Houghton75 Houghton Library

Did you know that Houghton Library is also the publisher of Harvard Review, a major American literary journal? In this episode of Houghton75, editor Christina Thompson talks to two contributors to Harvard Review's 50th issue: renowned essayist Phillip Lopate and award-winning novelist Lily King.

In this episode of Houghton75 we speak with Joseph Connors, Professor of the History of Art and Architecture, about the historical practice of architectural sketching and how he incorporates it into his classes. We start the conversation with the sketchbooks from the late 17th century of a young Baroque architect, Gilles-Marie Oppenord, not much older than Professor Connors’ students.

In this episode of Houghton75 we speak with Thomas Kelly, Morton B. Knafel Professor of Music about his experiences researching and teaching chant using Houghton collections.

In this episode of Houghton75 we speak with Stephen Greenblatt, John Cogan University Professor of the Humanities, about a small, very fragile book containing an ancient poem that rocked the world, and what it says about the inter-connectivity of the sciences and the humanities.

In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Ann Blair, Carl H. Pforzheimer University Professor at Harvard, about the development of note-taking devices from early wax tablets to our modern smartphones. We start with an early modern writing tablet - a small reference book which also contains specially treated pages for recording notes while on the road.

In this episode of Houghton75, we speak with Danielle Allen, James Bryant Conant University Professor and director of the Edmond J. Safra Center for Ethics, about her research and teaching on the Declaration of Independence, including John Adams’ role in creating it, supported by evidence found right here at Houghton.