On Monday, July 20, 2015 at 6:30 PM, scholar Annette Holba present program on Lizzie Borden at the Derry Public Library (NH).
From the Library’s website:
“The theme for the Derry Public Library Summer Reading Program this year is ‘Escape the Ordinary’. With the assistance of the New Hampshire Humanities Council, the Library presents Dr. Annette Holba of Plymouth State University who will discuss the infamous Lizzie Borden.
“In 1892 Lizzie Borden, a 32-year-old single woman, was officially charged with the murder of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts. The events that followed the murder would stir the curiosity of people across the nation. After four official criminal proceedings, Lizzie Borden was acquitted of the murder but the case was not officially reinvestigated by the authorities. To this day the case of Lizzie Borden is a mystery that has inspired television movies, documentaries, cinematic offerings, plays, musicals, poems, websites, blogs, a scholarly journal, college courses, and law school case studies. Annette Holba reviews the facts of the case and explores the evidence that some experts suggest points to Lizzie’s guilt and others believe points to Lizzie’s innocence. Lizzie’s connections to New Hampshire are also discussed.
“Dr. Annette M. Holba studies rhetoric, communication ethics, and philosophy of communication in relation to the human condition and in the context of mediated environments. Her research and teaching interests are many. Additionally, Professor Holba has a unique interest in the case of Lizzie Borden; she continues to offer rhetorical and philosophical perspectives about the case which provides new insights and opens interpretive possibilities. She wrote a book entitled, Lizzie Borden took an Axe, or Did She, which explores historical artifacts and communicative practices involved with the case. Her interest in the story of the Borden murders began during her homicide training when she was a county detective in New Jersey for 11 years. It was the first case she studied then and her interest in the story has continued. She is the current editor for Qualitative Research Reports in Communication.
“Don’t miss this fascinating look into a historical incident we have all heard about. For more information call the Library at 432-6140.”
