BOOK DISCUSSION SERIES EXAMINES
OKLAHOMA'S HISTORIC
BANK SCANDALS

Ross Thomas' "Briarpatch" is the next
book to be discussed in the free and open to the public
OCU discussion series.  Photo provided

The “Let’s Talk About it, Oklahoma” book discussion series at Oklahoma City University will continue its winter 2012 season with “Briarpatch” by Ross Thomas at 7 p.m. Feb. 21. The series is a project of the Oklahoma Humanities Council with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities. Funding for this series was provided by a grant from the Inasmuch Foundation.

The discussion is free to the public and will be held in Walker Center room 151 at N.W. 26^th Street and Florida Avenue.

“Briarpatch” won the Edgar Award for best mystery/suspense novel in 1984. Thomas wrote about corruption bred by easy money and the sense of the suddenly rich in the post-boom bank scandals. Set in his hometown of Oklahoma City, Thomas fills the novel with such landmarks as the milk bottle at N.W. 24^th Street and Classen Boulevard and the Skirvin Plaza.

Harbour Winn, director of OCU’s Center for Interpersonal Studies through Film & Literature, said the purpose of this season’s book discussion series is to explore the rich history of Oklahoma.

“The books in this program illuminate aspects of human development in our state’s history, from the emptiness of the Oklahoma prairie to its towns and two large cities of today,” Winn said.

At each session in the series, a humanities scholar makes a presentation on the book in the context of the theme. Small group discussions follow with experienced discussion leaders. At the end, all participants come together for a brief wrap-up.

Those who are interested in participating are encouraged to preregister and borrow the reading selections and theme brochure by calling Winn at (405) 208-5472 or e-mailing him at hwinn@okcu.edu.

The final book discussion in the series will be March 6 with “Flight from Innocence: A Memoir, 1927-1947” by Judson Jerome.

From the press release