Shelf Life

“The fair is gorgeous, splendiferous...but garish.” That’s how 12-year-old Claire Lieber, writing in her diary, described the Century of Progress World’s Fair held in Chicago in 1933. When she was alive, Claire was the go-to source of family history for her grandson, Sam Crews. But she rarely told Sam stories about her own life. After finding Claire’s diary in the Newberry’s collection recently, Sam discovered a whole new side of his grandmother. He discusses the emotional impact the find has had on him, and how it’s reinvigorated his connection with the past and with the city he calls home. --- View images from Claire Lieber's scrapbook at https://www.newberry.org/shelf-life. --- Intro music: "Two Types of Awakenings" by Nheap