Kent Nerburn
Kent Nerburn, the author of this year’s Reading in Common book, The Wolf at Twilight, will give a free public lecture at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 13 in Alumni Hall, located on the upper level of the O.J. Johnson Student Union.
Nerburn will be joined by the Native American father and son tandem of Raymond and Martin Sensmeier, who will share their experiences and insight as members of the Tlingit Tribe of Yakatut, Alaska. Following the event, there will be a question and answer session and a book signing.
Nerburn is the author of 12 books on spirituality and Native themes, including Chief Joseph and the Flight of the Nez Perce, Simple Truths, and The Wisdom of the Native Americans. He was born and raised near Minneapolis, but now resides in Northern Minnesota.
The Wolf at Twilight is a follow-up of sorts to Nerburn’s nationally acclaimed book Neither Wolf Nor Dog, which was published in 1994. The Wolf at Twilight is a fictionalized account of actual events as the author rekindles a friendship with a Lakota elder named Dan. The story reveals the Native American way of teaching and learning and also unmasks the dynamically complicated relationship between a white American and a Dakota Indian. Nerburn also uncovers a common occurrence in the late 19th and early 20th century when many Indian children were taken from their families and sent away to boarding schools where teachers forced them to abandon their tribal traditions and learn English.
Martin and Raymond Sensmeier
2011 marks the 12th year of the Reading in Common program at Gustavus. All first-year students are expected to read the chosen book during the summer and then meet with faculty members and upperclass students during New Student Orientation to discuss it.
The Wolf at Twilight is also serving as the fall read for the community organization St. Peter Reads. Community members are invited to attend the Tuesday night event in Alumni Hall. Nerburn will also be signing books at the St. Peter Public Library from 10:30-11:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 13.
For more information about Nerburn’s appearance on campus or the Reading in Common program at Gustavus, contact Director of Student Activities Megan Ruble at mruble@gustavus.edu or 507-933-7597.
Twin Cities Event
Nerburn will also speak at 7 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12 at Diamond Lake Lutheran Church in Minneapolis. The event is free and open to the public, and is sponsored by the Office of Alumni Relations and the Gustavus Library Associates. Diamond Lake Lutheran Church is located at 5760 Portland Avenue.
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Media Contact: Director of Media Relations and Internal Communication Luc Hatlestad
luch@gustavus.edu
507-933-7510