The BookTalk 2011 discussions at Bismarck State College begin Sunday, Jan. 9, with Hillary Jordan's "Mudbound."
The book series is organized around the theme, "What Divides Us" - race, religion, caste, class, gender, and more. Discussion takes place from 1 to 3 p.m. on selected Sundays in the BSC Library.
Dr. Janelle Masters, dean of academic affairs, leads participants through Jordan's award-winning debut novel set on a cotton farm in the Mississippi Delta during the 1940s. Readers see a world of racism, prejudice and hardship through the eyes of six characters, which take turns narrating the story.
"Mudbound" won the Bellwether Prize for Fiction in 2006. The award recognizes an author's first unpublished debut novel that addresses social justice issues. A page-turner spoken in unflinching prose, "Mudbound" mixes history, tragedy and love to create an indelible story of fierce survival.
BookTalk is open to all. Each session has a discussion leader and concludes with refreshments. Other books and dates in the series are "The Space Between Us" by Thrity Umrigar on Feb. 6 and "The Book of Dead Birds" by Gayle Brandeis on March 6.