The Chadron State College Distinguished Writer Series is still pleased to offer two chances on Thursday to hear Jonis Agee, author of The Bones of Paradise – the One Book One Nebraska choice for 2022, but the presentations will be by video instead of in person.
CSC professors and event organizers Dr Matt Evertson and Markus Jones say an injury has prevented Agee from traveling to Chadron, leading to the video conference option.
Agee will give readings from The Bones of Paradise and discuss it from 11:00 to 12:30 in the Student Center and at 6:00 in Old Admin Room 320 and via chadronstate.tv. Only those in Old Admin Room 320 will be able to ask Agee questions during the evening talk.
An Omaha native, Agee teaches creative writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She earned a bachelor’s at The University of Iowa and her master’s and doctorate at The State University of New York at Binghamton.
She is the author of more than a dozen books, including novels, collections of poetry, and collections of short stories. Three of her books, Strange Angels, Bend This Heart, and Sweet Eyes were named Notable Books of the Year by The New York Times.
Her awards include a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, two Loft-McKnight Fellowships for fiction, two Minnesota State Arts Board grants in fiction, and the Nebraska Book Award. Her most recent novels include The Weight of Dreams and The River Wife.
The One Book One Nebraska program encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book each year. The chosen book must be written by a Nebraska author or have a Nebraska theme or setting. The Bones of Paradise meets both requirements.
The One Book One Nebraska website describes it as a multigenerational family saga set in the Nebraska Sandhills in the years following the massacre at Wounded Knee – a tale of history, vengeance, race, guilt, betrayal, family, and belonging filled with a vivid cast of characters who are shaped by violence, love, and a desperate loyalty to the land.
In One Book One Nebraska, libraries across Nebraska join literary and cultural organizations in book discussions, activities, and events designed to encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss the chosen book. Support materials to assist with discussion activities are available at Get Involved.
Updates and activity listings are posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook group.