by Rod Jones
The next Letās Talk About It, Oklahoma book discussion series starting this fall at Ļć½¶Šć University will examine how people deal with hard times. The first book, āThe Glass Castleā by Jeannette Walls, will be discussed at 7 p.m. Sept. 15 in Walker Center room 151.
The discussion series is titled āHope Amidst Hardship.ā It is made possible through a grant from the Oklahoma Humanities Council.
At each session in the five-part series, a humanities scholar makes a presentation on the book in the context of the theme. Small group discussions follow with experienced discussion leaders. At the end, all participants come together for a brief wrap-up.
Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to preregister and borrow the reading selections and theme brochure by calling Harbour Winn at (405) 208-5472, e-mailing him at [email protected] or dropping by the Dulaney-Browne Library room 211 or 207.
Winn, director of the Center for Interpersonal Study through Film & Literature at Ļć½¶Šć, hopes the series will help participants find a ācommonality of hope and perseverance.ā
āRecognizing ourselves in others, even as we read of hardship, is a major reason we find reading enjoyable,ā Winn said. āHardship comes in many varieties, and the books in this series offer varied examples but present a common theme: there is hope along the way. Sometimes this hope comes from deep within ourselves. Sometimes it comes from others in unexpected ways.ā
The first book, āThe Glass Castle,ā explores the theme through a story about a dysfunctional family. Walls writes of her alcoholic, unemployed father whose genius combines with a quirky and dangerous zest for life to build a āglass castle.ā His constant wanderlust and dreamy ambition lead the family to embrace life fearlessly and to abandon whatever they have and drive to the next unknown stop.
Other dates and books in the series include:
Sept. 29 ā āWonderā by R.J. Palacio
Oct. 13 ā āWhere the Heart Isā by Billie Letts
Oct. 27 ā āThe Secret Life of Beesā by Sue Monk Kidd
Nov. 10 ā āTuesdays with Morrieā by Mitch Albom
