The fall paperback tour for Appetite for America: Fred Harvey and the Business of Civilizing the West–One Meal at a Time, begins in Washington, DC 9/13 and 9/14, when I speak at the Smithsonian National Museum of American History Tuesday Colloquium in the East Conference Room (9/13, tea and cookies at 3:30, talk at 4:00), followed by a more public lecture at the National Archives (9/14 at noon).

Here’s the rest of my fall Fred Harvey talk schedule. Hope to see you at one of these events:
Wichita, KS: Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, September 21
Dodge City, KS, Depot Theater, September 22
Topeka, KS, Kansas Book Festival (Kansas Notable Book Awards), September 23-24
University of Pennsylvania, Fox Leadership Program, September 26
Purdue University, Darden Series Executive in the Classroom lecture, October 18
Albuquerque Jewish Book Festival, October 23
San Gabriel/Pomona CA Jewish Book Festival, October 29
Las Cruces, NM Railroad Museum October 31
El Paso, TX Transportation Museum November 1
Drexel University Hospitality Management program, November 7
Fairfax, VA Jewish Book Festival November 10, noon
Rockville, MD Jewish Book Festival of Greater Washington, November 10, 7 pm
Reading, PA Jewish Book Festival, November 18, noon
Chicago Food Film Festival November 18-20
Omaha Jewish Book Festival, December 6

Check here for more details about events, or at my Facebook author page. May Fred be with you in paperback.

Interesting mystery on the Fred Harvey yahoo discussion group–a member posted one of the oldest postcard pictures of Harvey Girls that I have ever seen and wondered if anyone had a clue where it might be. (He also posted a closeup of the signs if that helps.) It was manufactured by CYKO (so not a Fred Harvey card), which made cards from 1904-1920. And since the since says “Temporary Santa Fe Lunch Room” we can assume it is a city where FH just took over food service, or where a new depot was under construction, or a place where there had been a fire. Ideas?

Several readers interested in Indian art have asked what happened to the watercolors of sand paintings which were used to create the controversial murals at El Navajo in Gallup, which had to be blessed by Navajo leaders before it was allowed to open in 1923 because they incorporated “forbidden” images made from sand paintings, which were from the private collection of Minnie Harvey Huckel and her husband John Huckel.

While the El Navajo was knocked down in the late 1950s, the images still exist: they now reside in the Taylor Museum of the Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center. It’s not clear if anyone by Navajo leaders can see them. They were the subject of a 1971 book by Leland C. Wyman. If anyone ever gets a chance to visit the museum and explore whether the paintings are allowed to be seen–or can get any more information–please post it here.

Just posted on Texas Public radio is an interview I did with “Some Books Considered.” Give a listen!

Terrific travel piece in the Wall Street Journal about Americana travel in the west in an RV. and what was the author’s recommended “Road Read”?

“Before you leave,” she says, “pick up ‘Appetite for America’ by Stephen Fried.”

May Fred be with her!

My fall tour schedule of Fred Harvey-related talks to support the new paperback of Appetite for America:

Smithsonian National Museum of American History Tuesday Colloquium, September 13
National Archives, Washington, part of “What’s Cooking, Uncle Sam” exhibit, September 14
Wichita, KS: Wichita-Sedgwick County Historical Museum, September 21
Dodge City, KS, Depot Theater, September 22
Topeka, KS, Kansas Book Festival (Kansas Notable Book Awards), September 23-24
University of Pennsylvania, Fox Leadership Program, September 26
Purdue University: Darden Series Executive in the Classroom lecture, October 18
Albuquerque Jewish Book Festival, October 23
San Gabriel/Pomona CA Jewish Book Festival, October 29
Fairfax, VA Jewish Book Festival November 10
Reading, PA Jewish Book Festival, November 18
Omaha Jewish Book Festival, December 6

All Fredheads wish a speedy recovery to our friend from Belen, NM Maurine McMillan–the absolute dynamo who runs the Harvey House museum there. She busted her hip on June 21 in a typically Maurine way–she was waiting for an exhibit to be delivered and decided to try and move a display panel in the museum herself and it fell on her.
She’s reportedly mending fast–doctors are amazed how quickly (although, it wouldn’t surprise any of us who know her)–and she vows to be ready on July 30 to be able to walk down the aisle at her granddaughters wedding in Las Cruces. We wish her all the best.

Two interesting takes on the historic discussion about what Fred Harvey brought to Native American art, and in what ways it might have commercialized it. First, a Q&A with me by the author of a new book on Navajo Artist Quincy Tahoma, exploring Harvey’s influence. Here’s part one of the interview and Vera, the author, says she’ll be posting part 2 soon.

Also, in the new issue of New Mexico magazine, there’s an article by Tibby Gold about Fred’s influence, timed for market in Santa Fe. Unfortunately, NM Mag doesn’t post all their content on-line so you’ll have to check out the article in the actual mag.

Interesting piece on the WTTW website about something I knew nothing about–mostly because my research on the Harvey company primarily carried through the late 1940s. But in the 1950s and 60s the company had a lot of different restaurants in and around Chicago–non-Harvey Girl restaurants–and according to this the Kungsholm was quite famous for its Puppet Opera. Who knew?

If not, please take a look–at http://fredharveycookbook.tumblr.com/. Every morning on the site we post a “new” archival recipe taken directly from an original cookbook of a Fred Harvey chef–and encourage you to try it, change it, and report back to us (and others who follow the site.) We’ve already posted updated recipes from the leading Harvey-heritage chefs in the country, including John Sharpe at the Turquoise Room at La Posada, and Matt McTigue the executive chef at El Tovar.

Please check the Fred Harvey Cookbook site out. It’s Fredilicious!

I’ll be out this fall giving an updated talk on Fred Harvey and the book, with some great new photos in the power point. Here’s a tentative schedule, times to be determined.

September 14, Washington DC: National Archives
September 22, Dodge City, KS
September 24, Topeka, KS (Kansas Book Festival)
October 18, Purdue University
October 23, Albuquerque, NM
October 29, San Gabriel, CA
November 6, Las Vegas, NV
November 10, Fairfax, VA
November 18, Reading, PA
December 6, Omaha, NE

More dates will be added. If your venue would like to book an appearance (I have availability in Kansas the week of 9/19, and on the west cost in late October) please contact me or Bantam publicity.

Apparently amazon got access to a limited number of hardcover copies of Appetite for America and, for a short time, will be offering them again. If you still want a hardcover, this would be the time to order one. Click here to do that.

Appetite for America has been selected as a Kansas Notable Book of the Year by the Kansas State Library and the Kansas Center for the Book (the state affiliate of the Center for the Book at the Library of Congress.)

The award will be given in Topeka during the Kansas Book Festival, September 23-24. I’ll be there, and will also be in Dodge City, KS September 22.

Here are two very rare photos of young Fred Harvey. The locket photo has never before been published in color, and the other has never been published. They give you a different idea of what Fred looked like as a young businessman, a little less weathered by life. Both from Appetite for America, courtesy of Daggett Harvey, Jr.

Please check out our new Fred Foodie site, The Fred Harvey Cookbook Project. Every day, we post a “new” archival recipe from Fred Harvey chefs for you to try, tweak or completely deconstruct–and then we ask you to submit how your Fred-cooking experience went. Check it out!! And may Fred eat with you!