'Brown and Golden Memories' author to sign books
Nov. 3, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- The historian behind the book that chronicles Western Michigan University's first 100 years will be on campus Wednesday, Nov. 12, to sign copies of the publication.
WMU alumnus Larry Massie will return to his alma mater for a book signing from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Edwin and Mary Meader Rare Book Room on the third floor of Waldo Library. Copies of "Brown and Golden Memories: Western Michigan University's First Century" will be on sale for $35.
Published this fall as part of the University's centennial celebration, the 276-page book includes more than 250 historical photos. They illustrate the events that shaped the school and depict the people who played a major role in its development from a tiny teachers college on a Kalamazoo hilltop to one of the nation's top-100 research universities.
"Brown and Golden Memories" is divided into six chapters. Massie uses his skills as a storyteller to weave together tales of student life with profiles of both legendary and little known figures from the school's past. Oral histories collected over the years play a major part in each chapter, as the story of WMU is told through the words of track stars and presidents, faculty members and their spouses, and students from a variety of eras.
The selection of Massie to write the work was a natural choice, since he's been intimately familiar with the area's history and has been collecting WMU lore for years. In fact, his own history is intertwined with the University, as he earned his bachelor's and two master's degrees at the institution. Massie worked for eight years in WMU's archives before launching his own business in 1983. "Brown and Golden Memories" is his 17th book on Michigan history.
Media contact: Jessica English, 269 387-8400, jessica.english@wmich.edu