The Department of English and Creative Writing Program are launching University of Nebraska–Lincoln Reads, a new campuswide reading series, in conjunction with its Creative Writing Month celebration in October.

The series’ inaugural selection is Roxane Gay’s “Hunger: A Memoir of (My) Body.” The book is Gay’s personal story about her emotional and psychological struggles with food, appearance, consumption, pleasure and a violent act from her childhood that shaped her life.

Gay, a Husker alumna, will host a reading of her work and book signing at 7 p.m. Oct. 4 in the Nebraska Union (room posted).

Leading up to Gay’s presentation, participants of the reading series are invited to attend one of three open book discussions on campus and a panel discussion on Gay’s “Bad Feminist,” a book of essays on modern culture and its representation of women in art.

The book discussions will be 4 to 5 p.m. Sept. 26, in the Women’s Center; 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Sept. 27, in the LGBTQA+ Resource Center, Room 346 in the Nebraska Union; and 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. Sept. 28 in Andrews Hall, Room 117.

The panel discussion, “Women in Art and Pop: On ‘Bad Feminist’ and Representation,” is slated for 12:30 p.m. Sept. 25 in Bailey Library, 229 Andrews Hall. The panel will be comprised of Kwakiutl Dreher, associate professor of English; Brigette McQueen Shew, founder of the Union of Contemporary Art in Omaha; and Hope Wabuke, assistant professor of English. It will be moderated by Adrienne Christian, doctoral student in English and art.

Timothy Schaffert, Susan Rosowski Professor of English, said anyone on campus can participate — they need only to find a copy of the book and read.

“Our goal with the reading series is to showcase diverse voices,” Schaffert said. “Roxane is a perfect fit for this, and with her being an alum, the faculty and students have been very eager to bring her to campus.”

Schaffert said the plan is to make University of Nebraska–Lincoln Reads a fall and spring tradition. Organizers have chosen former U.S. Poet Laureate Natasha Trethewey as the spring author, in conjunction with National Poetry Month in April.