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April 3, 2002
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Internationally Renowned Memoirist Jill Ker Conway to Reflect on
the Challenges of Writing Biographies of Women

NORTHAMPTON, Mass.-Jill Ker Conway, the former president of Smith College whose autobiographical trilogy has widely influenced the writing and interpretation of women's histories, will present "Telling Stories About Women's Lives: Biography, Memoir and Archives" at 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 12, in the college's Wright Hall Auditorium.


The lecture is free, open to the public and wheelchair accessible. A book signing and reception will follow in the Neilson Library Browsing Room.


Born on an Australian sheep farm, Conway has led an extraordinary life, as reflected in her internationally published memoirs. "The Road from Coorain" (1989) presents stories from early parts of her life, reflecting on her Australian childhood and her education in history and English at the University of Sydney. "True North" (1994) recounts Conway's life in America, from her arrival in 1960 to the beginning of her presidency at Smith in 1975. "A Woman's Education," published last year, recalls her decade at the college, during which she resisted pressures toward co-education and supported movements toward liberalizing the curriculum.


In her talk, Conway will focus on the challenges facing biographers of women. Through examinations of various biographies and personal papers of Virginia Woolf, Sylvia Plath and Gloria Steinem, Conway will explore how women's life stories have been presented differently from those of men with regard to such topics as work, social and sexual life, education and illness. She will discuss as well the importance of resources such as Smith's Mortimer Rare Book Room and Sophia Smith Collection of women's history manuscripts in informing biographical research.
Conway, who lives in Boston, is a visiting scholar and professor in MIT's Program in Science, Technology, and Society. She serves on the boards of Nike, Merrill Lynch and Colgate-Palmolive, and as chairman of Lend Lease Corporation.


Conway's talk is part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the Friends of the Smith College Libraries, a group that provides support to the college libraries and sponsors events that add to the intellectual life of the college.

 

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