A Road Scholar Program by John Hallwas

Our state has a remarkable tradition of memoirs, extending from books by frontier figures like Chief Black Hawk, Peter Cartwright, and Eliza Farnham to later ones by notable leaders like U. S. Grant, Jane Addams, and Carl Sandburg. In this program, more than a dozen insightful memoirs will be briefly depicted, as Illinois literary scholar and historian John Hallwas both reflects various eras of our state’s heritage and looks inside some remarkable, complex figures that residents today should be aware of. The presentation also explores the nature and value of autobiographical works, so it promotes the reading of personal accounts and encourages people to write about their own experience. Presented by a widely published author, with more than two dozen books of his own related to Illinois, this is an ideal program for groups with an interest in state history and libraries that want to promote reading.

This event is Free and Open to the public. For more information, please contact Barbara Goetzelman at bgoetzelman@comcast.net.