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2004 United We Read News Release |
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| Let's Support the Kansas City Community Read United We Read has selected the Nebula award-winning novel The Speed of Dark for its fall 2004 community read. Author Elizabeth Moon depicts a time in the not-to-distant future when genetic conditions like autism can be eliminated before a child is born. The novel tells the story of the last generation of high-functioning autists who have found themselves pressured by their employer, a pharmaceutical company, to participate in a risky surgical experiment that may make them "normal." The Speed of Dark looks at the consequences of biomedical research that affect an individual's sense of self. Moon has written a book that reaches across the curriculum. She portrays autism as a different way of thinking and seeing rather than as a traditional "disability." The big issues raised include not only medical ethics and genetic engineering, but also the philosophical meaning of what it is to be human. many courses beyond reading and composition classes will find this novel encourages discipline-related discussions, for example:
The possibilities for discussion of the Speed of Dark are infinite. Students who read this novel in more than one class, examining it from more than one perspective, will discover a richer and more rewarding novel. We encourage faculty in all disciplines to consider assigning or recommending this year's United We Read selection. - Submitted by Andrea Kempf and Maureen Fitzpatrick from Johnson County Community College |
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For further information contact: Kansas City Metropolitan Library & Information Network 15624 E. 24 Highway Independence, MO 64050 Phone: (816) 521-7257 Fax: (816) 461-0966 Email: sburton@kcmlin.org Last Updated 6/7/04 |