The Westward Crossing, 1965 - 1978

This collection consists of correspondence, academic records, manuscripts, drafts, publications, photographs, newspaper clippings, and travel documents of Barnard alumna, author, and world traveler, Jeannette Mirsky. Also contains program for her memorial service in Box 28. The correspondence is almost exclusively letters, postcards, and telegrams addressed to Mirsky. Carbon copies of letters composed by Mirsky are mostly limited to business transactions with publishers.

Mirsky’s original writings are contained in manuscripts, notes, and drafts related to her publications. Complete manuscripts of To the North!,The Westward Crossing, Houses of God, The World of Eli Whitney, andSir Aurel Stein are included in this collection, and feature extensive notes and edits by Mirsky and outside editors.

The photographs in this collection are often unlabeled, and include images collected for various publications, images of Mirsky’s travels, and personal and family photos. Mirsky also held on to many newspaper clippings of her book reviews. The collection also contains additional clippings that she gathered for research purposes. There is a large collection of clippings from German language newspapers as well.

Of special interest are materials related to a speaking engagement at the University of Alaska where Mirsky traveled north of the Arctic Circle, and received a lithograph noting this accomplishment. Of additional interest are a series of letters in which Mirsky was recommended for an honorary doctorate at Columbia University.