Every semester, the college of Language and Letters at BYU-Idaho invites the campus to join them by reading an assigned book. It’s called the “Campus Big Read” and two or three times a semester, students and faculty meet to discuss and ask questions about the assigned book. These meetings are called “Big Read Chats.”
The Campus Big Read and Big Read Chats are led by Dan Pearce, a professor on campus. This semester, the chosen book is “The Odyssey” by Homer.
The first meeting of the fall semester happened on October 12. It was led by Pearce and he brought in another faculty member to answer questions and discuss different ideas about “The Odyssey” with those who came to the meeting.
Pearce says reading good works of literature can be a life-changing experience. Many students have expressed their appreciation to Pearce for the opportunity to read the books.
“It’s not me. It’s the books,” Pearce said. “The books that have been around for a long, long time and the people keep reading. It’s because the books are that good and they’re that great, and they’re that inspiring.”
The next Big Read Chat will happen on November 29 at 2 p.m. in the Gordon B. Hinckley Chapel.