Vietnam War

[close] To truly recognize the military and veteran community is to be informed of the various and complex histories, experiences, and narratives of military culture and veteran knowledge. The MAVRC Book Club, organized by the Military and Veteran Veteran Services at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville (SIUE), will present a series of readings and discussions to better comprehend and interpret the policies and procedures that developed the United States Armed Forces, and make sense of the terrain and bureaucracy that military personnel and veterans navigate daily. Hosting such a book club will cultivate conversations with the purpose of dismantling stereotypes and the romanticism on the meaning of service. Through its diverse readings, the book club aims to highlight the contributions of its veterans, dissect the policies and procedures that have shaped military and veteran life, and to gain a worldly perspective on the conflicts that the United States Armed Forces has engaged in since its formal establishment. All book club meetings are open virtually to the public. Trigger warning: Books selected may deal with themes and topics of war and combat; sexual assault, abuse, harassment, and violence; disabilities, physical and mental health, and trauma; gender and sexual identity; race, culture, and ethnicity; and politics and religion. Politics of the authors of selected readings are not reflective of the Military and Veteran Resource Center. Differing opinions and worldviews should be communicated intellectually with respect and understanding.

[close] Catherine West writes stories of hope and healing from her island home in Bermuda. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or reading books by her favorite authors. She and her husband have two grown children and one beautiful granddaughter. Catherine is the winner of the 2015 Grace Award (Bridge of Faith) and the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award (The Things We Knew). Her most recent novel, The Memory of You, released March 2017. Catherine loves to connect with her readers and can be reached at Catherine@catherinejwest.com

[close] Discussion of the new novel, THE MOUNTAINS SING, by Nguyễn Phan Quế Mai - an enveloping, multigenerational tale of the Trần family, set against the backdrop of the Việt Nam War. Trần Diệu Lan, who was born in 1920, was forced to flee her family farm with her six children during the Land Reform as the Communist government rose in the North. Years later in Hà Nội, her young granddaughter, Hương, comes of age as her parents and uncles head off down the Hồ Chí Minh Trail to fight in a conflict that tore not just her beloved country, but her family apart. Vivid, gripping, and steeped in the language and traditions of Việt Nam, THE MOUNTAINS SING brings to life the human costs of this conflict from the point of view of the Vietnamese people themselves, while showing us the true power of kindness and hope.

[close] A place to discuss all the unique aspects of Deaf culture as highlighted in the thriller Silent Fear (A novel inspired by true crimes) by Lance & James Morcan. This group can also be an intersection of sorts where Deaf and hearing people can engage and learn from each other.