Joe C. and Carole Kerr McClendon Honors College

Informal Reading Groups Fall Semester 2015

Meet just one hour per week with 10-15 Honors College students to discuss roughly 50 pages of reading from specific books on the topics described in the following pages. The only commitment you make is a good-faith effort to complete the reading and attend group meetings as often as you can, with the understanding there may be one or two weeks when you are unable to attend.

„„ No tuition or fees „„ No quizzes or tests „„ No grades „„ Free books „„ Discuss important topics of mutual interest with other Honors College students

Reading groups will begin the week of August 31-September 4 and will meet for 3-15 weeks as indicated in this brochure.

To reserve a spot in the group of your choice, email your preference to [email protected]. Groups are filled on a first-come, first-served basis, so it is helpful to indicate a second choice.

Books will be distributed at the Reading Groups Open House on Thursday, August 27 in David L Boren Hall, Rooms 180 and 182. Students who have not reserved a spot in any group are welcome to attend the Open House and sign up for any reading group with available spots, but please note that quantities may be limited. THE DIGITAL DOCTOR: OUR KIDS: GÖDEL, Hope, Hype, and Harm The American Dream ESCHER, BACH: at the Dawn of Medi- in Crisis an Eternal Golden Braid cine's Computer Age Thursdays 4:30-5:20 Fridays 3:00-3:50 Wednesdays 11:30-12:20 DLBH 182 DLBH 182 DLBH 180/181 (7 weeks) (15 weeks) (7 weeks) While Robert Putnam is a Harvard Douglas Hofstadter's Pulitzer Prize- Published in April 2015, The Digital social scientist, he has also been winning Gödel, Escher, Bach: an Doctor has received overwhelmingly described as the “poet laureate of Eternal Golden Braid delves into positive reviews and been described American civil society.” His 1997 the concepts of philosophy, art, and as “funny, informative, well written, book, Bowling Alone, is a major logic in a playful exposition (and a accessible, brilliant” and “destined classic and received bipartisan ac- relaxed demonstration) of the fa- to be a classic.” A thoughtful eye- claim. It argued that civic life in the mous Gödel's Incompleteness The- witness account of the effects on US is declining with ominous con- orem of mathematical logic. Often the practice of medicine of recent sequences. Bill Clinton brought him mistaken for just another "math and rapid computerization, the au- to Camp David, the campaigns of Al book," GEB reads more like a phil- thor takes a balanced view, under- Gore and George W. Bush sought osophical treatise, interspersing standing that in the pervasive use his advice, and Barack Obama gave M.C. Escher drawings, discussions of electronic medical records, much him a medal. In Our Kids, Putnam of Bach canons, and whimsical has been lost and much has been brings his talent for launching a dialogues--one of which reads the gained. He is aware that technolo- high-level discussion to a timely same backwards and forwards--into gy has enormous potential for posi- topic — the state of upward mobil- its main theme: self-reference. GEB tive change, but also has already ity. Widening income gaps, he ar- excels at presenting the challeng- produced surprising and unintend- gues, have brought profound but ing logical-mathematical concept of ed negative consequences. underappreciated changes to fam- self-reference in a manner suitable ily life, neighborhoods and schools for a wide audience while expanding Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray in ways that give big advantages the scope of its arguments across a to children at the top and make it large range of topics. According to ever harder for those below to work Nature, "[GEB] is an entire humanis- their way up. Putnam will visit OU tic education between the covers of in January, 2016, to give the Hum- a single book." The group will read phreys Distinguished Lecture on selected chapters of GEB to provide this book. a sampling of the diverse range of material. Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray and Dean Gregg Garn of the College of Moderator(s): Evan White and Jeff Education Terry DO ANDROIDS DREAM HUBBLE'S UNIVERSE: A NEW ERA IN U.S. OF ELECTRIC SHEEP? Greatest Discoveries HEALTH CARE: Critical by Philip K. Dick and Latest Images Next Steps Under the Affordable Care Act Mondays 11:30-12:20 Mondays 12:30-1:20 DLBH 180/181 DLBH 182 Mondays 2:30-3:20 (4 weeks) (4 weeks) Cate One 217 (4 weeks) This is perhaps the best-known This is the best of many books about science fiction novel by the prolific the Hubble Space Telescope pub- The Affordable Care Act has prom- and gifted American writer Philip lished since it was launched in 1990. ised revolutionary changes for K. Dick. First published in 1968, What makes this superbly well-pro- America's health care system. This the book served as the primary ba- duced volume unique is 300 images book offers a concise, readable, and sis for the 1982 film Blade Runner. that have never been made public be- insightful explanation of the prob- The novel is set in a post-apocalyp- fore. The author explains the 2009 lems that necessitated this law, tic near future, where Earth and “reboot” and describes how astrono- the process through which it was its populations have been dam- mers use a process called drizzling to adopted and is being implemented, aged greatly by nuclear war during create Hubble’s astonishingly sharp and the reforms that it will bring World War Terminus. Most types of images, such as a two-page look at about. One reviewer calls it “a suc- animals are endangered or extinct “a small segment of the night sky the cinct account of a mind-bogglingly due to extreme radiation poisoning size of a period in this book held at complicated piece of legislation.” from the war. To own an animal is arm’s length,” filled with thousands a sign of status. In Dick's futuris- of galaxies, each containing billions The book suggests an agenda for tic dystopian novel, life has become of stars. He also elucidates Hubble’s policy-makers and the health in- a tenuous existence for those who “top discoveries,” from proof that “su- dustry alike. Another very promi- permassive black holes are common have stayed behind after the war nent reviewer described it as “clear, in galaxies” to success in measur- and exodus to other planets. The elegant, smart, sober, insightful, ing the universe’s expansion rate. Its protagonist struggles as a bounty and highly recommended." ten chapters showcase a selection of hunter in San Francisco to destroy Hubble's most significant images with a new breed of androids nearly un- Published as part of the “Stanford explanations of the discoveries they University Briefs” series. detectable to humans. However, he helped make. Especially fantastic are finds himself battling with empathy the images of solar wind stripping Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray for the supposed lifeless beings— away large gas clouds that harbor especially when he must team up stellar nurseries; images of Hubble's with one to achieve his goal. deep field, revealing galaxy clusters from halfway across the universe. Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray CAT'S CRADLE Epictetus's and DISCOURSES AND SELECTED GOD BLESS YOU, MR. ROSEWATER WRITINGS and Kurt Vonnegut’s shocking and Epicurus's satirical fourth and fifth novels THE ART OF HAPPINESS

Mondays 3:30-4:20 Thursdays 1:30-2:20 Cate One 217 Cate One 217 (8 weeks) (15 weeks)

This group will read two books consecutively, both by A crippled slave in the ancient Mediterranean world, the highly regarded American writer Kurt Vonnegut, Epictetus remarkably became one of the best-known author of Slaughterhouse Five. Stoic philosophers of the Classical era. He taught his followers to attempt only to change what was within Written in 1963, Cat’s Cradle, his fourth novel, is an their control, while submitting themselves to whatever apocalyptic satire that is both blackly fatalistic and hi- uncontrollable circumstances befell them, be it exile, lariously funny. It has been praised by critics as “one imprisonment, loss of loved ones, or poverty. of the 20th century’s most important works.” Pub- lished in 1965, his fifth novel focuses on Eliot Rosewa- Epicurus was also a philosopher of the Classical era, ter, drunk, volunteer fireman, Harvard graduate, and but the lifestyle he taught his followers was radically primary trustee of the fabulously wealthy Rosewater different from that of the Stoics. In Epicureanism, the foundation. When Rosewater is about to attempt a highest good came from pleasure, be it through friend- noble experiment with human nature, his relatives at- ship or the fulfillment of bodily desires. Epicurean phi- tempt to have him declared insane. When Vonnegut losophy was that each person should be free to pursue graded all his books – “comparing myself with myself” whatever pleasures they wished, so long as they did – Cat’s Cradle is one of only two that received an “A+” not pain those around them. grade, and Mr. Rosewater received an “A.” One re- viewer has said that “the one unifying thread that runs This reading group will cover most of the surviving throughout all of his works, is the knowledge that the works of these two great thinkers. Given that Epicu- universe is a Big Damn Mess, and that's a terrible reanism and Stoicism advocated such divergent life- thing, but also pretty funny when you stop to think styles, reading Epicurus and Epictetus side-by-side about it.” will encourage participants to critically analyze both philosophies. Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray Moderator(s): Benjamin Acker KRAKEN MIDNIGHT AT THE GDP: A Brief but by China Miéville PERA PALACE: A Social Affectionate History History of Istanbul Wednesdays 12:30-1:20 Tuesdays 12:00-12:50 Cate One 201 Thursdays 12:00-12:50 DLBH 180/181 (10 weeks) DLBH 180/181 (4 weeks) (9 weeks) British fantasist China Miéville Why did the size of the U.S. econo- mashes up cop drama, cults, Charles King’s timely new book my grow by 3 percent in one day in popular culture, magic, and gods describes how interwar Istanbul mid-2013--or Ghana's balloon by in a Lovecraftian New Weird ca- transformed itself from the Otto- 60 percent overnight in 2010? The per. When a nine-meter-long dead man imperial capital to a Europe- answers to these questions lie in squid is stolen, tank and all, from an city of refugees, jazz bars, mu- the way we define and measure na- a London museum, curator Billy ezzins and spies. Today’s city is a tional economies around the world: Harrow finds himself swept up in a rare blend of Islam and democracy. Gross Domestic Product. The au- world he didn't know existed: one of History grabbed at the city’s coat- thor traces the history of this ar- worshippers of the giant squid, ani- tails as the Ottoman Empire stag- tificial, abstract, complex, but ex- mated golems, talking tattoos, and gered to its collapse. At the end of ceedingly important statistic from animal familiars on strike. Forced World War I, Istanbul suffered its its eighteenth- and nineteenth- on the lam with a renegade kraken first foreign occupation since 1453. century precursors through its in- cultist and stalked by cops and cra- The Pera Palace Hotel became one vention in the 1940s and its post- zies, Billy finds his quest to recover of the places where Ottomans and war golden age, and then through the squid sidelined by questions Westerners could meet. Mustafa the Great Crash up to today. The as to what force may now be un- Kemal, the future founding presi- reader learns why this standard leashed on an unsuspecting world. dent of the Turkish republic, took measure of the size of a country's rooms there the very day the Al- economy was invented, how it has Moderator(s): Prof. Brian Johnson lies assumed control of the city. changed over the decades, and and Prof. Catherine Garmon Later the city and hotel would see what its strengths and weaknesses Hemingway and Trotsky, among are. The book ends by making the many others. case that GDP was a good measure for the twentieth century but is in- According to the New York Times, creasingly inappropriate for a twen- King tells this complex and highly ty-first-century economy driven by nuanced story in a “hugely enjoy- innovation, services, and intangible able, magnificently researched and goods. deeply absorbing book.” Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray Moderator(s): Prof. David Ray A CANTICLE FOR THE FEMININE THE STORY OF ALICE LEIBOWITZ MYSTIQUE by Robert Douglas- by Walter M. Miller Jr. by Betty Friedan Fairhurst

Wednesdays 3:30-4:20 Wednesdays 10:30-11:20 Wednesdays 2:30-3:20 Cate One 214 Cate One 201 Cate One 214 (9 weeks) (10 weeks) (6 weeks)

Winner of the 1961 Hugo Award In 1957, Betty Friedan interviewed The Story of Alice: Lewis Carroll and and hailed as one of the classics fellow alumnae from Smith College the Secret History of Wonderland of science fiction, A Canticle for in light of their class's 15th anniver- by Robert Douglas-Fairhurst was Leibowitz tells the story of a post- sary reunion. The results - which published in Spring 2015 as a part apocalyptic future in which the na- revealed that most of the women of the one hundred and fifty year tions and knowledge of modern civ- were both housewives and un- celebration of the publication of ilization have been destroyed by a happy - prompted Friedan to write Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. nuclear war. Through the unique The Feminine Mystique, published D-F's historical book illuminates lens of an isolated abbey and the six years later. Wielding empirical the transition from pre-modern efforts of its monks to preserve sci- experience, writings by other influ- Victorian literature and notions entific knowledge, the book exam- ential female authors, and pioneer- of childhood into the beginning of ines the relationship between hu- ing research in the social sciences, a more modernist era. It also ex- man nature, destruction, faith, and Friedan created a landmark work plores the strange world of Lewis science, asking whether humanity often credited as the beginning of Carroll (Charles Lutwig Dodgson) is doomed to repeat its mistakes. second-wave feminism. and Oxford University. "Wonder- land" continues today as a trou- The questions raised by the book The Feminine Mystique typical- bling metaphor of coming of age have made Canticle a staple of read- ly finds an interested audience and resistance to adulthood. It also ing lists, the subject of theses, and among those who support the right represents how effective marketing a classic of the science fiction and of women to be or not to be house- strategies keep this resilient meta- post-apocalyptic genres. In addi- wives, have negative feelings about phor producing vast amounts of tion to these themes, the group will systemic discrimination, and ac- revenue decade after decade. also discuss the events which in- knowledge that "feminism" is nei- spired the author's choice of setting ther literally nor metaphorically a Readers are encouraged to re-read and the historical context in which four-letter word. Alice's Adventures in Wonderland the book was published. prior to the first meeting. Moderator(s): Cait Walsh Moderator(s): Evan Korchnak and Moderator(s): Prof. Nancy Mergler Tyrus Ernst THE ARTIST'S WAY OUR DECLARATION: A KAFKA ON THE SHORE by Julia Cameron Reading of the by Haruki Murakami Declaration of Wednesdays 2:45-3:35 Independence in Tuesdays 5:00-5:50 Cate One 217 Cate One 201 (13 weeks) Defense of Equality (10 weeks)

As Julia Cameron states, this is Tuesdays 3:30-4:20 Haruki Murakami, one of the “the seminal book on the subject of Cate One 201 world's most beloved and influen- creativity.” This international best- (9 weeks) tial living authors, has been widely seller offers a twelve-week course praised for his unique voice, sur- in discovering and recovering your Winner of the Society of American real take on contemporary life, and creative self. Cameron is not only Historians' 2015 Francis Park- deeply felt emotion. Kafka on the an author but also a well-known man Prize for best nonfiction work Shore is a powerful work reflec- playwright, novelist, filmmaker, of history on an American theme tive of the author at the peak of his and composer. She uses readings, and the Zócalo Public Square Book abilities. weekly activities, and personal re- Prize for the American work of non- flection to consider self-sabotage, fiction that most enhances our In this 2002 novel, a young man limiting beliefs, jealousy, and other understanding of community, Our named Kafka Tamura runs away inhibiting forces and encourages Declaration is an exploration not from home to escape his oppressive replacing them with creative confi- only of the Declaration of Indepen- father and find his long-lost moth- dence and artistic productivity. dence, but also of how we write and er and sister. At the same time, the read in a democracy. Combining book follows the story of Satoru Na- The new format of this group is memoir, history, and philosophy, kata, an elderly man who, in a mys- fresh and may interest those who Our Declaration grew out of Dani- terious World War II incident, lost otherwise would not consider par- elle Allen's experience of reading most of his intelligence but gained ticipating. Creative activity/trip/ the Declaration with classes of col- the ability to talk to cats. These adventure is planned for week 13! lege students and of older adults. two protagonists' paths draw them Allen argues that the Declaration inexorably together as they travel Moderator(s): Lucy and Rosemary still has important lessons to teach across a Japan filled with spirits, Mahaffey us about democracy, equality, and supernatural occurrences, and liberty, but that it yields these les- postmodern hijinks. sons only through close reading. An Honors College reading group, Moderator(s): Emilye Lewin and in which students gather together Will Goree to read closely, thus seems the per- fect venue in which to experience and consider Our Declaration.

Moderator(s): Prof. Benjamin Alpers THE BELL JAR THE MAYOR OF JONATHAN STRANGE by Sylvia Plath CASTRO STREET: The & MR. NORRELL Life and Times of by Susanna Clarke Thursdays 7:00-7:50 Harvey Milk DLBH 182 Thursdays 3:00-3:50 (6 weeks) Wednesdays 11:00-11:50 Cate One 201 Cate One 214 (13 weeks) When Esther Greenwood wins an (8 weeks) internship at a New York fashion Set in a universe alive with magic, magazine in 1953, she is elated, Author Randy Shilts traces the in- romance, and intrigue, Clarke’s de- believing she will finally realize her ception and growth of Harvey Milk's but novel has a breadth of scope dream of becoming a writer. But in personal and political life and even- unparalleled in modern fantasy. between the cocktail parties and tual political assassination in this The reader is presented with a piles of manuscripts, Esther's life compelling book, one of the source world reminiscent of classical epic begins to slide out of control. She materials for the 2008 Oscar-win- fiction and drawn vividly in hues finds herself spiraling into serious ning film, Milk. One of the first gay of humor and imagination. The depression as she grapples with political biographies ever published, novel’s complex plot encompasses difficult relationships and a society The Mayor of Castro Street: The Life a host of profound themes like the that refuses to take her aspirations and Times of Harvey Milk is a 1982 line between sanity and madness, seriously. political biography of not just the poverty and oppression, and the eponymous Milk, but also the bud- nature of morality. Taken as an autobiographical nov- ding 1970's gay political movement el, The Bell Jar addresses themes of in San Francisco's Castro neigh- Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell is gender roles, identity, and coming- borhood. There, Milk saw a group the recipient of numerous awards of-age with characteristic noncha- of displaced and persecuted indi- including the Hugo Award, the lance. The dark humor and dry wit viduals whom he transformed into Nebula Award, the World Fantasy are made even more poignant by building blocks for a grass-roots Award, and Time’s Best Novel of their relation to the author’s own political movement, which is still the Year. Clarke’s writing has been tragic life. In this group, we’ll look developing today. Though only in compared to Neil Gaiman, Jane at these themes from several differ- office for eleven months before his Austen, and Ursula K. Le Guin. In ent perspectives and try to decide assassination, Harvey Milk's legacy fact, Gaiman said about the book: what it truly means to be human. as San Francisco's first openly gay “Unquestionably the finest English city commissioner has firmly ce- novel of the fantastic written in the Moderator(s): Ryan Fritz and mented him as a trailblazer for LG- last seventy years.” Andrew Anderson BTQ rights in America. Moderator(s): Erik Holbrook Moderator(s): Erik Flom and Jordan Crawford 1984 THE THINGS THEY CARRIED and and BRAVE NEW WORLD REDEPLOYMENT Dystopias and Today The Effect of War on Those Who Fight It Tuesdays 4:30-5:20 DLBH 182 Tuesdays 1:30-2:20 (12 weeks) Cate One 217 (12 weeks) In their iconic books, Aldous Huxley and George Or- well offer two similar, yet different views of a dystopian Tim O'Brien's The Things They Carried has long been future. Both Orwell and Huxley envisioned futures un- established as one of the preeminent pieces of war- der totalitarian regimes that face problems such as in- related literature. A collection of interrelated short vasion of privacy, police brutality, political corruption, stories which ultimately reads with the dramatic force and distortion of news. These are also pressing issues of a novel, The Things They Carried is simultaneously in our society today, allowing for analysis that brings a testament to the men who risked their lives in the fiction into reality. Vietnam War and a commentary on the frailty of hu- manity. The two classic books differ greatly in terms of how they imagine government control would be achieved. Poised to become the next classic in the tradition of Orwell's totalitarian regime uses fear as a primary mo- war writing, Phil Klay's Redeployment chronicles the tivator for compliance, while Huxley's uses pleasure. experiences of soldiers and veterans who served dur- Both books are more relevant now than ever, as they ing the Iraq War, revealing the intricate combination illuminate elements of our modern world that need to of monotony, bureaucracy, comradeship, and violence be discussed. that make up a soldier's daily life.

Reading the books back-to-back will give us the oppor- Both collections explore the emotional toll war takes tunity to compare and contrast their dystopian worlds on soldiers and how experiences with war alter the and our own. rest of soldiers' lives. Despite the differences between the wars in Vietnam and Iraq, the stories in The Things Moderator(s): Caitlin Royse They Carried and Redeployment are interwoven with themes of brutality and faith, guilt and fear, helpless- ness and survival.

Moderator(s): Stephanie Allred BEING MORTAL EXTREMELY LOUD ZEN AND THE ART OF by Atul Gawande AND INCREDIBLY MOTORCYCLE CLOSE MAINTENANCE Thursdays 2:00-2:50 by Jonathan Safran by Robert Pirsig DLBH 182 (7 weeks) Foer Wednesdays 9:30-10:20 Tuesdays 6:00-6:50 DLBH 182 By New York Times bestselling au- DLBH 182 (12 weeks) thor Atul Gawande, Being Mortal (7 weeks) is an account of the shortcomings of the care provided to the aging Incorporating elements of both September 11th, 2001 deeply af- American population. It details eastern and western philosophy, fected the lives of many Ameri- the many problems that are pres- Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Main- cans—particularly that of nine- ent in end-of-life medicine through tenance is a fascinating inquiry into year-old Oskar Schell, whose father firsthand accounts of the author’s how modern humans think. The was killed in the attack. Following experiences as a practicing phy- timeless book discusses a number that tragic event, Oskar struggled sician. A strong summary of the of important topics, but its most with insomnia, depression, and current healthcare system and its lasting contribution is its concept panic attacks. One day, Oskar dis- inadequacies is interspersed with of Quality. In an amusing and often covers a key in a vase that once the personal accounts of two physi- frustrating paradox, Quality is both belonged to his father, with only a cians dealing with the troubles of in need of a definition yet inherent- single clue: the last name “Black.” end-of-life care. ly impossible to define. It is the very He then embarks on a journey to essence of things, a "beingness" find the matching lock, with the in- This book is a strong read for any- that Pirsig asserts is lost when we tention of meeting everyone in New one interested in pursuing a ca- classify, define, or label things. York City with that name until he reer in medicine as it provides a finds it. perspective oft lacking in clinical Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Main- experiences, providing a dignified tenance will introduce readers Jonathan Safran Foer’s thought- voice to the elderly who are fast- to Quality as well as a number of provoking book explores themes of approaching an end to their self- related ideas, all seldom thought family, grief, loss, and the struggle reliance. about, yet vitally important and between self-preservation and self- perpetually interesting. destruction. Described by the Spec- Moderator(s): Suparshva Parikh tator as “a heartbreaker: tragic, and Kyle Smith Moderator(s): Jeff Terry and Robert funny, intensely moving,” Extreme- Bellafiore ly Loud and Incredibly Close will certainly not disappoint.

Moderator(s): Lindsay Beck and Ainsley DeNoyelles NAIROBI HEAT HOW TO SUCCEED IN CHINA GOES GLOBAL: by Mukoma wa Ngugi COLLEGE (WHILE The Partial Power REALLY TRYING): by David Shambaugh Fridays 9:30-10:20 A Professor's Inside DLBH 182 (4 weeks) Advice Fridays 10:30-11:20 by Jon B. Gould Cate One 217 (6 weeks) Mukoma wa Ngugi’s Nairobi Heat is a fast-paced crime novel set in Mondays 4:00-4:50 China's rise as a global power is Madison, Wisconsin and Nairobi, Cate One 217 one of the most important develop- Kenya. Writing in the New York (6 weeks) ments of the 21st century in terms Times, NoViolet Bulawayo explains, of international relations. In the “besides the usual fun and thrill of Do you feel uncertain about how to past few decades, China's economy crime novels, what makes the book "do" college? Do you have concern has experienced unprecedented [Nairobi Heat] a delicious read is that, as a student, you won't live up growth that has been accompanied that it’s also packed with engaged to the expectations of parents, pro- with increasing military power. and relevant social commentary, fessors, or even yourself? including the often unexplored re- David Shambaugh, a leading expert lationship between Africans and An ideal group for freshman and on China, provides a description African-Americans, and the she- stressed students, this book, and and analysis of the several ways nanigans that go on in the world of the conversations it will likely pro- through which China is beginning international philanthropy.” mote, should help. Professor Jon to assert a global influence, includ- Gould gives straightforward advice ing economics, diplomacy and mili- This is a great book for people who about how to strategize for success tary power. Shambaugh examines love mysteries and crime novels, in the academic realm of college. how China is currently interacting but also enjoy exploring new places Through his eyes, we get the per- with the global community, and through literature and contemplat- spective of a person responsible for what China’s rise may mean for the ing complex issues concerning in- teaching, giving assignments, and U.S. particularly. For anyone who ternational relationships. grading, and thus we get a glimpse is interested in international poli- of what those power-holders are re- tics, this book is a must-read. The author, Mukoma wa Ngugi, will ally looking for. be visiting the University of Okla- Moderator(s): Adam Brobsen and homa and giving a public lecture in Moderator(s): Prof. Marie Dallam Keelan Cassidy October.

Moderator(s): Prof. Daniel Mains BELOVED THE ANCHOR BOOK THE PRINCESS BRIDE by Toni Morrison OF NEW AMERICAN by William Goldman SHORT STORIES Mondays 12:30-1:20 Mondays 3:00-3:50 Cate One 217 Mondays 7:00-7:50 Cate One 201 (7 weeks) DLBH 182 (10 weeks) (8 weeks) Winner of the 1988 Pulitzer Prize Before the 1987 movie adaptation for fiction and a finalist for the 1987 Author and fiction editor Ben Mar- that turned William Goldman’s National Book Award, Beloved is cus claims that there are two types “tale of true love and high adven- perhaps Toni Morrison's most dis- of stories: those about strangers ture” into an enduring classic, there cussed novel. Beloved is set after who come into town and those was The Princess Bride, a tongue- the Civil War with themes explor- about people leaving on a trip. The in-cheek love letter to the fantasy ing family, trauma, and the nature stories in this collection, though genre and all its time-tested tropes. of memory. Morrison deftly demon- sometimes remotely, fall some- strates her ability for writing magic where along this spectrum. With the story of Buttercup and realism when writing the story of Westley, two country lovers willing Sethe and her family while bringing Short stories are an excellent way to challenge kings and risk death to light many of the psychological to indulge in a wide variety of lit- for the possibility of a happy end- effects of slavery and the function- erary styles, subjects, and authors ing, Goldman guides the reader ality of various mother-daughter without the time commitment of through the genres of fantasy and relationships. reading an entire book, and Mar- adventure with a practiced famil- cus has collected some of the most iarity. He also examines the rela- Inspired by the true story of a wom- powerful stories of modern Ameri- tionship between reader and story, an who escaped slavery, Beloved can literature. Twenty-nine modern with elaborate framing devices that promises to be a chilling novel with American short stories are includ- challenge how we think about chil- both cringe- and cry-worthy scenes. ed in this anthology, some by well- dren's stories and fairy tales. known authors such as Jhumpa Moderator(s): Alexandra Smith and Lahiri and David Foster Wallace This novel is sure to invoke nos- Christine Elliot. and others by relatively unknown talgia as members discuss themes authors such as Aimee Bender and such as cleverness, vengeance, and Sam Lipsyte. Marcus’s collection of love. American short stories promises a variety of styles and subjects, expo- Moderator(s): Sophie (Tuong-Phi) sure to diverse authors, and plenty Le and Lindsay Jones of fodder for intellectual discussion.

Moderator(s): Jessica Roberts and Sarah Miles FIFTEEN DOGS OCTAVIA'S BROOD: THE LITERARY by André Alexis Science Fiction Stories ANIMAL: Evolution and From Social Justice the Nature of Narrative Tuesdays 5:30-6:20 Movements Cate One 217 Tuesdays 2:00-2:50 (6 weeks) Thursdays 4:30-5:20 DLBH 182 Cate One 201 (8 weeks) The word "fable" typically brings to (6 weeks) mind Aesop and his short stories, Using essays from scholars of both set in lands far away and times A tribute to the black feminist sci- evolution and literary analysis, Jon- long ago. André Alexis, however, in- ence fiction author Octavia Butler, athan Gottschall and David Sloan troduces his readers to a new way this anthology features over twenty Wilson shift the current paradigm of looking at the genre with his nov- short stories combining ideas from of knowledge towards the integra- el, Fifteen Dogs. In a bar in modern social justice with science fiction. tions of the humanities and the sci- day Toronto, the gods Hermes and The editors frame this collection by ences. Both editors seek to under- Apollo make a bet: animals, given inviting us to see activists as envi- stand how to approach literature human intelligence, would be un- sioners and creators of new worlds, from an evolutionary perspective happier than humans. The result- and therefore as speculative fiction and to believe that the relationship ing events follow a group of 15 dif- producers. The stories address top- between both bodies of knowledge ferent dogs, examining how each ics such as war, climate change, is mutually reinforcing. One revo- copes with their newfound con- racism, sexism, and prisons in the lutionary approach, known as Dar- sciousness. form of sci-fi, fantasy, horror, and winian literary studies, is based on magical realism. While mainstream a few simple premises: evolution Examining deep existential ques- science fiction has long been ac- has produced a universal land- tions, Fifteen Dogs, with no sin- cused of having a white male focus, scape of the human mind that can gular conclusive moral, allows this collection explores the striking be scientifically mapped. These each reader to discover their own overlap between speculative fiction universal tendencies are reflected answers. The group will strive to and social activism. in the composition, reception, and have conversations that encourage interpretation of literary works. To- discovery of these answers, while Join us to read stories like "Star gether, students can discuss what looking at the various themes of Wars and the American Imagina- it means to be multidisciplinary in self, morality, and happiness that tion" and "Kafka's Last Laugh," order to relate to the vastly differ- permeate the book. discuss zombies and superheroes, ent disciplines represented by fel- and imagine a more just world. low students. Moderator(s): Kai Barclay with "guest moderator" and actual dog, Moderator(s): Hayley Hinsberger, Moderator(s): KC Poe Oliver, their service dog Sarah Otts, and Courtney Balke THE ALCHEMIST REDEFINING THE 360 DEGREE by Paulo Coelho REALNESS: My LEADER: Developing Path to Womanhood, Your Influence from Mondays 1:30-2:20 Identity, Love & So Anywhere in the Cate One 217 (5 weeks) Much More Organization by Janet Mock "Tell your heart that the fear of Mondays 6:00-6:50 suffering is worse than the suffer- Wednesdays 5:00-5:50 Cate One 217 ing itself," the alchemist replies. DLBH 180/181 (8 weeks) "And that no heart has ever suf- (8+ weeks) fered when it goes in search of its A myth-buster, The 360 Degree dreams, because every second of In response to suggestions from Leader introduces you to the un- the search is a second's encounter participants last semester, this likeliest of leaders, most of which with God and with eternity." group will read Redefining Real- have little (perceived) power but ness: My Path to Womanhood, Iden- manage to produce effective re- Begin pursuing your Personal Leg- tity, Love & So Much More. This sults. end as you read the tale of Santiago, memoir, written by transgender ac- a shepherd boy whose decision to tivist Janet Mock, documents her Bestselling author and expert on follow his dreams became the most personal journey as a transgender leadership, John C. Maxwell, in- rewarding choice he ever made. The adolescent of color and the difficul- spires and challenges the leader Alchemist is an exceptionally easy ties she faced as she sought to be- within us through proven princi- read, yet it spurs deeply introspec- come her true self without any role ples “with the clarity of a teacher tive thoughts within its readers. It models to follow. A New York Times and the passion of a seasoned ex- is a timeless fable that often en- bestseller, Mock's book is a vital ecutive coach”. This is not a “self- courages readers to reshape their text not only in the LGBTQ canon, help” book, but it is rather a self- perceptions of both themselves and but also in coming-of-age literature. challenge, confirming that great the people existing around them. As Mock states in an interview, leaders are not only at the top, but If you’re looking for an stimulat- "We need space to discuss unspo- somewhere in the middle as well. ing story to read at the start of this ken, uncomfortable, dark truths"; semester, then this is the reading this group is intended to be one of Participants will have access to a group for you. those spaces. Please note that you free online Comprehensive Self- do not have to identify as LGBTQ in Assessment Test and a 29-page Moderator(s): Daniel Rennix order to participate in this group. report, translated in graphs and As well, if there is sufficient inter- charts to identify your strengths est, we may read additional works and weaknesses in leadership. nominated by group members. Moderator(s): Honors College staff Moderator(s): Prof. Julia Ehrhardt member Lisa Tucker THE HANDMAID'S GOOD OMENS: The ARE PRISONS TALE Nice and Accurate OBSOLETE? by Margaret Atwood Prophecies of Agnes by Angela Y. Davis Nutter, Witch Tuesdays 2:30-3:20 by Neil Gaiman Wednesdays 4:00-4:50 Cate One 217 Cate One 217 (7 weeks) (4 weeks) Wednesdays 1:00-1:50 Critics panned Margaret Atwood’s DLBH 160E Upwards of 2.2 million people are dystopian novel, The Handmaid’s (8 weeks) currently incarcerated in U.S. fed- Tale, when it was first released in eral prisons, state prisons, and the US in 1985. It has since be- Good Omens is a comedy about the county jails. This group comprises come a cultural touchstone for dis- birth of the son of Satan, the com- about 1% of the adult population of cussions on reproductive rights, ing of the End Times, and the at- the country. sex-based subjugation, and the tempts of the angel Aziraphale and role of language in a totalitarian the demon Crowley to avert them, Angela Y. Davis’s watershed book society. The book follows a woman having become accustomed to their questions the foundational as- called Offred, a handmaid whose comfortable situations in the hu- sumptions of both the American sole purpose lies in her ability to man world. A subplot features the system and carceral punishment reproduce. If she is unable to be- growing up of the Antichrist, Adam itself. Employing rigorous historical come pregnant, she will be exiled and his gang, and the gathering of analysis, Davis shows the genealo- by the regime that has overthrown the Four Horsepersons of the Apoc- gy of the prison-industrial complex, the United States government. The alypse. Approaching Armageddon its role in structural racism and theocratic government’s oppressive with humor allows the authors to sexism, the futility of reform, and and opaque authority eventually input social commentary while pro- abolitionist alternatives to prison. spurs Offred to flee the despotic voking laughter with each page, state. creating an intelligent, fun literary To help cultivate a rich and inclu- experience. sive discussion, handouts will be Although the women’s liberation provided. movements of the 70s and 80s may Moderator(s): Hannah Harrell have made Atwood’s novel seem too Moderator(s): Cooper Williams far-fetched for self-identification, the recent events in the battle for reproductive rights in the U.S. have made it only more relevant.

Moderator(s): Sofi Halpin and Con- nor Moore SMALL IS BEAUTIFUL: DAYS OF WAR, Economics as if NIGHTS OF LOVE People Mattered Anarchist Collective by E.F. Schumacher by CrimethInc.

Mondays 5:00-5:50 Thursdays 5:00-5:50 DLBH 182 Cate One 217 (7 weeks) (8 weeks)

Called an “eco-bible” by Time, E. F Schumacher’s first "No genres, no masters! We wrote a ‘book’ to say no book, Small is Beautiful, is a richly researched collec- one should write books anymore!” tion of essays posing the question of sustainability and how the contemporary world struggles to balance eco- What we can say for sure about Days of War, Nights nomic growth with the human cost of globalization. of Love is simple: it’s an attempt at being as free as Schumacher, an ardent economist, addresses his dis- humanly possible. If you are interested in Chiapas or comfort with the state of our planet while looking at Rojava, in people who’ve been arrested by the FBI for issues that were prevalent during the 1973 energy cri- writing a book, or in cross-dressing Muslim women in sis. While some of the figures are now out of date, the the early 1900s, then this book is for you. issues and principles remain as relevant today as they were when Small is Beautiful was written. If you think it might be time for a new word for politics, since the old one has been made into such a swear As a reading group, we will discuss Schumacher’s word, come read with us. “The wages of sin are free- predictions on the issues such as our reliance on im- dom, so we better start sinning as soon as possible." ports and exports, the energy crisis, issues with oil consumption, and dual economies in developing coun- Moderator(s): Adam Burnett and Carl Roberts tries. These discussions will take an in-depth look be- hind Schumacher’s ideas and thoughts, while coming to a better conclusion of why we think Schumacher was driven to write this piece.

Moderator(s): Emily Alspaw and Kathryn Hillis Surprising Benefits of Informal Reading Groups at the OU Honors College

[Excerpts from a letter from Jordan Rogers, engineering major and Honors College alumnus]

I remember anticipating the reading group featuring Other Colors and commenting to a friend that I did not expect to enjoy myself. This was because of nothing more than the fact that I had, “no interest in Turkey, and no interest in literature.”

I soon found that I was completely in the wrong. As I engaged in the book as well as dialogue with a professor and with other students, especially the ones who had visited Turkey, I found myself thrilled and excited to learn more about Orhan Pamuk, Istanbul, the Ottoman Empire, and Turkey.

And then I understood what might be the most important lesson I’ve ever received: I AM interested in both Turkey and literature. This is something that I would have never anticipated for I have no personal connection or natural interest in either.

The implications of this discovery were astounding, for my lack of interest in Turkey was actually a presumed lack of interest, and it only took one book to prove otherwise.

But if this was true of Turkey and literature, what wouldn’t I find fascinating if I took the time to study? Suddenly, everything in the world was interesting. I was overwhelmed, but in a very positive way.

When I started the informal reading groups this semester I had to be very disciplined to finish the 50 pages required for both books each week.

Since my epiphany, if it can so be called, I have required myself to read 50 pages of any book every day. At first, this seemed like a chore, for my days were full already with school and clubs. But I pushed myself, and every day it seems less and less like a chore. I’m feeling now the daily desire to read, the feeling that I WANT to read, something I have never felt before.

You’ll be amazed to hear that I wake up about 90 minutes earlier now just so I can start the day right - with a book. By the time you read this I will have finished three books in as many weeks - all fiction classics.

I want to emphasize that the books we read and the discussions we had among the students were great… and I left feeling energized about reading. My definition of education has drastically morphed, and I now challenge myself to pursue lifelong learning.