The Comstocks of Cornell—The Definitive Autobiography

Download or read book The Comstocks of Cornell—The Definitive Autobiography written by Anna Botsford Comstock and published by Cornell University Press. This book was released on 2020-04-15 with total page 559 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Comstocks of Cornell is the autobiography written by the naturalist educator Anna Botsford Comstock about her life and that of her husband, the entomologist John Henry Comstock—both prominent figures in the scientific community and in Cornell University history. A first edition was published in 1953, but it omitted key Cornellians, historical anecdotes, and personal insights. In this twenty-first-century edition, Karen Penders St. Clair restores the author's voice by reconstructing the entire manuscript as Anna Comstock wrote it—and thereby preserves Comstock's memories of the personal and professional lives of the couple as she originally intended. The book includes an epilogue documenting the Comstocks' last years and fills in gaps from the 1953 edition. Described as serious legacy work, this book is an essential part of the history of both Cornell University and its press.