Notes from No Man's Land

First-year students gathered in small groups Monday, Sept. 18, to discuss Notes from No Man’s Land, this year’s common text. All entering students previously received free copies of the book and a study guide. Their discussion of the book took place as part of Welcome Week. 

Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism and the Graywolf Press Nonfiction Prize, Notes from No Man’s Land is a collection of essays that highlights many important and challenging conversations about race in the U.S. 

President Stephen Sundborg, S.J., found the essays “fascinating and easily accessible, [likely to] expand students’ knowledge and stretch them a bit more.” Interim Provost Bob Dullea believes that “faculty in a variety of disciplines will find strong opportunities to connect parts of the book to their courses.” 

As announced this month, the book’s author, Eula Biss, will be visiting campus on Tuesday, Oct. 10, to engage with students, faculty and staff, and take part in a number of events culminating with a literary reading and Q&A session from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in Pigott Auditorium. 

On Monday, Sept. 25, the Office of Multicultural Affairs, through its Moral Mondays program, is sponsoring an all-day public reading of the book.

Additional Coverage: Watch the move-in day video and check out our photo gallery of the big day for incoming and returning students. Plus, there’s President Sundborg’s farewell to parents, new student and transfer student convocations and the first day of non-law classes.