Writer at Work
What city was home to both Seth Boyden and Philip Roth?
statue of Seth Boyden by sculptor Karl Gerhardt
On a research trip to Newark, New Jersey this weekend, we took a history walking tour, which included a stop in Harriet Tubman Square, where we saw this statue of Seth Boyden (1788-1870). Our guide, Antonio, told us that most people from Newark know Boyden’s name well, but he was news to me. Here’s what the plaque on the statue says about him:
Pioneer in Mechanics. Benefactor of industry. Loved work that his fellow man might be benefited. A mechanical genius. A philosopher. A modest helpful citizen of Newark. An inspiring example for young and old. His inventive faculty led him far afield into art, physics, chemistry, horticulture and botany.
Among his achievements, the plaque lists the invention of patent leather, malleable iron, and numerous machines, including the telegraph, which he worked on with Samuel Morse. He also “produced the first daguerrotype in this country”—a claim that, according to Wikipedia, is disputed. Apparently, Boyden never patented his inventions and wasn’t much of a PR guy, which is why we know his contemporaries Morse and Thomas Edison better.
This being a blog for book lovers, I’ve kind of buried the lede because we also saw Philip Roth’s personal library, housed in a special reading room at the Newark Public Library. This beautiful Gilded Era building with a soaring, four-story marble-columned atrium rising to a stained glass “laylight” was an eye-popping surprise. We climbed the stairs and entered a glass-enclosed space that houses Roth’s personal collection of books, including display cases of photographs, signed editions, and even his typewriter. This was a total bonus and not the reason we went to Newark, but anyone who loves Roth’s work should definitely make a point of visiting. If you go on a weekday, we’re told a Roth curator will be at the desk, ready to answer your questions and show you around.
What books have you read by Philip Roth? And have you ever heard of Seth Boyden?
I've never heard of Seth Boyden.
With book club, I read Roth's American Pastoral. I just read a summary of it because I could not recall the story. Obviously, not a memorable read for me. That could be because at that time, I wasn't interested in the themes of the book.
I'll be starting Jack by Marilyn Robinson this week, which will complete the reading of the Gilead quartet.