Let’s talk about crime fiction.
Murder isn’t what it used to be. Explore the shifting role of the victim in detective novels, and how that shift reflects broader social changes.
From Poe and Sherlock Homes to British cozies and Hardboiled pulps, author Matthew Sullivan traces the many influences on the postwar and modern eras of the mystery genre and shows how empathy plays a unique role in contemporary crime novels—especially in today’s literary mysteries.
What does the way crime victims are portrayed say about a society’s culture? Join Sullivan to reflect on the special relationship between reading literature and experiencing empathy—on the page and in our daily lives.
Matthew Sullivan (he/him) is the author of the novel Midnight at the Bright Ideas Bookstore, which was an IndieNext pick, a Barnes & Noble Discover pick, and winner of the Colorado Book Award. His essays and stories have appeared in the New York Times, Daily Beast, Spokesman-Review, Sou’wester, and elsewhere. He is currently a writing teacher and is working on a crime novel set in Soap Lake.
This free presentation is hosted by the Concrete Heritage Museum, Concrete Chamber of Commerce and the Concrete Theatre. It’s sponsored by Humanities Washingon, as part of their Speakers Bureau program.
Dreaming of being on stage?
We’re planning to remodel and update our stage and we need your help. If you are someone who would like to perform here, or you’re part of an organization looking for venue rentals for your production, please let us know. We want to hear about your lighting and stage equipment needs, to help us determine the work that needs to be done.
Cougars & Webcams
Sunday, January 29, 2023
2:00 p.m. • Pay As You Wish
If you’ve ever been to one of Leah Serna’s photo shows, you know there are lots of stories about wildlife! Leah likes sharing the antics she captures and the information she’s gleaned — especially through the use of game cams. In this presentation, she’ll show you what she’s learned about cougars and other critters and what webcams she uses. “Pay as you wish” means it’s free, but if you want to drop something in the popcorn bucket on the counter, it’ll help us reimburse Leah’s travel.
Tales from South Africa
In case you missed it, a second show is being offered on Sunday, February 12 at 2:00 p.m.
Do you want to know what really happened when we went to South Africa in November last year? That our motor coach broke down in the middle of nowhere in 100 degree heat… That an elephant stormed our safari jeep….That Val (who is susceptible to vertigo and has terrible night vision) climbed ladders to the top of a mountain in the dark… That we danced and drummed and had more fun than we’ve ever had on any of our travels. Every day was full of joy, laughter, music, and amazing sights. We’d like to share some of this with you. Please join us.