As followers of the Leatherby Libraries blog are almost certainly aware, we’ve been eager sponsors, co-organizers and participants in the year-long campus-wide series La Frontera – The Border: An Interdisciplinary Examination. From art exhibits to book displays to the upcoming conference,that will be held on campus November 14-16, 2019, the Leatherby Libraries has enjoyed taking part in this campus-wide conversation about borders, particularly the U.S.-Mexico border.

As a part of this initiative, the library hosted a book club discussion on The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from the Border. The author of the book, Francisco Cantú, a former border patrol agent, will be giving the keynote address for the La Frontera – The Border conference this Thursday, November 14th.

The book club discussion was led by Delp Wilkinson Professor of Peace Studies Lisa Leitz and Leatherby Libraries Development Librarian Essraa Nawar. Participants included students, faculty, and staff, and the entire hour and a half was filled with lively discussion. Among other things, participants discussed the use of English and Spanish in the book, the book’s portrayal of machismo among the border patrol agents, and the sometimes heartbreakingly-human way Cantú portrays the immigrants he encountered in the course of his job. It was clear from the spirited, robust conversation that campus community members are excited to hear Cantú speak later this week.