UAlbany Celebrates Historic James Brothers of Fiction, Psychology & Philosophy
Experts Discuss Impact on Modernism of Henry and William James Nov. 10
.png)
The James family had many ties to the Albany area.
Contact: Media Relations Office (518) 956-8150
ALBANY, N.Y. (November 03, 2010) --
The contributions of William and Henry James will be highlighted at a presentation entitled At the Gateway to Modernism: A Celebration of William and Henry James on Wednesday, Nov. 10, from 6 to 8 p.m. at the University at Albany. The event, which is free and open to the public, will take place in the Standish Room of the Science Library on the uptown campus.
Renowned author Henry James and his brother William, a psychology professor and philosopher, had many ties to the Albany area, according to Associate Professor of English Mary Valentis, who organized the event as director of the Center for Humanities, Arts, and TechnoScience (CHATS). "Many of the James family relatives are buried in Albany Rural Cemetery," she said. "The father graduated from the Albany Academy, and the grandfather made his fortune in Albany real estate." Henry James even opened his story, Portrait of a Lady , in a brownstone on Albany's State Street.
The significant works and pivotal thought of the two brothers helped shape the 20th Century and more particularly the intellectual, artistic, and philosophical moment now called modernism.
 |
Author Henry James and his brother William, a psychology professor and philosopher. |
The panel of experts celebrating the James family will include:
• Professor Ronald A. Bosco, Distinguished Professor of English and American Literature at UAlbany,
• Professor Linda Simon of Skidmore College, and
• Dean of UAlbany's College of Arts and Sciences Edelgard Wulfert, professor of psychology.
The celebration will extend to the spring semester, when on March 4, 2011, Henry James on the Stage will be featured at the UAlbany Performing Arts Center. From 3 to 5 p.m. on that day, Dr. Barbara Blatner, Yeshiva University Workshop, will do an adaptation of Henry James's short stories for poetry and stage. From 7 to 10 p.m. that same evening, there will be a staged reading of Larry Lane's new play inspired by Henry James's Aspern Papers. Playwright and director Lane adapted Melville's Bartleby the Scrivener for stage. After the reading, theater goers will have an opportunity to talk with Lane.
The events are supported by grants from the New York Council for the Humanities and University Auxiliary Services.
For more news, subscribe to UAlbany's RSS headline feeds
Educationally and culturally, the University at Albany-SUNY puts "The World Within Reach" for its 18,000 students. An internationally recognized research university with 58 undergraduate majors and 128 graduate degree programs, UAlbany is a leader among all New York State colleges and universities in such diverse fields as public policy, nanotechnology and criminal justice. With a curriculum enhanced by 300 study-abroad opportunities, UAlbany launches great careers. For more information about this globally ranked University, visit https://www.albany.edu/. For UAlbany's extensive roster of faculty experts, visit www.albany.edu/news/experts.shtml.
