Eastcliff: History of a Home wins best book award!
On April 30, 2024, The Minnesota Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians (MNSAH ) awarded the David Stanley Gebhard Award to Eastcliff: History of a Home. The selection committee’s description follows:
“This engaging and well-researched book recounts the architectural and social history of Eastcliff, a former lumber baron’s house on the East Bank of the Mississippi River that has served as the official residence of the president of the University of Minnesota for more than six decades.
“Author Karen Fults Kaler, who lived in the house for eight years during her husband’s tenure as president, knows her subject well. In her research, she unearthed a wealth of information, which she imparts with warmth, humor, and authority. The book is richly illustrated with fine historic photos that are accompanied by a full set of architectural plans drawn by Kaler, who is a graphic designer. Together, they bring the architecture of the house to life. Photographs and stories of those who were fortunate enough to inhabit Eastcliff over the years further enhance the tale. In summary, the book is a well-told, beautifully illustrated documentation of a house that has played a prominent role in the history of the University of Minnesota and the state of Minnesota.”
Articles about Eastcliff: History of a Home
https://mspmag.com/home-and-design/eastcliff-book/
https://midwesthome.com/shopping/eastcliff-history-of-a-home-available-now
https://www.startribune.com/new-book-eastcliff-offers-peek-into-university-of-minnesota-presidents-home/600298045/
https://beta.prx.org/stories/473190
Book blurb from Lori Sturdevant:
“Katharine Hepburn, John Dillinger, Helen Keller, Clark Gable—Karen Fults Kaler’s Eastcliff: History of a Home has them all, along with nine University of Minnesota presidents and the storied Brooks family that built a landmark atop the Mississippi River bluff in St. Paul. A swimming dog, a female feline named Stefan, and an attic ghost are here, too. Their meticulously researched stories, zestfully told, make for delightful reading.”
— Lori Sturdevant, author and retired Star Tribune editorial writer
Where to buy Eastcliff: History of a Home
- an independent bookstore,
- the publisher, Minnesota Press,
- Barnes and Noble, or
- Amazon at the link below.
