CCW Dinner & Discussion: LaRose by Louise Erdrich
Date and time
Location
Aquinas Hall Patio
The Catholic University of America 620 Michigan Ave. NE Washington, DC 20064Description
Join the Contemporary Catholic Writers Group for a potluck-style picnic dinner and discussion of
Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Fiction
Finalist for the 2017 PEN Faulkner Award
In this literary masterwork, Louise Erdrich, the bestselling author of the National Book Award-winning The Round House and the Pulitzer Prize nominee The Plague of Doves wields her breathtaking narrative magic in an emotionally haunting contemporary tale of a tragic accident, a demand for justice, and a profound act of atonement with ancient roots in Native American culture.
North Dakota, late summer, 1999. Landreaux Iron stalks a deer along the edge of the property bordering his own. He shoots with easy confidence—but when the buck springs away, Landreaux realizes he’s hit something else, a blur he saw as he squeezed the trigger. When he staggers closer, he realizes he has killed his neighbor’s five-year-old son, Dusty Ravich.
The youngest child of his friend and neighbor, Peter Ravich, Dusty was best friends with Landreaux’s five-year-old son, LaRose. The two families have always been close, sharing food, clothing, and rides into town; their children played together despite going to different schools; and Landreaux’s wife, Emmaline, is half sister to Dusty’s mother, Nola. Horrified at what he’s done, the recovered alcoholic turns to an Ojibwe tribe tradition—the sweat lodge—for guidance, and finds a way forward. Following an ancient means of retribution, he and Emmaline will give LaRose to the grieving Peter and Nola. “Our son will be your son now,” they tell them.
LaRose is quickly absorbed into his new family. Plagued by thoughts of suicide, Nola dotes on him, keeping her darkness at bay. His fierce, rebellious new “sister,” Maggie, welcomes him as a coconspirator who can ease her volatile mother’s terrifying moods. Gradually he’s allowed shared visits with his birth family, whose sorrow mirrors the Raviches’ own. As the years pass, LaRose becomes the linchpin linking the Irons and the Raviches, and eventually their mutual pain begins to heal.
But when a vengeful man with a long-standing grudge against Landreaux begins raising trouble, hurling accusations of a cover-up the day Dusty died, he threatens the tenuous peace that has kept these two fragile families whole.
Inspiring and affecting, LaRose is a powerful exploration of loss, justice, and the reparation of the human heart, and an unforgettable, dazzling tour de force from one of America’s most distinguished literary masters.
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FAQs
Q: What is the Contemporary Catholic Writers Group?
A: CCW is a reading series started by Catholic University English graduate students in 2015. Learn more about us on our English department webpage and listen to author talks and interviews (coming soon) here. All CCW events are free and open to everyone.
Q: What should I bring for dinner?
A: The main course will be provided. Guests are invited to bring an appetizer, beverage, or dessert to share.
Q: Why do I need to register?
A: RSVPs help us ensure there will be enough food and space for everyone. Each book discussion is limited to 12 participants. If your plans change and you are no longer able to attend, please update your registration status for the sake of waitlisted guests.
Q: What if I haven't finished the book before the meeting?
A: Join us anyway! But be prepared for spoilers.
Q: Where exactly is the event location and where can I park?
A: Aquinas Hall is on the north end of campus (D8 on campus map): https://www.catholic.edu/res/docs/cuamap.pdf. Parking in the Aquinas/Marist lot is free from 5 to 8pm.
Q: Will the author be present at this event?
A: No, but if you bring him or her along as your +1, we owe you a drink.
Organized by
Inspired by Dana Gioia’s essay “The Catholic Writer Today” (First Things, 2013) and the myriad responses it has evoked since its publication, the CUA Contemporary Catholic Writers Group was founded in 2015 to raise awareness and appreciation of literary works by living Catholic writers and to engage the CUA community in the current broader conversation regarding the future of the Catholic literary imagination. While the group gives special attention to American Catholic writers, it also includes occasional selections of international writers and works in translation. A few times each year, the group also complements this primary focus on contemporary Catholic literature with discussions of past Catholic writers and of current (non-Catholic) writers who deal with questions of faith.
An English graduate student initiative, this reading and discussion group is sponsored by CUA’s English department and is open to CUA graduate students and faculty from all departments, as well as independent scholars---Catholic and non-Catholic alike---who are interested in the relationship between literature and faith. Meetings are held on a monthly basis during the academic year. Guest lectures, poetry readings, and other literary events are held throughout the year and are free and open to the public.
For more information about Contemporary Catholic Writers, please contact Jessica Schnepp (71schnepp@cua.edu) and visit the “CUA Contemporary Catholic Writers” Facebook page to receive updates and event invitations. Details for monthly events are also made available on The Nest (nest.cua.edu).
Website: http://english.cua.edu/student-life/Contemporary-Catholic-Writers-Reading-and-Discussion-Group.cfm