Carleton College will host “Northfield Reads: Veterans’ Voices,” a reading and discussion of the important stories written and shared by military veterans, on Sunday, May 18 from 4 to 6 p.m. in the Weitz Center for Creativity Larson Meeting Room (236). This event is free and open to the public.
In Minnesota alone, 1 in 13 adults are veterans—and each has compelling stories to tell. Earlier this year, six Minnesota veterans shared their candid accounts of military service from the Vietnam era to the present day, providing an unvarnished look at the heroism, absurdity, horror, wonder, and banality of military life. This time, several organizations are teaming up to invite members of our community to gather for a rich discussion of veterans’ experiences as they are revealed through a few short readings that are written by veterans about their experiences.
The selected works include: 2,000 lbs by Brian Turner, How to Tell a True War Story by Tim O’Brien, Our Ghost by Jay Moad, and four excerpts from Powder: Writing by Women in the Ranks, from Vietnam to Iraq by Lisa Bowden and Shannon Cain (eds). All of the readings were written by veterans and reflect a variety of viewpoints and styles. People are encouraged to examine the writings, reflect on them, and then join with others in the community to discuss their thoughts and reactions. There will also be a performance of some writings. The selections are now available online at: http://go.carleton.edu/tellingMN.
A follow-up to “The Telling Project: Veterans’ Voices” event held at Carleton in February, “Northfield Reads” is a new community initiative designed to encourage people from across the area to come together to talk, to share ideas, to connect, and to open themselves to various views and perspectives. The hope is that through shared readings and conversations, more and broader connections will be created within the community.
This event is sponsored by the Carleton College Humanities Center, the Northfield Human Rights Commission, the Northfield Public Library, Arcadia Community School, the Northfield VFW Post 4393, and the Northfield-Cannon Falls League of Women Voters. For more information, including disability accommodations, please call (507) 222-5446. The Weitz Center for Creativity is located at Third and College Streets in Northfield.