219 The American Archivist Vol. 86, No. 1 Spring/Summer 2023 REVIEWS Archives in Conversation Rose Buchanan and Stephanie Luke 1 ReviewsEditor@archivists.org I n a recent meeting with American Archivist editor Amy Cooper Cary, the three of us were refecting on the decisions that led us into archives. For Amy, who went to library school later in life and was transfxed by a class in the history of books and printing, the decision was to pursue archives as a second career. For Stephanie, who wrote a paper that centered on a manuscript collection for a graduate English course, the decision was to apply to an MLIS program soon after. And for Rose, who discovered archives as an undergraduate, the decision was to leave a late-night job in food service for a day shift in her university’s special collections and archives. Tese decisions, at the time, seemed relatively inconsequential, but they set each of us on a path to this profession, which has profoundly changed all our lives. Reviews are, by defnition, refective; they examine the themes an author or creator explored and the decisions they made in the wider context of history, theory, and practice. Reviews are also conversations that, like our conversation with Amy, can lead to revelations about ourselves and others. Most often, the conversation is between a reviewer and an author or between a reviewer and their readers. But reviews have the potential to spark broader conversations across time and space, between readers now and in the future. Tis issue coincides with the launching of a new series on the American Archivist Reviews Portal that we hope will encourage refection and engagement throughout the archives community. Intergenerational Conversations 2 intends to foster ongo- ing dialogue between new voices in the archives profession and authors whose work shaped the professional literature years ago. In the frst year of this series, we explore the works of archives scholar, practitioner, Society of American Archivists (SAA) Fellow, and former SAA president John Fleckner. We encourage you to visit the series on the Portal, read Fleckner’s work and our reviewers’ commentaries, and share your thoughts about both by commenting on the pieces. We look forward to continuing to engage with you throughout the series. Like Intergenerational Conversations, the reviews in this issue center on con- versations. Tese conversations bridge diferences in occupations, practices, view- points, values, and beliefs. Tey feature collaborations between archivists, librarians, educators, curators, activists, and communities. We begin with reviews of two books The American Archivist Vol. 83, No. 1 Spring/Summer 2020 219–221 Downloaded from http://meridian.allenpress.com/american-archivist/article-pdf/86/1/219/3231005/i2327-9702-86-1-219.pdf by guest on 01 July 2023