Russell Shorto to Speak at Rensselaerswijck Seminar October 1-3

ALBANY, NY (09/10/2009)(readMedia)-- Russell Shorto, the noted author, will speak on "Oh, Henry: What Has the Hudson Year Wrought?" at the opening reception of the 32nd Annual Rensselaerswijck Seminar, Thursday, Oct. 1, at 5:30 p.m. at the Hampton Inn, Albany. Admission is free.

Shorto, who was knighted by Crown Prince Willem Alexander of the Netherlands during the royal visit to New York and Albany Sept. 8, is the author of the book "The Island at the Center of the World."

The author used resources of the New Netherland Project, translating Dutch colonial documents, as he constructed the book about the influence of the New Netherland Dutch colony. His most recent book is "Descartes' Bones: A Skeletal History of the Conflict Between Faith and Reason."

The seminar theme

On Oct. 2 and 3 the 32nd Annual Rensselaerswijck Seminar, "Kiliaen van Rensselaer's Colonie: The Beginning of European Settlement of the Upper Hudson," will be held in the New York State Museum's Carole Huxley Theatre. Registration is at 9 a.m. both days. The annual conference is presented by the New Netherland Institute.

The conference theme is a return to the seminar's roots as a platform for local historians to present their latest research on the only successful patroonship in New Netherland.

The members of the New Netherland Project staff will all take part. Charles T. Gehring, Ph.D., director of the project, Janny Venema, Ph.D., assistant director, and Martha D. Shattuck, Ph.D., editor, will present new information from their research specialty areas.

History and genealogy will be twin themes in the analysis of the history of the family of Kiliaen Van Rensselaer, both from the aspect of their place in history and the succeeding generations of the family.

Shorto will also take part on a panel of authors Friday at 11 a.m., with other contributors to the institute's recent publication, "Explorers, Fortunes & Love Letters: A Window on New Netherland." Martha D. Shattuck, Ph.D., editor, will be moderator.

A score of scholars and historians from this country and the Netherlands will present seminar topics over the two days, giving current information about the origins and history of Rensselaerswijck, an area of a million acres that encompassed what is now Albany, Rensselaer and Columbia counties.

The annual New Netherland Dinner Saturday at the Hampton Inn will cap the two days of discussions.

Admission to the seminar is $75 for both days, $50 for one day, and $25 for students.

A special hotel rate is offered at the Hampton Inn for those attending the conference.

More detailed information and registration forms are available at the New Netherland Institute website, www.nnp.org.