A Walk Through Literary South Berkeley, Featuring Anthony Boucher: Led by Randal Brandt

Sponsored by the Berkeley Architectural Heritage Association:

A Walk Through Literary South Berkeley, Featuring Anthony Boucher
Sunday, 21 July 2019
1:00 pm–3:00 pm
Led by Randal Brandt

Berkeley has an astonishing number of literary associations, and this walk will explore some of the most intriguing. We’ll wend our way through the pleasant south-of-campus Le Conte neighborhood and nearby, seeing interesting buildings and sites connected to important writers and their works, hearing the stories behind them, and sharing literary excerpts and anecdotes.

The walk will feature places associated with William Anthony Parker White (aka Anthony Boucher), the highly influential mid-century mystery and science fiction writer and editor, who was a Cal alumnus. He made his home in this neighborhood from 1942 onward, and set several of his stories in Berkeley. We’ll also see places associated with Boucher’s fellow mystery writer Mary Collins, the California Writer’s Club, pioneering film critic Pauline Kael, and others.

Guide is Randal Brandt, Head of Catloguing at the Bancroft Library, UC. Berkeley, who curates the Bancroft Library’s California Detective Fiction Collection, which includes over 2,000 mystery, crime, and detective novels with Bay Area connections.

To sign up: go here.

http://berkeleyheritage.com/calendar.html

Genre Fiction of California: Special Exhibit

The Bancroft Library at the 50th California International Antiquarian Book Fair special exhibit on:

Genre Fiction of California

February 10-12, 2017 at the Oakland Marriott City Center

The Bancroft Library has a long history of collecting the literary fiction of California, including mystery and detective fiction, fantasy and science fiction, and western fiction. This special exhibit will highlight California authors’ notable contributions in genre fiction and will emphasize recent donations to the library by featuring materials from the extensive collection of influential author, critic, and literary mentor Anthony Boucher, first editions by early members of the Northern California Chapter of Mystery Writers of America, selections by MWA Grand Masters Ross Macdonald, Margaret Millar, Marcia Muller, and Bill Pronzini, and more.

The exhibit is open during all hours of the Fair:
Friday, February 10: 3pm-8pm
Saturday, February 11: 11am-7pm
Sunday, February 12: 11am-5pm

Come meet Randal Brandt, Bancroft Curator of the California Detective Fiction Collection on Saturday, February 11, from 1:30-4:00pm.


The world’s largest antiquarian book fair returns to the Oakland Marriott City Center in downtown Oakland, February 10-12, 2017. The three-day event, sponsored by Antiquarian Booksellers’ Association of America and the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers, features Thousands of Rare Books and Manuscripts; Special Seminars and Events; Hundreds of Booksellers From Around the World.

For more information and to purchase tickets see https://www.cabookfair.com/visit.php

Anthony Boucher House Literary Salon: January 16

JOIN IN A SPECIAL EVENT AT THE HISTORIC BERKELEY HOME OF ANTHONY BOUCHER, FAMED AUTHOR AND EDITOR 

Join mystery, science fiction, and local history fans at the Berkeley home where the famed mystery and science fiction editor and writer William Anthony Parker White -- best known by his pen name, Anthony Boucher -- lived from 1947 to his death in 1968, and did much of his work.

Explore the expansive 1941 split level, just off Telegraph Avenue, including the large upstairs corner bedroom where Boucher wrote, and the living room where he supervised literary salons, and helped shape the modern genres of mystery and science fiction.

We can't promise you an unsolved murder or a portal to another dimension on the premises, but we can offer light refreshments, socializing, brief remarks (starting at 2:30) and reminiscences (Boucher family members will be on hand), and perhaps even some scripted drama.

The house itself is passing to new owners, so this is a one time opportunity to visit. It is hoped a historic plaque for the site, honoring Boucher, will be completed in time for the opening and on display. 

Saturday, January 16, 2016 from 1:30 PM to 4:30 PM (PST) 

2643 Dana Street Berkeley, CA 94704 

RSVP. Space Limited.  To register, please click here.

Organizers of Anthony Boucher House Literary Salon: 
Randal & Maria Brandt, Steven Finacom, Janet Rudolph 

Randal Brandt is the curator of the California Detective Fiction Collection at The Bancroft Library, University of California, Berkeley

Janet Rudolph is the Editor of the Mystery Readers Journal, organizer of Literary Salons, blogger at Mystery Fanfare and DyingforChocolate.

Steven Finacom is former president and active member of the Berkeley Historical Society.