Some thirty dedicated readers gathered September 11, 2019, at Tampa Palms Country Club for the Great Books Fall Conference on the theme of “American Immigration.”  Moderators Kevin Chittim and Linda Feeney led the discussion of the conference texts – “ Coyotes: A Journey Across Borders with America’s Migrants,” by Ted Conover, and “ Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen,” by Jose Antonio Vargas. 

Here are pictures from the day.

Linda Feeney (top center) led the morning discussions for this group, which included (clockwise from lower left): Shanda Khilnani, Arlene Zimney, Garney Cope, Nick Graves, Sara Cohen, Cheryl Walker, Linda Feeney, Anne Strozier, Catherine Haddock, Garson Herzfeld, Ken Kotecha, Lynn Pohl, and Joel Fyvolent.
Kevin Chittim (top center) led a second group for the morning discussions, including (clockwise from bottom): Jack Herman, Shobha Sharma, Simone Leal, Stanley Ashe, Moira Burke, Tita de la Cruz, Lawrence Pohl, Tom Walker, Kevin Chittim, Lydia Lombardo, Judy Patterson, Lucinda Knox, and Mark Simo.
Nick Graves (wearing hat) makes a point, while Garney Cope, Sara Cohen, and Cheryl Walker evaluate.
Catherine Haddock reflects on her professional journalism training and the doctrine that reporters shouldn’t become involved as participants in stories they cover.
Joel Fyvolent offer his input while Lynn Pohl looks on
Garzon Herzfeld seems to be seeking guidance from above as he reflects on his youthful experiences picking oranges overseas.
Tita de la Cruz, Lawrence Pohl, and Tom Walker evaluate the author’s motivating for writing “Coyotes.”
Shobha Sharma, a former teacher of English as a Second Language, reflects on her experiences dealing with a recent wave of immigrants searching for blue-collar employment, not graduate education or professional careers.