Maine Humanities Council

Home of the Harriet P. Henry Center for the Book
“In reality, every reader is, while he is reading, the reader of his own self. The writer’s work is merely a kind of optical instrument which he offers to the reader to enable him to discern what, without this book, he would perhaps never have experienced in himself. And the recognition by the reader in his own self of what the book says is the proof of its veracity.”

— Time Regained
Marcel Proust

1. On “Conflict”

Each scholar who facilitates a New Books, New Readers series writes an evaluation when the series is finished. These help the program's director examine a series based on the scholar’s perspective. Colin J. C.-Windhorst is a long-time facilitator for both Let’s Talk About It and New Books, New Readers. He was one of the first scholars to work with the program’s new “Conflict” series, which was funded by a grant from Jane’s Trust. Below are parts from his evaluation that help describe the power of this new series with his groups in Houlton: at the Adult Education facilities at the University of Maine’s Learning Center and with male inmates at the Aroostook County Jail.

The subject of conflict engaged both groups of readers from the outset. In fact, as a topic, it hit very close to home, and trespassed on territory so raw that, on occasion, it could inhibit, rather than encourage discussion. The challenge in leading this series lay in steering the conversation to a middle ground between experiences that were too recent or awkward or painful to talk about and reflections that were too abstract or removed from the personal lives of the participants.

From our opening question: “Have you ever experienced conflict?” we moved quickly to identifying the different kinds of conflict we encounter. We discussed conflict with other people, with friends, in families, and within ourselves, and acknowledged conflicts in other arenas, such as between social groups, ideas, and on a national and ethnic basis. We wondered if life without conflict is possible, and what it might be like. The fall elections helped us to consider whether conflict can ever be a good, or at least a helpful, thing, and under what circumstances.

It was the books themselves that opened windows into our readers’ understanding and perceptions of conflict. It’s Mine and The Upstairs Cat both initiated discussions on the irrational nature of conflict, when feelings overwhelm reason, and perceptions of ownership, influence and power can lead to differences, defiance and aggression. The two legends, The Mountain and the Sea and The Lion’s Share appealed to our participants’ sense of the futility and absurdity that often lies behind conflicts. The cost of a vain self-image that obsessed both Mount Katahdin and the Atlantic Ocean in the ancient parable was a lesson they gladly endorsed. The surfeit of greed exhibited in the lion’s share of a meal he couldn’t possibly consume also registered as a lesson in foolishness and disregard of others. The abruptness with which the Somali tale ends led us to speculate what other possible ending there might have been to the story. In all of these books, the consequences of conflict that were dramatically illustrated—waste, decay, barrenness, desolation, shattered surroundings, resentment—were identified by our participants and compared with instances in their own lives.

The book that proved most popular (we actually voted on this!) at the end of the series was The War with Grandpa. This account of an intergenerational domestic dispute in a simply written story generated the most discussion and evident enjoyment among our readers. For the men in the jail and the young adults at the Learning Center, this strange and sometimes silly contest clearly struck a chord in their imaginations. They identified the source of conflict in the parents’ failure to consult their son before reallocating his room, and endorsed the grandfather’s willingness to play along in the “war”. It appeared that the book seemed to offer a “safer” distance from which to consider the subject of conflict than some of the other stories that were, perhaps, a little too close to home.

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2. MHC News

Book News

A review of Imagine What It’s Like: A Literature and Medicine Anthology will be published in the April issue of The American Journal of Bioethics. The Anthology is currently being used by Literature & Medicine programs at medical sites, including veterans’ hospitals, nationwide.

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Self-publishing is growing as an effective way of putting unusual works in print, and Irving Silverman has done just that with A Trilogy: Three Hearts...One Soul. It is the story of three “non-celebrities”: Irving Silverman, Henrietta Silverman (his first wife, who died young after 13 years of marriage), and Nancy Silverman (his second wife, who died in 2002). It is heartening to read the meaningful stories of real people, and the genuine feelings and stories in this book convey much that readers will be able to relate to. Silverman describes his courtships with Henrietta and Nancy, conflicts in their marriages, their joys and their travels, and reflects on large issues in his own life, from fear, death, love, and God to giraffes and philanthropy. His interest in philanthropy is clear, as proceeds from this book will be donated to the Southwest Harbor/Tremont Medical Needs Fund, Hospice of Hancock County, and Maine Coast Lifeline Medical Alert, as well as several organizations in Tucson, Arizona. Silverman lives in Maine during the snow-free months of the year and is a long-term supporter of the MHC.

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Public Event

There’s still time to sign up for the MHC’s “Leadership in a Time of Crisis: The Abraham Lincoln Bicentennial Symposium,” to be held on Saturday, March 21, at the Abromson Community Education Center, University of Southern Maine, in Portland.

To register, please visit this link. The cost, including refreshments, lunch, and parking, is $45 for the general public, $40 for teachers (CEUs available) and Maine Historical Society members, and $25 for students.

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The Born to Read book list for March features books from Francophone cultures, including Please, Malese!, a story from Haiti adapted by Maine author Amy MacDonald and performed by Portland Stage Affiliate Artists in a MHC podcast.

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Podcast Update

We’ve updated the Humanities on Demand podcast section of the MHC website with a new design and easier search function to accommodate the more than 100 lectures, readings, and interviews with prominent writers. Humanities on Demand now includes a searchable archive, categorization by genre, and faster loading times. Listeners are encouraged to provide feedback and share episodes with their contacts.

Humanities on Demand was made possible through a National Endowment for the Humanities Digital Start-up Grant.

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3. Grants and Events


Grant-Funded Events

Events funded by MHC grants include photography, film, and discussion events— “Conservation in Context”—in Waldoboro; “Arts Night at the Library” in Bath; an illustrated lecture on ship portraits in Freeport; and more.


Major Grants

$3,950 to the Freeport Historical Society, Freeport, for Lessons from the Tam O’Shanter
Lessons from the Tam O’ Shanter: The Life & Times on the High Seas will tell the story of deep-water sailors 1875 to 1900.

$3,000 to Friends of Dr. Edith Marion Patch, Orono, for Fiber Maine-ia: A Celebration of the International Year of Natural Fiber
Held in coordination with the 2009 United Nations International Year of Natural Fiber, this statewide conference brings together scholars, artists, educators, agriculture specialists, and the broader public to explore the history, cultural traditions, arts, economics, and agricultural practices associated with the production and use of fiber.

$1,500 to Maine Reads, Portland, for Maine Festival of the Book
Presented by Maine Reads, the Maine Festival of the Book 2009 is a literary extravaganza to be held the weekend of April 3 in Portland. Celebrating our rich contemporary literary scene and its heritage, the festival presents literature in all its forms, appealing to a range of tastes, audiences, and reading abilities.

Other Recent Grants

$1,000 to the Maine African Film Festival, Portland, for Maine African Film Festival
The Maine African Film Festival’s week-long inaugural program uses African-themed films to educate and inspire, promote cultural literacy, and build community.

$1,000 to the Brunswick Area Arts & Cultural Alliance, Brunswick, for Preserving & Celebrating Place-Based Narratives
The project is to present, share, and record place-based narratives on the theme of local place-based occupations and foodways in the greater Brunswick region. The plan includes three public presentations of place-based narratives and a recording session for the public to record a story as part of the Story Bank project.

$1,000 to the Town of Whitefield, Whitefield, for Whitefield Bicentennial Map
To help celebrate Whitefield’s Bicentennial, Natasha Mayers will lead Whitefield students in the creation of a mural of Whitefield with historic landmarks and events depicted on a map.

$989 to the Union River Watershed Coalition, Bar Harbor, for Union River Watershed Regional History Project
The capture of two oral histories on film, the creation of local history record books, and then public potluck dinner presentations are an opportunity to educate people in Hancock County’s Union River watershed towns about their heritage as well as pique their interest in further joint history projects.

$500 to the Museum of African Culture, Portland, for Ebune, the Spirit of Spring
Ebune, the Spirit of Spring, is a traditional Igbo celebration connecting us to all cultures through education and art, and it will be celebrated at the Museum of African Culture for this project.

$500 to the L.C. Bates Museum (Good Will Home Association), Hinckley, for Living the Good Will Idea Publicity and Programming
Public programming-including handouts, children’s materials, programs and publicity-for the long-term humanities exhibition explores George Hinckley’s philosophy of child care.

$450 to the Medomak Valley Land Trust, Waldoboro, for Conservation in Context: Exploring our Connection to the Land Through Media
This grant helps provide a series of events aimed at engaging a broad audience in thought-filled discussions that reflect on historical and current connections to the local landscape.

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4. What We’re Reading

This list of book recommendations from MHC staff includes Owl Moon; Off to War: Voices of Soldiers’ Children; and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.

 

 

 

 

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5. Quote of the Month

“The best part about the program is the opportunity to discuss the material in a safe and supportive atmosphere when acknowledging a different opinion doesn’t label anyone.”

—from a New Books, New Readers site coordinator (staff
member of an adult education facility hosting the program)

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