The epic melodrama of Rhett Butler and Scarlett O’Hara’s romance in Gone with the Wind is one of literature’s most enduring love stories. The story, originally set in the Old South in the Civil War and Reconstruction era, has come to UTC in the form of a rare first edition book. The book is on display on the first floor of the Lupton Library in honor of its 75th anniversary.
The Pulitzer Prize winning book, written by Margaret Mitchell in 1936, is part of the Special Collections of the Lupton Library. The Collections at UTC includes manuscripts, newspapers, photographs, books, and other materials dating back to the early 1500s. The Rare Book Collection has approximately 7,500 volumes.
“We have several rare first editions, including Uncle Tom’s Cabin, The History of the English Language, and Uncle Remus: His Songs and Sayings. These are really significant books. Not many libraries have them,” Steve Cox, head of special collections and university archivist, said.
The first edition of Gone with the Wind is part of a larger collection of recently acquired of rare and first edition books from Charles Hubbard, a local book collector. Hubbard’s collection includes books from several centuries written by many famous authors including William Faulkner, Rudyard Kipling, and Mark Twain.
“He wanted the books to go to a place that will take care of them and would be available for people to view and use them,” Cox said.
In the fall, Special Collections will display materials from the early years of UTC to celebrate the University’s 125th anniversary. The collection will be on display in late August.
Special Collections is located on the second floor of the Lupton Library. Visitors are welcome from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by appointment. For more information visit http://www.lib.utc.edu/.
