Speakers Series presents "1970: What We Were Reading"

WHAT: In celebration of the University of Illinois Springfield’s 40th anniversary the Friends of Brookens Library and the Engaged Citizenship Common Experience (ECCE) Speakers Series presents “1970: What We Were Reading”. The panel discussion will feature UIS Emeritus faculty members Cullom Davis, Judy Everson and Marcellus Leonard.

WHEN: Thursday, November 4, 2010 at 7 p.m.

WHERE: Brookens Auditorium on the lower level of Brookens Library

DETAILS: The year 1970 was a banner year for American publishing—books that would help to shape the consciousness of an entire generation were published that year and are still being read and discussed. Our panel of distinguished UIS emeritus professors have chosen to reflect on three important books from that year: Studs Terkel’s Hard Times, an oral history of the Great Depression; Kurt Vonnegut’s absurdist classic Slaughterhouse Five; and Maya Angelou’s moving memoir, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, the first book by a black woman to appear on the New York Times non-fiction bestseller list.

The discussion will be moderated by Cecelia Cornell, associate professor of History at UIS. Friends of Brookens Library will be sponsoring a dessert reception after the book panel discussion in the PAC Restaurant.

The ECCE Speakers Series at UIS is a campus-sponsored lecture series that aims to exemplify engaged citizenship as part of the university’s effort to foster appreciation for the practice of diversity and the active effort to make a difference in the world. All events are free and open to the public.

For more information contact Marcia Rossi, library administration at 217/206-6597 or email Rossi.Marcia@uis.edu.