Julia Ridley Smith discusses her recent memoir, The Sum of Trifles:

When Julia Ridley Smith’s parents died, they left behind a virtual museum of furniture, books, art, and artifacts. Between the contents of their home, the stock from their North Carolina antiques shop, and the ephemera of two lives lived, Smith faced a monumental task. What would she do with her parents’ possessions?  The Sum of Trifles offers up dark humor and raw feeling, mixed with an erudite streak. It’s a curious, thoughtful look at how we live in and with our material culture and how we face our losses as we decide what to keep and what to let go.

The presentation will be followed by a reception and a book signing.

Co-Sponsored by the Visual and Material Culture Program and the Kratz Center for Creative Writing