Vegas brought out my worst vices. Handed carte blanche to indulge recklessly and obscenely for twelve months, I borrowed books from the university library in such numbers that when it came to returning them, I had to use a suitcase. I even inadvertently smuggled one home to England.
I had indeed gone to Sin City to spend my time in the empire of books, not bookmakers. I had been wordily appointed 2015 Fellow in Humanistic Studies at the Carol C Harter, Beverly Rogers Black Mountain Institute, a literary centre affiliated with the University of Nevada in Las Vegas, where I stayed on a three further months as a visiting professor.
Photos: John Garth
A delightful sort of matrushka of panoramas photographic and textual – and as tantalizing as the thematic modern ones where the contents are mysterious: books with spines and covers turned away, a Tolkien book on Chaucer, a further title of your own making…!
When may we hope to learn more?!
All in good time. I can’t speak for Chaucer (or Professor John Bowers), but I hope to make my own plans a little clearer by the end of this year. Thank you for your interest!