Books and Coffee series to feature great books of the present

The Department of English and Purdue Student Union Board are sponsoring Books and Coffee, a series of talks aimed at exploring the great books of the present.

The series was launched in 1951 and features expert commentary by Purdue faculty about recent books that have made waves in contemporary print culture. All events are free and open to the public.

The 69th annual Books and Coffee series will take place every Thursday in February from 4-5 p.m. in Stewart Center, Room 302/306. Coffee and light refreshments will be served from 4-4:30 p.m., and the talks will take place from 4:30-5 p.m. Those who attend can also enter a raffle drawing for a chance to win prizes, as well as have the opportunity to meet the presenter. The event dates and descriptions are as follows:

* Feb. 7. Maren Linett, professor of English and the founding director of Purdue’s Critical Disability Studies Program, will speak on Stephen Kuusisto’s “Have Dog, Will Travel: A Poet’s Memoir.”

* Feb 14. Samantha Blackmon, associate professor of rhetoric and composition in Purdue’s Department of English, editor-in-chief of a feminist gaming journal and founder of the podcast Not Your Mama’s Gamer, will speak on Yaa Gyasi’s novel “Homegoing.”

* Feb. 21. Janet Alsup, professor of literacy and language education in the College of Education and head of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, will speak on Tara Westover’s “Educated: A Memoir.”

* Feb. 28. Brian Leung, the author of four books of fiction and director of creative writing in the Department of English, will speak on Andrew Sean Greer’s “Less.”

Writer: Jaclyn Lawmaster, jlawmast@purdue.edu
Source: Aparajita Sagar, associate professor of English, asagar@purdue.edu