5 Questions With… Author Scott Turow

Scott Turow, author of ten best-selling novels that have sold more than 30 million copies world-wide, will visit the Lecture Hall at 7 pm on May 17th. We caught up with Turow as he prepares to embark on a national tour to launch his new book Testimony, which the New York Times calls “spellbinding.” Testimony comes out on May 16th, and a copy of the book is included with every ticket purchase for the event on the 17th.



Best Books for Babies 2017

Research shows that sharing picture books with young children encourages the development of early literacy and language skills.



Who Wrote It Better? Hillbilly Elegy and White Trash

Last year’s notable “twin books” were Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis by J.D. Vance and White Trash: the Secret 400-Year History of Poverty in America by Nancy Isenberg. The first is a memoir and the second a volume of history, but both examine the plight of poor and working-class whites in America. Hillbilly Elegy has been on the NYT Bestseller list for 39 weeks now, along with making the rounds in media and landing on several lists that purport to explain Trump’s successful run for president to those who thought a Clinton victory was in the bag.


Cheryl Strayed

Author Cheryl Strayed has been an inspiration of mine since I first read Wild, her memoir about the challenges and grief of her young life and her subsequent solo journey … Continued




The Troubled Girl Named Marlena

Cat, her mother and her older brother, Jimmy, move to Silver Lake, Michigan, after their parents’ divorce. It’s an extremely small town with basically nothing to do. Based on descriptions in the book it doesn’t sound like a place that anybody would want to move to. At some point in the book, Cat’s mom says that she wanted to move as far away from where they were living because everyone knew why the divorce happened. In the beginning of the book, Cat meets Marlena. She is her next door neighbor. Cat is fascinated with her and wants to be her friend.