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There There Book Discussion

In partnership with the South Bend Museum of Art, join us for a discussion of There There by Tommy Orange as part of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Big Read. Registration required.

In partnership with the South Bend Museum of Art, a 2023-2024 NEA Big Read grantee, SJCPL will host book discussions on the novel There There by Tommy Orange. Free copies of the book will be available to the first 10 registrants. 

There, There follows twelve characters from Native communities: all traveling to the Big Oakland Powwow, all connected to one another in ways they may not yet realize. Among them is Jacquie Red Feather, newly sober and trying to make it back to the family she left behind. Dene Oxendene, pulling his life together after his uncle's death and working at the powwow to honor his memory. Fourteen-year-old Orvil, coming to perform traditional dance for the very first time. Together, this chorus of voices tells of the plight of the urban Native American--grappling with a complex and painful history, with an inheritance of beauty and spirituality, with communion and sacrifice and heroism.

The National Endowment for the Arts Big Read—a partnership with Arts Midwest—broadens our understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the power of a shared reading experience. Showcasing a diverse range of themes, voices, and perspectives, the NEA Big Read aims to inspire meaningful conversations, artistic responses, and new discoveries and connections in each community. Learn more at www.arts.gov/initiatives/nea-big-read

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