PSWS hosts Scranton Reads lecture on Marilynne Robinson's 'Gilead'

Editor's note: Location change

DUNMORE, Pa. — Penn State Worthington Scranton will host a lecture and discussion lead by Joseph Kraus, professor of English at The University of Scranton, at 12:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 18, in the campus' Business Building, Hawk Lecture Hall. He will be reading from Marilynne Robinson’s American Version of "Gilead."

"Gilead" is the winner of the 2005 Pulitzer prize for fiction, and is a  beautiful, contemplative novel narrated by an elderly pastor as he writes a long letter to his young son. It deals with aging and death, parenthood, faith, small-town life, and quite a lot of U.S. history along the way.

It is also this year's Scranton Reads choice book. Each October, Scranton Reads organizes events to promote literacy and the arts locally by encouraging everyone to read and discuss together a work of great American literature.

Kraus will take us into some traditions that Robinson drew upon in her story and discuss some of the historical and theological thoughts and strains, as well as critiques of the American culture.

A professor of English at the University of Scranton, where he teaches American literature, Kraus is the current president of MELUS – the Society for the Study of Multi-Ethnic Literature, and also specializes in American literature from 20th- and 21st-century culture.

This event is free and open to the public and was organized by Kelley Wagers, associate professor of English at Penn State Worthington Scranton.