PROFESSOR JAMES BARR has had a serious accident. Professor Heather McKay, SOTS Membership Secretary, e-mails the following on the SOTS mailing list:

MESSAGE FROM Prof Doug Knight (Vanderbilt)

I just received a call from Jane Barr, wife of James Barr, Emeritus Regius Professor of Hebrew at Oxford and Emeritus Distinguished Professor of Hebrew Bible at Vanderbilt.

James had a serious accident two weeks ago while attending the meeting of the American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia. He fell down a steep staircase, striking his head badly. He has been in the hospital ever since, most of the time in the intensive care unit. For the last several days he has been awake and quite responsive, though unable to speak because of a breathing tube through the mouth. Today he is undergoing a tracheotomy. Jane said that the doctors are reluctant to make promises about his long-term recovery because of the brain injury he sustained from the fall, but she understands that it may take up to a year for him to regain his health and function.

Jane herself seemed quite distraught, as one might expect. Their daughter and two sons have been with them at the hospital for much of the time.

I asked how we could be of help, and she indicated she would appreciate that word be passed to others who know them.

I am very sorry to hear this and I wish Professor Barr a speedy and full recovery.