Public reading with Bonnie Jo Campbell at the library

"a literate and informed public is the keystone to democracy" -Randy Albers
This idea was reflected in the introduction to the reading of Bonnie Jo Campbell's novel and question and answer session. With all of our freedoms being taken away, literacy is what we have to keep a democratic society. Interesting to think about as literacy is most definitely an important way to gain knowledge, but what if an individual doesn't have access to literacy?
The program started out with an introduction to the writer, Bonnie Jo Campbell by a noted literature critic, Donna Seamen. Donna was the moderator of the evening and started the reading and discussion for the audience with a history of th authors work and a review of sorts
Bonnie Jo Campbell came out and read her first chapter of Once Upon a River
this was an interesting approach to education as it was a free and public reading of her book at the public library. There was a man signing vividly. I am not an auditory learner, so I often found myself drifting off or watching the man signing, which led me back into the story as he almost acted out what she was saying.
Following the reading Bonnie and Donna engaged in a discussion about the story this was about recurring characters, interests of readers in the characters, the landscape, and the research to understand and write a story.
Bonnie Jo Campbell was interested in writing more books about this character because men really took to the female character and she was interested in playing with that more to get men interested in her writing.
The main character is a tough and strong woman who lives off of the land in Michigan. The character is in touch with the land and what went on before she was there.
She introduced the idea of the tribe as people around you, we all have our own tribes (like a community)
She says the theme of the story is the american dream, but it is not like the typical dream, it is the older american dream of living off the land and being independent
She says this is an American book it is about empty space and the freedom to have a different kind of life, not the mainstream life that everyone else has. This makes me think of everyone having choice in every situation with Foulcault, we choose to engage in a mainstream life, but we don't have to, we have other options, we do have power to decide.

Finally after the discussion they open up the floor to questions and allow the audience to get the information that they really want. For the most part these questions are about her writing and drafts as they are asked by students and young writers. It becomes a forum for education from a prominent published writer to a group of young and aspiring authors. Anyone can jump in and ask her a question, it was not just coming from one source.