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Improbable Venture (An) Book Production Materials
RSS 0060
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Table of contents
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title:
An Improbable Venture Book Production Materials
Creator:
McLaughlin, Nancy Scott, 1939-2019
Identifier/Call Number: RSS 0060
Physical Description:
1 Linear feet
(1 record carton, 1 oversize folder)
Date (inclusive): 1960-1994
Abstract: Production materials for
An Improbable Venture: A History of the University of California, San Diego. The book was commissioned by UC San Diego chancellor Richard C. Atkinson for the University's thirtieth anniversary and
written by Nancy Scott Anderson, a journalist and historian. The collection contains manuscripts, correspondence, photographs,
and miscellaneous materials related to the book's production and publicity on campus.
Languages:
English
.
Acquired 1995
An Improbable Venture Book Production Materials, RSS 60. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
An Improbable Venture: A History of the University of California, San Diego was proposed by UC San Diego associate chancellor Robert C. (Roy) Ritchie in 1988 as a project for the university's thirtieth
anniversary. The committee he chaired decided on an unofficial, objective history of UC San Diego to be written by someone
unaffiliated with the university. Nancy Scott Anderson, a San Diego journalist and author of
The Generals: Ulysses S. Grant and Robert E. Lee (Alfred A. Knopf, 1988) was commissioned to write the history in December 1988. Anderson interviewed founding faculty and
administrators, and consulted the UC San Diego Archives. Associate chancellors Donald F. Tuzin and Tracy B. Strong succeeded
Ritchie in overseeing the project.
The book was originally titled
That Improbable Country: A History of the University of California, San Diego for a line from Alastair Reid's 1964 poem "Curiosity," a copy of which was included in the early drafts. In a 1993 commencement
speech, chancellor Richard C. Atkinson referred to the founding of UC San Diego as "an improbable venture," and by July 1993
the title had been changed to
An Improbable Venture: A History of the University of California, San Diego. The book was published by The UCSD Press in 1993.
Scope and Content of Collection
Production materials for
An Improbable Venture: A History of the University of California, San Diego. The book was commissioned by UC San Diego chancellor Richard C. Atkinson for the University's thirtieth anniversary and
written by Nancy Scott Anderson, a journalist and historian. The collection contains manuscripts, correspondence, photographs,
and miscellaneous materials related to the book's production and publicity on campus.
Arranged in three series: 1) CORRESPONDENCE, 2) DRAFTS AND PHOTOGRAPHS, and 3) MISCELLANEA.
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
COLLECTION STORED OFF-SITE. ALLOW ONE WEEK FOR RETRIEVAL OF MATERIALS
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Universities and colleges -- California -- San Diego -- History
University of California, San Diego -- History