On My Nightstand
BY ANDREA McCRARY
Tough I aim for simplicity in life, anyone who has visited my office in McEwen (or my home) knows that I have a book problem. Luckily, my family shares my fascination, so we accept the stacks of books that line the walls in nearly every room, not just on my nightstand. My reading includes fiction and non-fiction most days. As when I was a child, I still love a good mystery. Currently, my daughter and I are enjoying the Enola Holmes series by Nancy Springer. Focused on the much younger sister of the fabled Sherlock, these young adult books weave mystery, adventure and feminism into a sweet escape. Connected to my own work and personal interests, I’m currently reading Remembering Emmett Till by scholar Dave Tell. Tis book concerns itself with the intersection of public memory and civil rights in the United States. I’m also reading Johann Hari’s Lost Connections which, in these socially distant days,
offers a way to think about mental health as both an individual and a community concern. Rebecca Solnit’s Hope in the Dark and Pema Chodron’s Te Places that Scare You are favorites that I dip into regularly for a reminder of the presence and practice of hope in the midst of what sometimes feels like chaos. Finally, I recently picked up
Te Art of Slow Writing by Louise DeSalvo. Working from home, I sometimes feel pressured to produce more, and DeSalvo’s book reminds me of the gift of slowing down—a lesson that is all too important now, and that I aim to apply not just to my writing, but also my reading, though my “to read” stack of books continues to grow.
—Andrea McCrary ’91 is a faculty member in the English Department. Her work focuses primarily on feminist approaches to social movements, public memory and visual rhetoric.
Remember When QUEENS’ QUARANTINE CLUB
As the world continues battling COVID 19, many have looked to the influenza pandemic of 1918 (the Spanish Flu) to glean perspective. During this time at Queens, a Quarantine Club was formed with a motto stating, “Dance, chat, be patriotic, for tomorrow we study.” The 24-member club’s aim was to “extend the quarantine,” and its chief occupation was “soldiering,” as students from then-Queens College provided entertainment for soldiers in nearby Camp Greene during World War I. Two years later the club changed its name to “Flu Club.” While Queens’ students were doing their part to
encourage awareness and safety as they supported the troops, Charlotte suffered greatly from the pandemic with approximately 80 deaths from influenza in December 1918 alone. One of those deaths was 20-year-old Corrine Worth Finley, a voice major at Queens. Vice president of her junior class, Finley is described in Queens’ 1918 yearbook as having “the voice of a nightingale, the disposition of an angel, and
withal finds time for anything in which she may be of service. … Corinna is an all around Queens girl.” Though the passing of Finley is a somber memory of a challenging time in our community’s history, it is important to note that Queens’ passion for service was as strong then as it is now.
—Lori K. Tate QUEENS WAS A SLAM DUNK FOR COACH JEN BROWN
Jen Brown joined the Royal family in May as the new head coach of the women’s basketball team. A native of Brooklyn, New York, she came to Queens from Virginia Tech, where she was an assistant coach for four seasons. Prior to that, she was the assistant coach for six seasons at her alma mater, James Madison University. Sharing a New York background with
President Dan Lugo in addition to her instant
connection with Cherie Swarthout, director of athletics, was a big part of her motivation to come to Queens. “The resources are phenomenal,” explained Brown. “To be a Division II school, Queens has a lot of Division I resources that you don’t find at other Division II schools, so it
was a no-brainer to come to Queens because of the people and the resources.” In addition, Brown finds the transparency of senior
leadership refreshing, especially while transitioning to a new job in a new city in the middle of a pandemic. She is appreciative of the support from the Queens community and “beyond excited” to work with her team to establish personal mentorships, set goals, give back to the community and watch their hard work translate onto the court. “Their goal is to change the narrative of Queens women’s basketball,” said Brown, “and I’m excited to help them get there.”
—Brandy Redmond 3
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