The seventh annual Casey•McIlvane Lecture, From Savannah to Venice, featured John Berendt, journalist, essayist, and bestselling author of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil and The City of Falling Angels. Midnight, Berendt’s 1994 story of Savannah, rife with memorable characters, spent four years on The New York Times Bestseller List, was a 1995 Pulitzer Prize finalist, and went through 101 editions. His 2005 City brings to life an equally eccentric cast of Venetians. The capacity crowd enjoyed Berendt’s insights on his interactions with and love for all of his characters, and the lively question-and-answer session which followed.

The Casey•McIlvane Endowed Library Lecture Fund was founded in memory of Francis L. Casey, Jr., C’50, L’53, and in honor of the Reverend Donald W. McIlvane, F’46. The fund is a joint gift of the late Roseanne McIlvane Casey, S’79, and Nancy McIlvane Del Genio, F’82.