Author Amanda Ripley to give Sept. 22 virtual lecture on K-State common book
Wednesday, Aug. 24, 2022
MANHATTAN — "The Unthinkable" author Amanda Ripley will give a virtual lecture to discuss her award-winning book with Kansas State University students, faculty and staff. The book has been selected as the K-State 2022 common book.
"An Evening With Amanda Ripley" will be livestreamed on the K-State First Book website at 7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 22. The event is free and open to the public.
"Ripley has written an absolutely fascinating book, filled with research and with deeply human stories about how we help each other survive in catastrophes and crises," said Greg Eiselein, professor of English and director of K-State First. "I think our students will love hearing her talk more about what went into writing this extraordinary book."
In "The Unthinkable," award-winning journalist Ripley explores who survives when disasters strike and why. Half of Americans have been affected by a disaster of some kind. In big disasters, regular people are the first and most important rescuers on the scene. But very few of us know what to expect until it is too late.
Ripley combines the stories of survivors with research into how the brain works under extreme duress. "The Unthinkable" tries to bring light to civilization’s darkest moments. Why do we freeze in the middle of a fire? How can we override this instinct? Why do our senses of sight and hearing change during a terrorist attack?
"I read 'The Unthinkable' a few years ago and listened to Amanda Ripley on the podcast 'How To,'" said Tara Coleman, K-State First Book coordinator and associate professor at K-State Libraries. "I'm so excited to hear her talk about the research behind the book and the events that happened after it was published."
K-State First Book, the all-university reading program that is part of K-State First, selects a common book for the academic year and coordinates classroom and campus activities to correspond with the reading. K-State First Book provides incoming students with a shared academic experience they can discuss with professors, staff, administrators and other students when they arrive on campus.
The fall semester will include multiple virtual and in-person events that connect with the 2022 book selection. View a full list of events and find more information at k-state.edu/ksfb.
Other events include:
• K-State student welcome event featuring the 2022 common works of art, 5:30-7 p.m., Thursday, Sept. 1.
• "'The Unthinkable' for Your Career" panel discussion, 5:30-6:30 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 6.
• "'Becoming Trauma Responsive': A College of Education Documentary on the Effects of Trauma on Learning, Behavior and Developing Relationships" panel discussion, 4:30-6 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 20.
• K-State MANRRS and "The Unthinkable" panel discussion, 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Friday, Sept. 23.
• "K-Staters Responding to Crisis" panel discussion, noon to 1 p.m., Friday, Sept. 30.
• "Disaster Response for Animals — Large and Small" panel discussion, 2-4 p.m., Friday, Oct. 28.
• "Navigating Trauma in School and Social Settings" lecture, 1:30 p.m., Wednesday, Nov. 2.
K-State First Book is partnering with several university and community organizations to coordinate programming for the 2022 common book. Programming partners so far include the Marianna Kistler Beach Museum of Art; the English department in the College of Arts and Sciences; the College of Education; the College of Architecture, Planning & Design; the Minorities in Agriculture, Natural Resources and Related Sciences, or MANRRS, chapter; the College of Veterinary Medicine; the College of Health and Human Sciences; the Division of Multicultural Student Affairs; K-State Libraries; the Mary Lynn and Warren Staley School of Leadership and UFM Community Learning Center.
