The āLetās Talk About Itā book discussion series will return to Ļć½¶Šć University this fall with the theme, āNative American Identity from Past to Present.ā
Ļć½¶Šćās Jeanne Hoffman Smith Center for Film & Literature is hosting the series, with discussions set for select Tuesday evenings from Sept. 5 through Nov. 7 in the Walker Center on the Ļć½¶Šć campus, room 151.
This seasonās series is funded by a grant from Oklahoma Humanities and is part of the National Endowment for the Humanities āA More Perfect Unionā initiative.
āParticipants in our program always tell us how much the books and conversations expand their understanding of other cultures and themselves,ā said Tracy Floreani, director of the center. āItās exciting to offer a series as part of a national project ā and this is a list of really great reads.ā
The opening discussion at 7 p.m. Sept. 5 will be on the award-winning young adult novel āFirekeeperās Daughterā by Angeline Boulley, led by Ļć½¶Šć Professor Emeritus Harbour Winn.
In carrying through the theme the discussion series features new works of fiction and creative nonfiction by living Native American authors. Developed by University of Oklahoma philosophy professor Brian Burkhart, the theme challenges the stereotypical and fantastical images and stories of Native people and explores modern Native American identity in all its diversity and complexity.
Books for the series may be borrowed free of charge on a first-come, first-served basis at Ļć½¶Šćās Dulaney-Browne Library circulation desk. Participants are also welcome to join the sessions with their own books.
For more information on the series, visit okcu.edu/film-literature.
Series schedule:
Sept. 5, āFirekeeperās Daughterā by Angeline Boulley
Sept. 19, āThere Thereā by Tommy Orange
Oct. 10, āThe Removedā by Ļć½¶Šć alumnus Brandon Hobson
Oct. 24, āBad Indians: A Tribal Memoirā by Deborah Miranda
Nov. 7, āThe Round Houseā by Louise Erdrich
