The 66 Emory faculty authors who sequestered themselves to research, draft and revise books published in the past year were never really alone. The crowd of colleagues, family and friends who turned out recently for the 20th annual Feast of Words made that clear.
“The act of research and scholarship, even though it sometimes feels solitary, is not,” said Valeda Dent, vice provost of libraries, the Michael C. Carlos Museum and Center for Digital Scholarship, in her welcoming remarks.
The event honored faculty who wrote, edited or translated books between September 2024 and August 2025.
“Your families, your colleagues, your departments — all of these folks really contribute to the great works that you all have produced,” Dent said. “So, we want to make sure we acknowledge the collective that allows you to continue to produce your great scholarship.”
A few of the subjects among the 87 books feted this year demonstrate that scholarship’s rich diversity:
- A physician’s guide to how to optimize stress to lead a longer, happier life
- A history of the Los Angeles’ Latinx community’s role in hip-hop’s rise on the West Coast
- A textbook tracing infectious diseases from the Paleolithic era to the present day
- An analysis of how the film “Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse” diversified representation in movies for young people
The Center for Faculty Development and Excellence (CFDE), Emory Libraries and Emory University Barnes and Noble Bookstore hosted this year’s Feast of Words. Over two decades, the event has celebrated more than 2,000 books.
After concluding her welcome, Dent introduced Pearl Dowe, senior vice provost for faculty affairs and Asa Griggs Candler Professor of Political Science and African American Studies.
“I understand what an honor and privilege it is to showcase our work,” Dowe began, marveling at the fact that just a year before, she herself had been one of these publishing faculty. “When we write, we sometimes feel like, ‘Who is going to read this? Who wants to know about this?’” she said. “Well, we do want to know about your work. And we are very, very proud of what you have accomplished.”
A feast of facts and figures
- 87 total titles are represented.
- 66 faculty and staff authored books.
- 18 edited or co-edited books.
- Three faculty translated works or had their works translated.
- 12 had multiple titles published.
- 45 books were written by single authors.
- 20 books were written by multiple authors.
- Emory College of Arts and Sciences is represented 51 times.
- Candler School of Theology is represented 15 times.
- The School of Law is represented five times.
- The School of Medicine is represented six times.
- Goizueta Business School is represented seven times.
- Oxford College is represented six times.
- Nell Hodgson Woodruff School of Nursing is represented once.
- Rollins School of Public Health is represented once.
- Emory Center for Ethics is represented once.
- Emeriti faculty are represented once.
- Four books were published with help from CFDE’s Scholarly Writing and Publishing Fund, whose grants enable faculty to hire an editor to take a manuscript to the next stage.
Two books were supported by the CFDE’s Public Scholarship Advancement Fund, which helps faculty expand their research and writing into the realm of public influence.
New ways of storytelling
Michael Leo Owens is a longtime comic book fan. And the Emory political science professor recognized that adding panels of comic-book style imagery to an academic book could help bring research into police gun violence to critical new audiences.
Owens co-wrote “Deadly Force: Police Shootings in Urban America” with Adam Glynn, an Emory professor of political science and data and decision sciences; and Tom Clark, a former Emory professor who now teaches political science at Stanford. Princeton University Press published the book in June.
CFDE funding allowed Owens to commission original artwork from Sequential Potential Comics, started by Emory alumna Emily Ritter and her graphic artist husband Darick. The illustrations help humanize the statistics described in “Deadly Force.”
“I have long known that words are not enough, particularly if you’re trying to reach beyond the academy,” said Owens. “CFDE has been of great value because it’s willing to take a chance on different ways of communicating scholarship. Having visuals, even in the form of what some would call a comic, can make an actual difference.”
Celebrating a spirit of inquiry
Dowe concluded her remarks with a toast. “You have chosen inquiry over comfort, creation over silence, and dedication over ease,” she told the faculty authors. “Your work challenges us, expands us and it strengthens us and the intellectual fabric of the university.”
The Feast of Words celebrates “every chapter and every page,” Dowe said. “We thank you that you were able to push through and that you brought your gifts and your talents to the world.”
With these words, faculty, colleagues, family and friends raised their glasses in recognition and celebration.