The Well House Reader

"The heart of every university is its students, and yet too often their voices are lost when a school's history is told. Don Gray's The Well House Reader corrects this silence by offering reflections on IU by famous and little-known alumni.  In it, Gray offers a rich diversity of student voices from 1895 to the present day, giving the reader a glimpse of Indiana University's story as told by over a century of its students."—Paul Gutjahr, Ruth N. Halls Professor of English, Indiana University

"Here is a fascinating, students'-eye-view of life, love, and learning at Indiana University Bloomington over the past century and a half. By turns comic and romantic, lyrical and satirical, these student writings carry us through the tree-shaded campus, to Dunn Meadow for protests, to the Well House for courtship, to the Book Nook for music, to a limestone quarry for skinny dipping, and to other favorite haunts—even, occasionally, to classrooms for enlightenment. The selections also register the impact of greater social upheavals, such as the two world wars and the struggle for racial and gender equality. Meticulously edited by renowned English professor Donald Gray, this anthology will come as a gift to anyone who has spent memorable time in this place."—Scott Russell Sanders, author of Small Marvels

"Culbertson Professor of English Donald J. Gray is the perfect IU Historian to collect, edit, and present student essays, both humorous and serious, from the 1800's to today. This book provides the reader with a unique understanding of events and traditions that make Indiana University the special place it is.  A must read for anyone with a connection to IU."—J. Terry Clapacs, Vice President Emeritus, Indiana University

"The Well House Reader gathers an eclectic mix of collegiate writing, providing unique perspectives on the evolving culture of Indiana's flagship campus. Selected by English professor and literary scholar Donald Gray, a sensitive observer of IU student behavior since the 1950s, the book engages themes such as student identities, friendship and romance, faculty stereotypes, politics and protests, and meditations on time's passing. A singular contribution to IU history, The Well House Reader furnishes a treasury of student lore as well as a survey of university heritage."—James H. Capshew, University Historian, Indiana University