An Improbable Venture Book Production Materials
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego Library
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright 2022
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Business Number: 858-534-2533
Fax Number: 858-534-5950
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
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
.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 1995
Preferred Citation
An Improbable Venture Book Production Materials, RSS 60. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Administrative History
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
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
OFF-SITE STORAGE
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
Box 1, Folder 1-2
1990-1994
General note
Includes correspondence between Nancy Scott Anderson, Donald Tuzin, Robert C. Ritchie, Richard C. Atkinson, William McGill,
and Tracy B. Strong regarding the manuscript.
Box 1, Folder 3
Letter of agreement between Anderson and UC San Diego
1988
Box 1, Folder 23-26
Photographs
ca. 1960-1992
General note
Photographs of the UC San Diego campus, administrators, and students that were considered for use in the book.
Box 1, Folder 27
Anderson project review committee meeting - D. Tuzin notes and memos on committee
1992
Box 1, Folder 29
Improbable Venture celebration - Program, invitations, and attendance list
1994 February 6
Box 1, Folder 30
Library of Congress catalog card number form
1993
Box 1, Folder 31
Book jacket designs
undated
Oversize FB-420, Folder 10
Book jacket designs - Oversized
undated
Box 1, Folder 32
UCSD Bookstore retail price projections
undated
