Celia Gurevitch Jewish Community Library

We are happy to share the press release of an exciting series for the fall:

Sonoma State University Library to host Let’s Talk About It:
Jewish Literature Reading and Discussion Series

(Rohnert Park, CA) – April 18, 2008. The University Library at Sonoma State will host a free, five-part reading and discussion series called Let’s Talk About It: Jewish Literature – Identity and Imagination. The series, which will take place during the fall semester, explores Jewish literature and culture through scholar-led discussions of contemporary and classic books on the theme “Between Two Worlds: Stories of Estrangement and Homecoming.”

The University Library is one of over 250 libraries nationwide receiving grants to host the series developed by Nextbook and the American Library Association (ALA). Local support for the series is provided by SSU’s Center for the Study of the Holocaust and Genocide, Hillel of Sonoma County, and the Santa Rosa Junior College Library – Petaluma.

“We are thrilled to have been selected to host this unique series that will allow people a chance to participate in discussions on themes in Jewish literature. It is a great opportunity for students and community members to share in close dialogue – all under the guidance of our dedicated scholar, Anne Goldman, from the SSU English department,” said Karen Brodsky, University Library Arts and Lectures Program Director.

Each program will begin with a brief lecture by Professor Goldman, after which participants will exchange their own responses to and ideas about the featured reading. Participants will have access to each book, so participation is limited. The first program will explore Exodus, the Second Book of Moses, and will be held on September 25 from 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm in room 3001 of the University Library. The remaining books and dates are as follows: Lost in Translation by Eva Hoffman on October 2, 2008; Moacyr Scliar’s The Centaur in the Garden on October 30, 2008; Allegra Goodman’s Kaaterskill Falls on November 13, 2008 and Out of Egypt by André Aciman on December 4, 2008.

Sonoma State Professor Anne Goldman teaches 19^th and 20^th century American literature in the Department of English. Her most recent work includes an essay on the author Saul Bellow and an assessment of the work of Mark Rothko and Marc Chagall. Her current book project, Worlds of Light: Jewish American Culture in the Twentieth Century, was funded by a National Endowment for the Humanities grant in 2006.

All programs will be held at University Library, room 3001 at Sonoma State University, 1801 E. Cotati Ave. Rohnert Park, CA 94928. For details or to register for limited space, visit http://library.sonoma.edu/about/lecture.html or contact Karen Brodsky (707) 664-4240, karen.brodsky@sonoma.edu.