Wednesday, September 20, 2006
"The Glass Castle" author Jeannette Walls to present Fall Lecture
 MSNBC entertainment reporter and author Jeannette Walls will present the Office of Student Development Programs and USI Foundation’s annual Fall Lecture at 7 p.m. Wednesday, September 27, in Carter Hall in the University Center. This year the event also is sponsored by Academic Affairs, University Core Council, and the Living Learning Communities. Walls’ acclaimed memoir, The Glass Castle: A Memoir, has been the featured work in the Bonding Through Books program for the past two years. In the program, Living Learning Community students, faculty, and staff discuss a book during Welcome Week. The Glass Castle tells of the poor, nomadic childhood Walls shared with her three siblings, eating butter for dinner, making her own braces, and suffering the whims of her artistic, intelligent, and utterly selfish parents. The title of the book is taken from her gambling, alcoholic father’s promise that he would build them a magical, perfect glass castle in which to live. Walls eventually moved to New York, attended Barnard College, and began to rise up the journalistic ranks. She is a regular contributor to MSNBC and has worked at several publications including Esquire, USA Today and New York Magazine. “I chose The Glass Castle because it’s the story of a woman who really overcame great odds to not only survive, but to put herself through college,” said Edie Hardcastle, committee chair and assistant professor of biology. “I thought it would inspire students and give them a sense of perspective of what other people have overcome to go to school and succeed. She’s become a great success in life despite all she had to go through. She uses humor very effectively, so the story doesn’t drag you down, despite her difficult challenges.” A reception will follow the program, which is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Shannon Poling, program advisor in Student Development Programs, at 812/465-7167. |
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