Carolyn Chalmers, author of They Don’t Want Her There: Fighting Sexual and Racial Harassment in the American University
General Nonfiction Category, sponsored by The Duchess Harris Collection
Each week leading up to the 35th annual Minnesota Book Awards, we are featuring exclusive interviews with our finalists. You can also watch the authors in conversation with their fellow category finalists here.
Would you tell us one or two things about your finalist book that you are particularly proud of, and why?
I am most proud of my collaboration with Dr. Jean Jew, who is the client in the case that is the subject of my book. Jean had a great influence in my writing of the book. And, I am proud that through this book, our collaborative effort will be shared with generations to come, particularly with young women who face the kinds of challenges that Jean and I faced.
What advice would you give to an aspiring writer with an interest in your category?
Don’t be discouraged by the comments and thoughts of others. Keep on the project despite other’s opinions, charging forward with goals in mind.
Tell us about a favorite book. Why did you find it moving, influential, or otherwise memorable?
Portrait of a Lady, by Henry James. A naïve American woman goes to Europe with an inheritance which is seized on. She is taken advantage of. The book touches my sense of injustice concerning traditional gender roles and power differentials.
Tell us something about yourself that is not widely known.
I love design. I love the country of Turkey I have a reputation among our family and friends for doing a good job of organizing long, inn-to-inn hikes. I’ve loved to do this in France, using the wonderful collection of walking paths and detailed maps that country has to offer.
The Minnesota Book Awards is a celebration of writers, readers – and libraries. We’d love if you would share thoughts about the role and value of libraries.
Libraries provide a great escape to the world of books and literature. They foster education and early development. They have been critical in expanding the availability of the internet especially in small towns. This is the role of the library in Ely, where we have a cabin. The library provides a place for community and kids to gather.
Carolyn Chalmers is an employment litigator, law firm partner, and mediator with a career spanning four decades and scores of cases of sex discrimination in American universities.