Author's Nov. 3 presentations via video conference

Agee will read from her novel, The Bones of Paradise, from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. via video conference in the Student Center. The free, public book discussion will cover the issues the novel raises about living in western Nebraska, according to organizers of the event Dr. Matt Evertson and Markus Jones.

Agee will also give a public reading via chadronstate.tv at 6 p.m. Attendees in Old Admin Room 320 will be able to ask Agee questions.

An Omaha native, Agee teaches creative writing at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She earned a bachelor’s at The University of Iowa and her master’s and doctorate at The State University of New York at Binghamton. She is the author of more than a dozen books, including novels, collections of poetry, and collections of short stories. Three of her books, Strange Angels, Bend This Heart, and Sweet Eyes were named Notable Books of the Year by The New York Times.

Her awards include a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship, two Loft-McKnight Fellowships for fiction, two Minnesota State Arts Board grants in fiction, and the Nebraska Book Award. Her most recent novels include The Weight of Dreams and The River Wife.

According to the One Book One Nebraska website, The Bones of Paradise features a multigenerational family saga set in the Nebraska Sand Hills in the years following the massacre at Wounded Knee. It’s a tale of history, vengeance, race, guilt, betrayal, family, and belonging, filled with a vivid cast of characters shaped by violence, love, and a desperate loyalty to the land.

The One Book One Nebraska reading program encourages Nebraskans across the state to read and discuss one book each year, chosen from books written by Nebraska authors or that have a Nebraska theme or setting.

Libraries across Nebraska have joined other literary and cultural organizations in book discussions, activities, and events to encourage Nebraskans to read and discuss the book. Support materials to assist with discussion activities are available at Get Involved. Updates and activity listings are posted on the One Book One Nebraska Facebook group.