Gertrude Stein's America: A Conversation with Phoebe Stein

Description

Gertrude Stein scholar and distant cousin Phoebe Stein will be joined by Gabrielle Dean, curator of "Gertrude Stein in Circles: Spheres of Life and Writing," to discuss Stein's geographically distant but psychologically deep-rooted relationship to her native U.S.

Gertrude Stein (1874–1946), who attended the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in one of the first classes to admit women, developed her pioneering literary career in Paris but always centered her American identity. She was less explicit about her Jewish heritage and queer sexuality yet lived openly with the woman she considered her wife, Alice B. Toklas. From her favorite U.S. president, to her naive nationalism, to her heroic wartime experiences and deeply troubling allegiances, to her cheeky takes on movie stars and famous artists, Stein's politics, prejudices, and perspectives on American culture in her time have surprising relevance today.

The event begins with a reception at 6 p.m. followed by the program and Q&A beginning at 6:30 p.m.

This event is presented by the Johns Hopkins Sheridan Libraries in conjunction with the exhibition "Gertrude Stein in Circles: Spheres of Life and Writing," on view at George Peabody Library through March 2, 2025.