Catching up with Professor Kaston Tange

by Peyton Williamson ’27

After a productive sabbatical, Professor Andrea Kaston Tange is back in the English department with a new novel underway, some revamped and exciting courses, a new puppy, and a garden that continues to bring plenty of joy to all involved. The Words sat down with her to talk about her sabbatical achievements and goals for the upcoming semester.

A Novel of a “Holy Terror Tomboy”

One of the biggest projects to emerge from Professor Kaston Tange’s sabbatical is a new historical fiction novel based on the remarkable life of a real girl.

The novel centers on Veneida Smith, who was just sixteen years old in 1922 when she made national headlines after stealing a horse and subsequently escaping from jail twice after being captured. Her story quickly spread across the country and even into Canada, earning her the memorable title of a “holy terror tomboy” from an editor at the Minneapolis Star. 

But her life was much more than horse theft and jailbreaks. Originally from West Virginia, she was also a self-taught virtuoso violinist, a combination that made her story impossible for Professor Kaston Tange to resist.

“I heard about her eight or nine years ago on a Twitter thread,” Professor Kaston Tange recalls, “and I thought to myself, ‘This girl needs a book.’”

The project has involved extensive research into Smith’s life, and the novel is planned in four sections, with the first and part of the second sections being completed already! The provisional title is Fire on the Mountain, named after a notoriously complicated Appalachian fiddle tune, made even more difficult because the goal is to play it as fast as possible. We can’t wait to read it someday!

Deep Dives in the Classroom

This semester, Professor Katson Tange is teaching two courses: Ghost Stories, a first-year course, and Victorian Culture from Research to Podcast. She has taught both courses before, but both have been given a fresh new approach. The biggest changes have come to the Victorian Culture class, which underwent a “complete overhaul to accommodate a three-day week schedule” now, with the readings having to be “completely rethought”.

Both courses, however, share something Professor Kaston Tange particularly enjoys: the opportunity for students to dive deep into research topics. The courses invite students to linger with a subject, explore its complexities, and engage with material in ways that go beyond a quick overview, something that she particularly cares about.

Looking Forward to the Semester

There’s also a new member of her household to look forward to this semester: a new dog, who recently turned one! The hope is that his energy level will eventually move beyond the “puppy” stage of “eating the whole house,” and when the weather is nice, students may even encounter him during Professor’s “dog office hours”!

Outside the classroom, Professor Kaston Tange has been finding plenty of joy and satisfaction in her garden. Although it didn’t rain quite enough over the summer, it has been maturing for years, and includes a beautiful selection of peonies, roses, irises, and many other northern perennials. One section of the boulevard is even devoted exclusively to native plants!

Indoor plants, on the other hand, are another story. “I’m terrible at indoor plants,” she admits, with two notable exceptions: orchids and snake plants. “They can be put in a closet for six months and left alone,” she jokes.

Whether it’s working on a new book, reimagining fascinating new courses for students, tending a garden, or tackling a home project, The Words and the English and Creative Writing department can’t wait to see what comes next for Professor Kaston Tange, and we warmly welcome her back to the department!