Minnesota Historical Society Press to step outside box and publish Curiousity's Cats: Writers on Research

Research is an intensely personal thing, and it is done for many different reasons. Writers in this anthology (April 2014) strike out beyond the boundaries of the Internet and conduct hands-on inquiries into subjects that fascinate them. It takes them outside their comfort zones and into a realm whereby they can make  important discoveries and observations not only about the subject they are pursuing, but about themselves. They learn how to learn in a sense.

13 essayists contribute powerful accounts of such things as chasing documents, cracking mysteries, interviewing for long-lost subjects, and visiting unusual and sometimes exotic locations. Inspired by Richard Altick's classic book, The Scholar Adventurers (Ohio State, 1987), the writers in this book offer very different kinds of writing; historians, journalists, and novelists come together and present what conducting research means to them, what it means to their particular project, and how the process of research and exploration fulfills a basic human need.

"Each morning I would strike out for this temple of learning in the crisp autumn air ... with a sense of purpose and the conviction that this was where I belonged."
- Marilyn Stasio, from "My Research Project"

The book is a refreshing mix of academics, amateur historians, novelists, journalists, and even a scriptwriter. Each writer offers a special take on the process of investigation and discovery, and shows how the process of conducting their research has enriched their lives. Curiosity's Cats is fills an important gap in writing about writing, and eloquently shows the special motivation for writers to get out in the field and find out everything they can about a subject that captivates their imaginations.