One of the first things I did at the start of my research was set up Google alerts for J and her husband R, on the off-chance that it would eventually pay off in some murky way. Since then I’ve received three relevant alerts and one false alarm. They’ve been great in helping me track professional engagements. When you are dealing with people constantly on the move, every filled-in date is helpful.

RESEARCH NOTES WEEK 9:

• VICTORY: A book I had on hold suddenly became available AND the timing was perfect.
• HAPPY DISCOVERY: The 100th anniversary of a small-town review of one of R’s productions, allowing me to place him in Michigan on 8 December 1920!
• FRUSTRATION: Adding 30 books to my TBR list for every one I finish.
• CURRENTLY READING: Hard Times: An Oral History of the Great Depression by Studs Terkel.
• HOURS SPENT ON RESEARCH: 12

I’m reading an e-copy but here’s a nice edition available on Etsy:

HARD TIMES BY STUDS TERKEL. AVAILABLE AT WOODENVINE BOOKS ON ETSY. $6.95.