OBOC 2008 Program
They Poured Fire on Us From the Sky
By Benson Deng, Alephonsion Deng, and
Benjamin Ajak with Judy A. Bernstein
"[T]he soft plainness of the young writers' voices, combined with
their moral insight, throws the surreal danger and strife into sharp
relief. They speak for the Sudanese who cannot, to attest that
'although people always hoped and prayed for peace, peace
never came."
- San Diego Union Tribune
"Although the experiences themselves deliver an indictment, the
account is remarkably without condemnation or self-pity, and the
boys exhibit an underlying innocence and purity."
- Los Angeles Times
About the Program
The annual One Book, One Community (OBOC) program, co-sponsored by the City of East Lansing and Michigan State University, encourages the city-university community to read the same book and come together to discuss it in a variety of settings. The book is also an assigned reading for all incoming MSU freshmen.
OBOC Events
The
OBOC program offers a number of events centered around the themes of the book.
Kick-Off
Meet the Author Benjamin Ajak
Wednesday, August 20; 7:30 p.m.
East Lansing High School Auditorium, 509 Burcham Drive
The event is free. Admission will be first come first serve (no tickets required)
Doors open at 6:45 p.m.
Thursday, August 21; 9:30 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.
University Welcome for Incoming MSU Students
Wharton Center for Performing Arts,
MSU Campus
Public is welcome
See full schdule of Events
This Week in OBOC
Writing Workshop:
They Poured Fire On Us From The Sky is the story of three young boys forced to flee their village and their country because of a devastating civil war. The book is their narrative of their journey to safety, a memoir of their escape from Sudan and a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit in overcoming insurmountable obstacles and unbearable grief. What, we might ask ourselves, do we have in common with these boys? We, too, are all on a journey. It may not appear as dramatic as that of Odysseus or of The Lost Boys, but we all travel many road through perilous country in our lifetimes. There are the physical journeys we make, the ones that uproot us from home and family and take us to places far away, and the psychological ones that allow us to escape from fear and grief into realms of peace and understanding. There are the spiritual journeys we make from landscapes of doubt and uncertainty to spaces of belief and even passion. And there are the quests of self-discovery that surprise us with unexpected forks in the road, unlikely traveling companions, and unpredictable destinations. In this workshop we will write about those highways we have traveled, keeping in mind the journeys of Alepho, Benjamin, and Benson and discovering in our stories what, after all, resonates with theirs.
Tuesday, September 2, Tuesday, September 9 & Tuesday, September 16;
4:00 – 6:00 p.m. or 7:00–9:00 p.m.; Reading of Works, Tuesday, September 23, 7:45 p.m.
Register for this session beginning on August 4 by calling 351-2420.
East Lansing Public Library, 950Abbott Rd., Community Room;
Reading on September 23rd, Theater, Residential College of Arts and Humanities, MSU Campus. The reading is open to the public
Support the Program
Support the OBOC program by shopping at Barnes & Noble, 333 E. Grand River Ave., in East Lansing. From June 11-12, Barnes & Noble will donate a percentage of every sale to the OBOC program. Please mention that you would like your purchase to benefit the program.
OBOC Resources
www.theypouredfire.com
Discussion Questions
download 2008 OBOC flyer