CANYON, Texas — West Texas A&M University’s Great Books Series will continue in November with a short story about one of the region’s most valuable resources.

Dr. Ryan Brooks, associate professor English in WT’s Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages, will lead the discussion of Terese Svoboda’s “Ogallala Aquifer” from her 2019 collection “Great American Desert.”

The Great Books discussion will take place at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 at Burrowing Owl Books, 7406 Southwest 34th Ave., Suite 2B, in Amarillo.

“‘Ogallala Aquifer’ is a story about a farmer, his daughter and her son grappling with how to respond to corporate pollution that threatens the groundwater under their land. Through this story, Svoboda dramatizes how this issue is perceived differently by members of different generations and by people with differing political perspectives and economic interests,” said Brooks, who also serves as WT’s director of graduate studies in English.

“I picked this work because it’s a great example of a writer using fiction to explore a real-life issue that is hugely important to our region,” Brooks said. “My hope is that reading and discussing the story creates an opportunity to discuss the future we want for the aquifer, and therefore the future we want for the High Plains itself.”

The discussion series—sponsored by the Department of English, Philosophy and Modern Languages in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities—is open to those who either have or haven’t read the story, said organizer Dr. Daniel Bloom.

WT professors and guest lecturers lead the monthly Great Books discussions.

For information, email Bloom at dbloom@wtamu.edu.