHS President Russell Lewis at the 2012 Illinois History Symposium and Annual Awards Banquet. Photo by William Furry. 

SIU Press authors caught on tape!

Jason Emerson (Giant in the Shadows) and Kenneth WInkle (Abraham and Mary Lincoln) discuss their books during a Virtual Book Signing, held at the Abraham Lincoln Book Shop in Chicago.

Michael Burlingame discusses writing Lincoln and the Civil War, which is part of the Concise Lincoln Library Series.

Traci Brimhall reads the poem "Fiat Lux" from her book Rookery.

Jennifer Richter reads the poem "Prayer for the Hanoi Man Who Waits for Breakdowns on His Block" from her book Threshold.