Retired Psychology Professor Richie Zweigenhaft has written epilogues to his two memoirs of that look back on his years at Guilford.
When two of his biggest loves were in jeopardy, Richie Zweigenhaft felt sad and angry. These days, with both back up and running, Richie is elated. So much so, in fact, that he was inspired to update the two books he wrote chronicling his two passions.
“I wanted people to know the efforts many of us put in to save Guilford and that we’re back playing basketball – two years older but still playing.”
The books that were updated and combined by Richie, who is Charles A. Dana Professor of Psychology emeritus, are Jews, Palestinians, and Friends: 45 Years at a Quaker College (Sort of a Memoir) and Geezerball: North Carolina Basketball at its Eldest.
The result is one book, Guilford College 1974-2020: Sort of a Memoir, in Two Parts, that explores various aspects of life at Guilford. On March 29, Richie will attend a luncheon in the Carnegie Room to talk and sign copies of his new book.
Both the College and Richie’s long-running pickup basketball games were on shaky ground in 2021. Guilford was in financial trouble and, after furloughing or laying off dozens of faculty and staff, was considering eliminating some academic departments. At the same time the pandemic put a pause to a series of weekly basketball games on campus dating back 45 years in which Richie and a tight circle of friends played.
One of those friends was Brian Lampkin, who owns Scuppernong Books, an independent bookstore in Greensboro, and is Richie’s editor. During a discussion about updating Geezerball since the games resumed early last year, Richie says Brian suggested it made sense to update both books and combine them.
“The more I thought about it the more it made sense,” says Richie. “I wanted people to know the efforts many of us put in to save Guilford and that we’re back playing basketball – two years older but still playing.”
The updated versions of each book are presented as epilogues.
Richie says he hopes the epilogue to Jews, Palestinians, and Friends serves as a cautionary tale for Guilford and other small colleges. “We came close to losing a very special place for many of us and we can’t ever put ourselves in that position again,” he says.
For those who bought Richie’s other two books and would rather not invest in the third, he’s happy to email readers the two epilogues. Guilford College 1974-2020: Sort of a Memoir, in Two Parts is available at Scuppernong Books.