Selections from the January Conversation With Books reading list spanned genres such as contemporary fiction, historical fiction, biography, and historical nonfiction. Photo by Patrick Clancy.
On January 26, alumni gathered for Conversation With Books, continuing the annual St. Kate鈥檚 tradition that started six decades ago. Hosts 鈥 and fellow alumnae 鈥 Ruth Haag Brombach 鈥60 and Judie Martens Flahavan 鈥60 led discussions and were joined by associate professor of history Rachel Neiwert, PhD, and special guest President Marcheta P. Evans, PhD, to .
Sharing their perspectives on each book, the panelists discussed works about and by women, especially established narratives in which women鈥檚 roles have gone unrecognized. Both along this theme and in general, Neiwert hoped that reading and discussing provided 鈥渁 way for us to see the world from other perspectives and to try to empathize with people who might not be the same as us,鈥 she said. 鈥淲e go to movies, watch TV, we listen to music, we go to shows 鈥 all of those are ways that we encounter stories that make the world a little bit bigger for each of us.鈥
This year, Conversation With Books has expanded to include two other upcoming discussion panel events in June and October, and alumni have the ability to participate virtually or in person:
- On June 7, St. Kate鈥檚 alumnae and hosts of the podcast 鈥淐alling Cards,鈥 Lydia Butler Fasteland 鈥12, MLIS鈥17 and Taylor Harwood 鈥15, will host Conversations With Books and discuss romance books through a feminist lens.
- In October, Suzanne Lehman 鈥93, MSN鈥11, DNP鈥18, director of the baccalaureate nursing program in the College for Women, will host a Conversation With Books focused on speculative fiction and BIPOC authors. More details about the October Conversations With Books event and booklist will be announced later.
鈥淥ur Conversation With Books series this year presents great opportunities for our alumni to engage not only with subject experts, but with each other, on literature and themes they鈥檙e passionate about,鈥 says Lindsay Butterfield Whipple 鈥09, director of alumni relations. 鈥淚鈥檓 so excited for alumni to join us later this year to dive into two other rich, complex genres 鈥 I already have one of the books for the June event!鈥
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