Jane Yolen Presenting Andrew Lang Lecture

   

Jane Yolen will be the speaker for this year's Andrew Lang Lecture at St Andrews in Scotland. She is the first woman to present the lecture since it was instituted in 1927.

From University of St Andrews:

The Andrew Lang Lecture series is named after the Victorian and Edwardian writer and critic, Andrew Lang (1844-1912), who studied at the University of St Andrews. Up until the time of his death, Lang was one of the most important figures in contemporary letters, a successful and respected fiction writer, poet, journalist, historian and literary critic. The University of St Andrews Library owns an impressive collection of Lang material, including Lang's manuscript and typescript works, a large body of correspondence between Lang and members of his family and others, and photographs and other miscellanea.

The Andrew Lang Lecture is a prestigious event, held only every few years by different Schools in the University. It was first delivered in 1927 by George Gordon, and the most famous Lang lecture remains J.R.R. Tolkien's 'On Fairy Stories' in 1939.

From SFScope:

Jane Yolen writes:

I will be giving the prestigious Andrew Lang lecture at St Andrews University in Scotland on November 1, at 5:30PM. The venue: Lower College Hall, St Salvator’s College, University of St Andrews. It is open to the public and free.

I hope all of you who are interested and able can come. My topic is: “Folklore versus Fakelore: An Imagined Conversation with Andrew Lang.” I will also be telling at least one story and possibly reading some poetry and signing books after a Q&A at the end of the speech.

Since I am the first woman ever to give this speech (the first lecture was in 1927 and previous lecturers have included John Buchan and J.R.R. Tolkien!), I hope we can make a good showing.

I think it’s worth blowing my anonymity in St Andrews for this. Hope you think it’s worth your coming out on the day. And be sure to tell all your like-minded friends to come, too.

Lower College Hall, St Salvator’s College, University of St Andrews, at 5:30PMon 1 November 2012.