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Art students will have the opportunity to discuss the power of images to convey meaning and reinforce the written word with acclaimed author Peter Krass ’87 when he visits several classes Nov. 13.
Krass, an economics and business graduate, will speak with students in Advertising and Promotion Design, taught by Lew Minter, director of the media lab at the WilliamsVisualArtsBuilding, and Digital Photography, taught by Karina Skvirsky, assistant professor of art. He also will meet with students conducting independent study and honors thesis research.
In addition to his interaction with students, Krass will address the executive council of Friends of Skillman Library.
Krass’ latest book, Portrait of War: The U.S. Army’s First Combat Artists and the Doughboy’s Experience in WWI, follows the experiences of eight soldiers recruited to make a historical record of the war. These soldier-artists entered the thick of the fighting with no military training to capture “the shock and loss and bitterness and blood of it.” Krass uses their letters, diaries, and sketchbooks to recount their compelling experiences.
“Since this particular book deals specifically with the ‘combat artists’ of World War I, Peter can talk at length about not only the images and their power, but the research he did, as well as the efforts these artists made to develop the images,” says Minter. “These processes of research and critical analysis of a given subject are crucial for both designers and photographers to follow to develop visual images that are effective vehicles of communication.
“It is important that we have alums come back and talk to our students to let them know what the quality education that they receive at Lafayette can do for them in their lives.”
Krass has written and edited 10 books, including two biographies. His first biography, Carnegie, which made the bestseller’s list in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, and Denver, was selected as one of the best biography/business books for 2002, and was featured on C-Span’s Booknotes.
His next biography, Blood & Whiskey: The Life and Times of Jack Daniel, was the first-ever biography of the flamboyant boy moonshiner turned whiskey baron in the tumultuous post-Civil War South. The book was featured on NPR’s Marketplace, BBC Radio, C-Span’s BookTV, and was the subject of an Associated Press article reprinted widely across the U.S.
Prior to his biography work, Krass was the creator of a highly successful series of six books on business wisdom, which have sold almost 100,000 copies in English alone. The series, which has been translated into seven languages, was endorsed by such industry leaders as Warren Bennis, the CEOs of NBC and Merrill Lynch, and renowned investor Roy Neuberger, among others.
Krass also edited a collection of business essays for The Conference Board, the world’s leading business research organization and executive forum. In addition, he has written for Investor’s Business Daily, Across the Board, and Whisky.
As a lecturer, he has spoken at numerous libraries, museums, historical societies, and business organizations. Krass earned his M.A. in English literature at SetonHallUniversity.