The author Gerald Graff once said that talking "about books and subjects is as important educationally as are the books and subjects themselves."
The Lone Star College "Writers, Speakers, and Ideas" Committee invites authors to speak to Lone Star College-Kingwood students, faculty, and the Houston community about their books. Such visits – virtual, during COVID - enhances the academic and intellectual atmosphere of the campus by allowing people to meet and talk with writers on a regular basis about their work. This benefits the audience in that it exposes them to a wide variety of ideas of individuals who have reflected seriously on an important or timely issue. In addition, this demystifies writing and helps our community to see authors – and possibly themselves – as flesh and blood people grappling with important questions.
Author talks take place primarily, although certainly not exclusively, in the noontime hour (M, W, or F most likely) or on Tuesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. in order to allow for greater student, faculty, and community attendance. Faculty also place these events in their syllabi and have their classes attend relevant addresses. When they are on campus, authors sometimes teach a class?or host an afternoon faculty discussion, and they will sign copies of their books at the conclusion of their talks. We invite?between 7-10 authors to campus each academic?year.
The "Writers, Speakers, and Ideas" Committee seeks authors based on the following criteria (quotations from the National Association of Scholars):
For more information, contact the Committee Director, John M. Barr, at?John.M.Barr@LoneStar.edu?or at 281-312-1744.