Talking Twain at the Urbana Free Library

Have you had a chance to pick up a copy of The Adventures of Tom Sawyer?   People all over Champaign-Urbana are reading the classic as part of this year’s CU Reading: Two Cities, One Book.  There are great cultural programs for all ages at both the Urbana Free Library and the Champaign Public Libraries.  Here at the Urbana Free Library you can attend an amazing free performance by the Station Theatre, a guest appearance by the Storyteller–In-Residence from the Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum, and a Treasure Hunt especially for kids.  Check out the full schedule of events here.

This Monday, October 8 at 7:00pm we’ll be taking on one of the most provocative and controversial  themes in Twain’s books – his views of race and ethnicity.  Was Twain racist?  What is the message from his books about African Americans and American Indians?  We hope you’ll come with your own questions and opinions to what promises to be a very thought-provoking conversation.  We’re lucky two have to guest speakers who will get the discussion started:  RobertWarrior (Director of American Indian Studies at the University of Illinois) and Bruce Michelson  (Director of the University of Illinois Campus Honors Program andthe former president of the Mark Twain Circle of America).  Hope to see you there!