Office of the Chancellor Emeritus

A distinctly different kind of memoir, Indelibly Davis: A Quarter-Century of UC Davis Stories…and Backstories by UC Davis Chancellor Emeritus Larry Vanderhoef offers stories that will tell readers something new (and special) about the campus, that are relevant to its development and identity and that touch on its values and culture—on that special spirit that revered former UC President Clark Kerr believed set it apart from all other UC campuses. Chancellor Emeritus Vanderhoef has written about people who radiate that special Davis spirit…about wished-for do-overs…about conflicts (and responses)…about heartbreaking tragedy…about wing-and-a-prayer risk-taking…about the payoffs of patience and persistence…and about tough, principled decision-making (what his dad would call “having starch”).

“This lively and highly readable book is a distinctly different kind of memoir. Larry Vanderhoef makes UC Davis and its remarkable people the heart of his account of 25 years as a provost and chancellor—a choice that is beautifully vindicated by the power and insight of these stories. What emerges is a deeply engaging portrait of a university community and an academic leader for whom a life in higher education is not a career but a calling.”

—Patricia Pelfrey, UC historian and author

 “Larry tells full-bodied stories in a writing ‘voice’ that is inviting, unsparing, honest, self-effacing and still confident. Indelibly Davis is an engaging, illuminating read.”

—John Lescroart, New York Times bestselling author