This is a remarkable book, reflecting the extraordinary range and depth of Chuck Miller’s intellectual curiosity and scholarly depth. The reader is treated to a delightful educational journey simply by reading Miller’s brief explanations of difficult historical texts, much-loved musical scores, children’s books and much more on many other subjects. What a treat this is!
ALEXANDER SHAKOW
Retired World Bank Senior Official

I was delighted to find in The Arcola Collection the same qualities of mind that made Charles Miller such a masterful teacher: clarity of expression, the talent for critical analysis, and an indefatigable curiosity about the world.
BENJAMIN GOLUBOFF
Professor of English,

Long before the conventional (and almost totally Anglo-Saxon) literary and scientific realms began to acknowledge the many neglected African-American topics and contributions to these fields, Professor Charles Miller had been identifying, collecting, and annotating these works. His early discoveries and publicity of them were huge contributions to the expansion of a vital branch of scholarship.
MARTIN C. LEHFELDT
Writer and speaker in the not-for-profit sector and Former President, Southeastern Council of Foundations

Charles Miller was an avid book collector, reader, and, as is evident in this collection, an annotator at once erudite and home spun, combining astute commentary across many disciplines with personal reflections that humanize and richly flesh out his relationship with his books. Utterly staggering the breadth and depth of his inquiring mind.
MICHAEL SENTURIA
Conductor and Composer

A good friend, great reader, and fine writer, Chuck Miller will make new friends with this sparkling collection of commentaries on why his favorite books meant so much to him.
PETER S. ONUF
Thomas Jefferson Professor of History Emeritus, University of Virginia

The diversity and eloquence of the hundred-odd essays that make up The Arcola Collection confirm the late Chuck Miller’s standing as an eclectic polymath. His interests and expert knowledge spanned the field of Humanities, from constitutional law through philosophy, religious studies, art, literary appreciation, history, and music (he was an accomplished pianist, though modest bassoonist and choral singer), to education, which was his life-long career. He was also an enthusiast of natural history, especially of that eastern part of the US in and around the Appalachians, where he spent so many summers in his younger years and lived in his elder years.
And could he write! Apart from the essays we are privileged to read here, characterised as they are by fine prose and an ever-present dry sense of humour, Chuck authored several well-regarded published works, including a treatise on aspects of the life of Thomas Jefferson, a look at the quirky side of Lewis Carrol and a magisterial work on an analysis of cases heard by the US Supreme Court. How fortunate we are that his scholarly intellect could find expression through his equally superlative skills as an author, introducing us to the ideas and writing he thrived upon, and enticing us to explore the works he show-cased in these essays.
Acknowledgement goes too, to Chuck’s family, especially brother John, whose affectionate, professional compilation and editing of the essays comprising The Arcola Collection has created a valuable and lasting tribute to this unusually gifted man.
RICHARD WADLEY
Author of Waterberg Echoes and Waterberg Ways

What is even more impressive than Chuck Miller’s breadth of knowledge about music, literature, theology, history, law, and politics are his moving comments about overlooked and unjustly forgotten writers, thinkers, and composers such as Ruth Crawford Seeger, Henry Adams, David Porter, and Deborah Gould. I’d be willing to bet that Miller’s brief but insightful essays will steer you toward some books that you are going to love. Highly recommended for those seeking out new literary and musical adventures!
RICHARD ZIMLER
Internationally bestselling author of The Last Kabbalist of Lisbon and The Incandescent Threads

Many of us read books. Few of us take the time to write about them in the thoughtful ways that Chuck Miller did. This collection of essays – both timely and timeless – about his beloved library in Virginia is a remarkable testament to his wisdom and humanity. Reading The Arcola Collection makes me wish he was still with us to share his insights and humor.
ROBERT MCCRACKEN PECK
Curator of Art and Artifacts and Senior Fellow Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University