An undergraduate class project from spring 2024 is now a published book and brings forth a forgotten story from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright and novelist Susan Glaspell.
Twenty-seven University of Nebraska–Lincoln students and alumni are listed as associate editors for the new annotated edition of Glaspell’s 1915 novel, “Fidelity,” which was published by Southern Illinois University Press’ Saluki Publishing Oct. 24. A small group of the students gathered in Andrews Hall’s Bailey Library for a book launch event Oct. 27.
“We got to work on something that now exists in the world, not just in the classroom,” said Sarah Danielson, who graduated in May 2025 and is now a graduate student. “It’s real, and our names are on it.”
The annotations and new introduction were a semester-long project in Kevin McMullen’s course, Editing and the Publishing Industry. McMullen was teaching the course for the first time and wanted a project that would show the breadth of work editors do.
“I think most students think of editing as correcting a draft,” said McMullen, research associate professor in English. “I wanted to instill in the class the idea that editing is very important. As an editor, you have the potential to bring a whole new thing into the world.”
McMullen had a colleague at Southern Illinois University who had led two history classes that culminated in the publishing of a book, and McMullen thought maybe the undergraduates — mostly juniors and seniors — in his course could do something similar. McMullen made the class the scholarly editors for an out-of-print and out-of-copyright literary work, researching and writing a critical introduction and contextual annotations.
With some familiarity of Glaspell, who was born in McMullen’s hometown of Davenport, Iowa, he chose “Fidelity” for the project. Even though the book received largely positive reviews upon its publication in 1915, it fell out of print; a number of scholars, however, have remarked that it was Glaspell’s best novel.
McMullen pitched the project to several publishers.
“When we started the class, there was some fairly strong interest, but we had not yet gotten a commitment or contract,” McMullen said. “That was both nerve wracking, but also kind of cool, because we got to have a big moment where, a few weeks in, we got to say, ‘We got a contract!’”
“Fidelity” follows Ruth Holland, a young woman from Iowa, who defies social norms by falling in love with a married man and running away to Colorado with him. She must return to her hometown 11 years later and face the death of her father, the breakup of her family and rejection by loved ones.
McMullen broke the class of 27 into six working groups and assigned sections of the text and introduction. The students dove headfirst into research on Glaspell and the time period in which the novel was written. The annotations students wrote touch on the author’s biography, societal references of the time period and divorce law in the early 1900s, and recommend sources for further reading. Regular discussions were had in class over which information should be included.
“It was the most fun class I’ve ever had,” said Bella Hardy, now a senior majoring in English and film studies. “It was a true collaborative effort, which is how it works in publishing, as well. It was really immersive.”
Even the new cover, which harkens back to the original cover, was designed by a student in the class, Edison Geiler, who graduated in May 2025. After the semester ended, McMullen shepherded the project to completion, and he continued sharing feedback from the publisher with his former students along the way.
“I had never experienced this — a whole class excited about a project, who stayed excited about it throughout the whole semester,” Danielson said.
Aside from the semester-long project, McMullen brought in speakers who have careers in publishing, including some from the University of Nebraska Press, to talk about their work. The discussions provided opportunities for the students to think about their own futures.
“I really enjoyed working on this project, but I kind of shifted away from publishing,” said Sophie Anderson, who graduated in May 2025 with degrees in English and communication studies. “Hearing from so many interesting people, I learned about some other paths I would enjoy.”
McMullen and a new group of students repeated the feat in spring 2025, selecting, editing and annotating an anthology of poetry by Harriet Monroe, founder of Poetry magazine, which will be published next summer.
