“Let’s Talk About It, Oklahoma” will host discussions on books about baseball and American values.
“Let’s Talk About It” is a national conference hosted by the National Endowment for the Humanities. The third of five discussions was Tuesday. The last two discussions are scheduled for 7 p.m. Feb. 9 and 23.
The theme for this series is “Play Ball” and includes five novels centered on baseball.
“It’s not just about baseball. It is about the way sport has been part of American history and American values,” said Harbour Winn, director of the Center for Interpersonal Studies through Film & Literature and the Film Institute. “These novels are set in time periods within the 20th century that tells us about the American experience, the American dream, the American nightmare.”
The discussions are once a semester as part of a cultural outreach to the community. They are open to the community and the campus.
Two to three OCU students attend each discussion, Winn said.
“For students, it is a way to develop a habit of being,” Winn said. “It’s a way of giving value to a habit that you think can help you grow. The earlier you start doing things beyond what you have to do, the more they become habitual for what you value to do.”
The books to be discussed are The Boys of Summer by Roger Khan and Wait Till Next Year by Doris Kearns Goodwin. All books are loaned to participants for free and can be picked up in Dulaney-Browne Library, room 207 or 211.
“By discussing books, you get a better understanding of them and discover things you wouldn’t have otherwise,” said Alex Speight, acting sophomore. “Plus, it is super interesting to see how other people interpret the stories based on their background or upbringing.”
The campus also hosts discussion series on films, documentaries, and poetry. More information can be found at www.okcufilmlit.org.
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