By Anne K. Kaler, PSBVA

The question why people come to academic conferences answers itself — WHY. Having been an academic who has attended professional conferences for almost forty years, I feel qualified to speak on conferences. So WHY did I come to the recent Pearl S. Buck and the Pulitzer Prize Gateways Conference held in Morgantown, West Virginia, and what did I learn?

I discovered to my pleasure that the study of Pearl S. Buck’s works, life, and legacy has sprouted new roots across the world.  In PSBI’s case, this new growth has captured the interest of scholars who have found her stories and life experiences a fertile field to explore for new growth.  This conference showed the human curiosity of scholars who ask WHY certain authors feel so strongly about the topics about which they write.  A meeting of presenters like this provides a vital nutrient to encourage digging deeper to unearth better soil.  What really keeps academic detectives going, however, is that big WHY some things were written and others not written. Continue reading “A Conference of Pearl S. Buck Enthusiasts” →