This proposed session will be the first at the MLA devoted to the work, the world, and the legacy of Christopher Morley (1890-1957). It will attempt to situate this important figure in the context of Philadelphia as a hub of modern book production, journalism, criticism and scholarship, printing, bookselling, and book collecting. As a Haverford, PA-born novelist, journalist, playwright, poet, travel writer, and essayist, Morley is uniquely qualified to serve as the focus for this examination of what made Philadelphia such an influential center of cultural and literary exchange in the 20th C. Papers may address any of the numerous genres to which Morley contributed, his relationship to contemporaries, the circulation and reception of his work, etc.

Please send 1-page proposals (approximately 250 words) for papers with a reading time of 15-20 minutes by March 15th to Steven Rothman