Thurber House is celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, and there is plenty going on to celebrate the occasion.
The Rare Books and Manuscripts Library (RBMS) at The Ohio State University is sponsoring Thurber in the House, an exhibit of James Thurber’s cartooning art.
Thurber in the House visually represents the predominant themes of James Thurber’s work, in particular, his private struggles between the genders and the public battle for social dominance. His characters seem to find solace only with their dogs whose loyalties and sympathies make them ever endearing. The collection consists of 29 drawings, including five previously unpublished works never exhibited before.
The RBMS collection, 29 archival quality facsimiles, will run May 1 through Sept. 6 at the Thurber Center, 91 Jefferson Ave., next door to Thurber House, and will be free and open daily from 1-4 p.m.
RBMS is the historical repository for the scholarly study of Thurber, Columbus’ and Ohio State’s greatest literary product. In addition to multiple printings and editions of virtually every Thurber publication, the library also administers a Thurber literary archive of more than 20,000 manuscript and typescript leaves, nearly 500 original drawings, photographs, scrapbooks, sound recordings and assorted Thurberiana.
Also, as the weather warms up, that means it must be time for the Thurber House Summer 2009 Literary Picnics.
This season, which runs from June through August, features five events and authors who have an Ohio connection.
The picnics begin on June 10, with the Thurber Treat and special guest host, Johnny DiLoretto, FOX 28 Good Day Columbus reporter.
The Wednesday picnics that follow will feature, among other awards and accolades received, a Pulitzer Prize winner, a New York Times bestselling author, the winner of the 2006 National Award for Commentary and a popular Ohio mystery writer. And, for the first time, the series will present one picnic, on July 22, that highlights emerging, talented authors of fiction, poetry and creative non-fiction.
Picnic guests can order a catered dinner or bring their own. The picnic food is catered by Party Panache, and each picnic offers a tour of James Thurber’s historic home given by the Thurber House middle-school Young Docents.
Tours begin at 5:20 p.m.; the picnics start at 6:15 p.m.; and the reading is at 7 p.m.
The schedule is as follows:
Thurber Treat with host Johnny DiLoretto, June 10.
Julia Keller, cultural critic at the Chicago Tribune and winner of the 2005 Pulitzer Prize for feature writing, June 24. -
Jennifer Crusie, bestselling author of 21 novels, July 8.
New Voices, a special picnic showcasing emerging authors of fiction, nonfiction and poetry, July 22. This picnic will include appearances by Christopher Barzak, David Giffels and Jay Siegel.
P.L. Gaus, author of the Ohio Amish Mystery series, Aug. 5.
Guests are asked to bring their own blankets or lawn chairs for seating. Parking is free after 6 p.m. at the meters on Jefferson Avenue. The neighboring rain site is State Auto Insurance, 518 E. Broad St. Ticket prices: Full series, dinner/reading, $100; Mini-Series for three picnics, dinner/reading, $65; Individual dinner/reading tickets, $25; reading only, adults, $15; children 12 and under, $5. For more information, visit www.thurberhouse.org or call 614-464-1032.