Williams Professor Wins Joseph Levenson Book Prize

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Christopher Nugent
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Christopher Nugent, associate professor of Chinese at Williams College, received the 2012 Joseph Levenson Book Prize in the pre-1900 category for his 2010 book, "Manifest in Words, Written on Paper: Producing and Circulating Poetry in Tang Dynasty China" (Harvard University Asia Center). The prize, administered by the Association of Asian Studies, is awarded annually.

"Manifest in Words, Written on Paper" offers a sophisticated analysis of practices of composing, reading, reciting, and circulating poetry in the Tang era. By illustrating the material lives that poems led during the Tang, from words on paper to songs sung in taverns and even the imperial court, this study challenges a number of assumptions that underlie both traditional and contemporary critical approaches to these works.

Nugent’s book further explores the nature of memory and the role memory played in preserving and transmitting texts, the complex relationship between orality and text, the perception of spontaneity as a literary value, and the methods of textual collecting as a part of medieval Chinese literati culture.

Nugent has also published works in The University of Toronto Quarterly, T’oung Pao, and Asia Major. He received his B.A. from Brown University in 1991 and his Ph.D. from Harvard University in 2004.

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St. Stan's Students Spread Holiday Cheer at Williamstown Commons

By Jack GuerinoiBerkshires Staff
WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. — Students from St. Stanislaus Kostka School  in Adams brought the holiday spirit to Williamstown Commons on Thursday, delivering handmade Christmas cards and leading residents in a community caroling session.
 
"It honestly means the world to us because it means the world to them," said nursing home Administrator Alex Fox on Thursday morning. "This made their days. This could have even made their weeks. It could have made their Christmas, seeing the children and interacting with the community."
 
Teacher Kate Mendonca said this is the first year her class has visited the facility, noting that the initiative was driven entirely by the students.
 
"This came from the kids. They said they wanted to create something and give back," Mendonca said. "We want our students involved in the community instead of just reading from a religion book."
 
Preparation for the event began in early December, with students crafting bells to accompany their singing. The handmade cards were completed last week.
 
"It's important for them to know that it's not just about them during Christmas," Mendonca said. "It's about everyone, for sure. I hope that they know they really helped a lot of people today and hopefully it brought joy to the residents here."
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