{"id":15152,"date":"2013-05-16T08:00:30","date_gmt":"2013-05-16T13:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.discoverclarksville.com\/articles\/?p=15152"},"modified":"2013-05-16T02:25:07","modified_gmt":"2013-05-16T07:25:07","slug":"new-apsu-students-community-encouraged-to-read-saints-at-the-river","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.discoverclarksville.com\/articles\/2013\/05\/16\/new-apsu-students-community-encouraged-to-read-saints-at-the-river\/","title":{"rendered":"New APSU students, community encouraged to read ‘Saints at the River’"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"AustinClarksville, TN<\/strong> – This summer, Austin Peay State University will welcome new students who will register for classes and pick up one of their books that will serve as the common reading assignment for Fall 2013 semester.<\/p>\n

The new book is \u201cSaints at the River\u201d by Ron Rash, and the community also is invited to read the book and participate in the campus events and book discussions beginning in September. New student orientation and registration will begin May 18th and continue throughout the summer.The book was selected for APSU\u2019s annual reading initiative called The Peay Read. One of the highlights of this year\u2019s program will be a special presentation from the author, Ron Rash. He will speak at 7:00pm, Thursday, September 26th in the Dunn Center at APSU. The talk is free and open to the public. A book signing will follow his talk.<\/p>\n

The Peay Read is designed to provide a unifying experience and contribute to the academic experiences for freshmen students. However, the reading program also offers opportunities for the entire campus community.<\/p>\n

\u201cSaints at the River\u201d tells the story of how the small South Carolina town of Tamassee is thrown into the national spotlight after a 12-year-old girl drowns in the Tamassee River and her body is trapped in a deep eddy. The girl’s parents want to attempt a rescue of the body; environmentalists are convinced the rescue operation will cause permanent damage to the river and set a dangerous precedent.<\/p>\n

Torn between the two sides is Maggie Glenn, a 28-year-old newspaper photographer who grew up in the town and has been sent to document the incident. Since leaving home almost 10 years ago, she has done her best to avoid her father, but now, as the town’s conflict opens old wounds, she finds herself revisiting the past she’s fought so hard to leave behind.<\/p>\n

In addition to the speaking event on September 26th, The Peay Read festivities will include a number of other activities centered on the events and themes observed in the book:<\/p>\n