Central College reads A Long Way Gone for common reading program

The Chronicle

August 15, 2008 04:47 pm

— A common reading program unites Central College faculty, staff and new students. This year, the college community is reading A Long Way Gone by Ishmael Beah. A Long Way Gone is a collection of memoirs of a boy soldier, the author, who emerged in 2002 from a decade of civil war in West Africa with the help of Britain, the former colonial power, and a large United Nations peacekeeping mission.
The common reading program is a joint venture between Central’s academic affairs and student life. The book reading and discussion is an introduction to students’ academic life at Central. All first-year students are asked to read the book over the summer as part of Intersections, a required first-year experience course designed to introduce students to the intellectual life at a liberal arts college. Intersections faculty from all disciplines integrate activities and discussion related to the book into classes. The initial book discussion takes place the Monday before classes begin, this year on Aug. 25, and is led by Student Orientation Staff leaders.
Last year, students, faculty and staff read The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
“One of my goals this year has been to broaden the appeal of our common reading so that it is not seen merely as an Intersections assignment,” said Josh Dolezal, assistant professor of English and director of Intersections.
Central’s ongoing theme for Intersections is “perspectives on human nature,” and one criterion for the common reading is that it must address questions about human nature in essential ways.
“This theme has worked well, and it is flexible to many different pedagogical approaches, so I believe we are going to retain it for at least another year or two,” said Dolezal.
Central College is a private, four-year, residential liberal arts college in Pella, Iowa, offering 36 majors along with pre-professional programs and advising. For more information about Central College, call 877-462-3687 or go online to www.central.edu