“Today I hope he can inspire you to be curious about your own world, to follow the threads of your own interests, wherever they may lead,” Grade 10 student Ana M. announced in her introduction for this year’s Anne Sophie Laumont ’99 Lecture guest speaker John McPhee, after noting the inspiring way the famed writer “takes something small that is interesting to him and follows the thread until it becomes something much larger—an article, a book.”

 

A longtime staff writer for the New Yorker and author of 28 books, McPhee has been a Ferris Professor at Princeton University since 1975. He is a recipient of both the George Polk Career Award for his “indelible mark on American journalism during his nearly half-century career” and a Pulitzer Prize for Annals of the Former World, a four-volume book about the geology of the United States.

 

Last week, Head of School Bodie Brizendine sat down with McPhee for a conversation in the Theater, extending the discussion to audience members with questions, including Upper School students, faculty and past parents. Brizendine began by noting that not only was she “star struck,” but she “could not think of a better speaker and writer to honor alumna Anne Sophie Laumont ’99.

 

A journalist and an explorer, McPhee discussed what he loves about teaching: his students who “keep me going;” what he currently reads for pleasure: “highly miscellaneous” materials along with the New York Times and New Yorker; writers who have influenced him: all of them; his editing process: “writing is more about what you don’t say…and if you’re not revising, you’re not writing;” the overarching themes for his pieces: as a nonfiction writer, “real people in real places;” his favorite pieces: “the ones I just finished;” and a memorable teacher: one in high school who just “started feeding me books.” McPhee also explored the impact of digitization, the most compelling parts of a story and the importance of structuring a piece beforehand.

 

Often referred to as “the father of literary journalism,” McPhee delighted the Spence community with his wit, humor and insight. At the assembly’s conclusion, Brizendine thanked McPhee for sharing such “possibilities” with us.