Archive Record
Images
Metadata
Title |
Oral History of Arthur Drooker |
Collection |
Oral History |
Scope & Content |
In this oral history author, photographer and cultural anthropologist Arthur Drooker discusses his life, work, and love for Mill Valley. Born and raised in New York City, Arthur first visited Mill Valley during his continental travels as a high school student in the summer of 1971. He was struck in particular by the tall redwood trees growing right downtown. After finishing a degree in American Civilization at the University of Pennsylvania, Arthur moved to Los Angeles in 1978 to become a filmmaker. For the next few decades he wrote, produced, and directed television documentaries on various historical subjects. In 2010, he left Los Angeles, moved to Mill Valley to be with his future wife, Ivy Ross, and began to devote himself to photography and writing. Arthur discusses the books he has written, the research trips he took in writing those books, and what he has learned through his work about the cyclical nature of history, the human yearning for community, and the true value of diversity and empathy. Throughout this oral history, Arthur applies his historical awareness and anthropological gaze to Mill Valley, the unique community to which he is proud to belong. |
Audio and Transcript |
Click here to hear recording. Click here to read the transcript. |
Dates of Creation |
2016-12-06 |
Interviewee |
Drooker, Arthur |
Interviewer |
Schwartz, Debra |
Extent and Medium |
Transcript: 25pp Recording: 01:24:50 |
Search Terms |
Beat generation Brenner, Anji Conventions Depot Depression (economy) Diversity (Ethnic) Englander, Peter Equator Coffee Film industry (Motion pictures) Gold rushes Photojournalism Ross, Ivy Ruins Sociology Television production Winterfest |
Object ID |
2017.091.001 |
Object Name |
Recording |
Copyrights |
Transcript and recording copyright Mill Valley Public Library, 2016. Materials are made available for research purposes only; all rights are reserved to the Mill Valley Public Library. Requests for permission to quote for publication or for any other usage must be obtained from the Library. |