Tell us about yourself and the book you selected.
I serve as the Digital Audio Producer for the Colonial Williamsburg Innovation Studios. My personal research area is collections management and African American interpretation methodology.
I chose the book In Small Things Forgotten: An Archaeology of Early American Life by James Deetz.
Why is this book meaningful to you?
In Small Things Forgotten reminded me that the histories connected to objects are just as multifaceted as those connected to people. To fully understand early American history, a researcher must be willing to study the mundane items just as closely as they examine the “bright and shiny” ones.
What is your favorite quote from or detail about this book?
My favorite quote from Deetz in In Small Things Forgotten is, “If we bring to this world, so reflective of the past, a sensitivity to the meaning of the patterns we see in it, the artifact becomes a primary source of great objectivity and subtlety.”
Why should others read this book?
In Small Things Forgotten examines everyday objects and artifacts from the colonial period to uncover insights into the lives of ordinary people. Deetz argues that by studying these "small things," historians and archaeologists can gain a better understanding of the past and the people who lived it.