Scott McVay ’55, author of Surprise Encounters, was Princeton University’s first recording secretary, a position he held for 11 years, after which he left his mark on a number of different organizations, including the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation, where he was the founding executive director. The book offers 150 vignettes in which McVay provides a glimpse into his encounters with artists and scientists who have changed the way we look at the world.