UTC’s popular literary series TAKE FIVE will return in January with a focus on World War I literature. TAKE FIVE is presented by the UTC English Department, Connor Professorship of American Literature, and the Connor Society.
TAKE FIVE is free and open to the public. Interested participants are welcome at all or any of the individual sessions, which will involve a presentation by a UTC faculty member followed by a discussion involving all presenters and the audience. All sessions will be held in the Chattanooga Room of the University Center at UTC from 6-7:30 p.m.
January 13
Dr. John Swanson, head of the UTC Department of History, will present The Sleepwalkers: How Europe Went to War in 1914 by Christopher Clark.
January 27
Dr. Clif Cleaveland, faculty in the UTC Honors College, will present Fear: A Novel of World War I by Gabriel Chevallier.
February 10
Dr. Greg O’Dea, Director of the UTC Brock Scholars Program and UC Foundation Professor of English, will present Regeneration by Pat Barker.
February 24
Dr. Aaron Shaheen, UC Foundation professor in the Department of English, will present All Quiet on the Western Front by E.M. Remarque
March 17
Dr. Verbie Prevost, Connor Professor in the Department of English, will present The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway.
A brief history of the series
TAKE FIVE had its origin in the summer of 1992 when Arlie Herron, George C. Connor Professor of American Literature, decided to offer a series on American literature that would bring the University and Chattanooga communities together to read and discuss selected works. UTC students could sign up for a class that included the TAKE FIVE lectures. All other interested individuals from the Chattanooga area were invited to attend the lectures and participate in the discussions that followed. The topic was “Five Great American Novels,” and the speakers were Earl Braggs, George Connor, Dr. Paul Gaston, Arlie Herron, and Dr. Verbie Prevost.
The emphasis on great American novels continued in 1994 with George Connor, Dr. Robert Fulton, Arlie Herron, Dr.Verbie Prevost, and Dr. Sally Young as speakers. In 1995, the decision was to focus on one author, and Edith Wharton was chosen. Speakers were George Connor, Arlie Herron, Dr. Greg O’Dea, Dr. Verbie Prevost, and Dr. Sally Young. In 1998, the focus was on William Faulkner, and the speakers were George Connor, Arlie Herron, Greg O’Dea, Dr.Verbie Prevost, and Dr. Lauren Sewell Ingraham.
Following Herron’s retirement, Dr.Verbie Prevost continued the program in 2000, funded by the Connor Professorship, with works by Tennessee writers. Speakers were Dr. Fran Bender, Earl Braggs, Arlie Herron, Dr. Greg O’Dea, and Dr.Verbie Prevost.
In 2002, Prevost applied for and received funding from the Lupton Renaissance Grant for three years. That year the series focused on Civil War Literature with speakers Bender, Dr. David Garrison, O’Dea, Prevost, and Dr. Chris Stuart.
The 2003 series emphasized Five Contemporary Southern writers (all newly elected members of the Fellowship of Southern Writers). Speakers were Bender, Garrison, O’Dea, Prevost, and Stuart.
The 2004 program centered on international fiction and response was so positive that we chose that focus for the2006 series also. Speakers both years were Dr. Clif Cleaveland, O’Dea, Prevost, Dr. Vicki Steinberg, and Dr. John Trimpey.
In 2007 O’Dea, Prevost, Dr. Aaron Shaheen, Stuart, and Trimpey were the presenters for a series on Contemporary American Fiction.
After a six year hiatus, TAKE FIVE was brought back in spring 2014 with a focus on Appalachian Literature and presentations by Dr. Linda Frost, Shaheen, O’Dea, Cleaveland, and Prevost. Previous sessions of TAKE FIVE had been held during early summer, but a decision was made to change the schedule and scatter the presentations over the spring semester during the months of January to April.
Widespread acclaim for this shift in schedule led to using it again for Take Five 2015—World War I Literature. The subject was chosen to tie in with several events at UTC commemorating the 100th anniversary of the start of the war.
“Over the years fifty to one hundred and fifty students and community members have gathered to discuss a wide range of books. Some community members have attended TAKE FIVE every year it has been offered. Others have been attracted to particular sessions because of the topic. Each year brings in new audience members,” said Prevost.
