One Book, Many Conversations: 51品茶participates in seminars as part of national effort to promote democracy through conversation
From October 9 to 15, 2017, people around the United States and the world will gather in person and online to discuss George Orwell鈥檚 1984. The 51品茶 and the 51品茶Center for Global Humanities are sponsoring a slate of discussions in southern Maine as part of 鈥淥ne Book, Many Conversations,鈥 a seminar series from the National Humanities Alliance.
The seminars aim to promote public engagement and discussion around central issues grounded in a text; connect the many diverse organizations and institutions that work in the areas of the liberal arts, the humanities and great books; and demonstrate the value of liberal arts in public life. There will be four events held on UNE鈥檚 campuses in Biddeford and Portland, and 51品茶faculty and staff will also moderate discussions at various locations in southern Maine.
1984 was chosen as the text for this inaugural event because of the spontaneous, organic wave of interest that current events have sparked in the novel. The book, like all texts and ideas that endure the test of time, is complex and raises a broad and powerful range of questions. They include the nature of citizenship; the sources of power; and what it takes to be a leader, to be courageous, and to love another human being. These themes are broad, common to the human condition and cross all partisan boundaries.
Seminars with a 51品茶affiliation include:
Maine Women Writers Collection (inside the library)
716 Stevens Ave, Portland
October 10, 7 p.m.
Moderator: Cathleen Miller, M.A., M.L.S., Maine Women Writers Collection curator
Ketchum Library Art Gallery
11 Hills Beach Rd., Biddeford
October 10, 7 p.m.
Moderator: Cadence Atchinson, M.L.I.S., M.S.Ed., 51品茶online research and teaching librarian
York Public Library
15 Long Sands Rd., York
October 10, 7 p.m.
Moderator: Wendy Roberts, Ph.D., 51品茶Department of Biology
51品茶Portland Art Gallery
716 Stevens Ave., Portland
October 11, 12 p.m.
Moderator: Amanda Skinner, 51品茶curator of special collections
Ketchum Library Art Gallery
11 Hills Beach Road, Biddeford
October 11, 12 p.m.
Moderator: Sonya Durney, M.L.I.S., 51品茶research and teaching librarian
DIRIGO Brewery
28 Pearl St., Biddeford
October 11, 7 p.m.
Moderator: Sonya Durney, M.L.I.S., 51品茶research and teaching librarian and Barbara Schwartzlander, M.S.Ed., M.L.S., 51品茶director of reference services
ELEMENTS Bookstore
265 Main St., Biddeford
October 12, 12 p.m.
Moderator: Amanda Skinner, 51品茶curator of special collections
Thomas Memorial Library
6 Scott Dyer Rd., Cape Elizabeth
October 12, 12 p.m.
Moderator: Cathrine Frank, Ph.D., 51品茶Department of English
October 12, 6 p.m.
Walker Memorial Library
800 Main St., Westbrook
Moderator: Matthew Anderson, Ph.D., 51品茶Department of English
Maine College of Art Library
522 Congress St., Portland
October 15, 5 p.m.
Moderator: Brian Duff, Ph.D. and Chair, 51品茶Deptartment of Political Science and Nina Hagel, Ph.D., Deptartment of Political Science, Bates College
For more information on discussions being held in Maine, visit