In September 2004, the Office of Mission and Values introduced DePaul Reads Together (DRT), a program that invites the university community to participate in a book club that focuses its reading on the mission and values of DePaul University.  Small reading groups generally meet twice to discuss the reading, and wrap up the program with an overall panel discussion.

Previous reading selections have included the biography Vincent de Paul: The Trailblazer by Bernard Pujo, Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables, as well as a collection of conference papers published in the Vincentian Heritage Journal, Vol. 23-25, No. 2; Vol. 26, No. 1.

This year's selected reading is Native Son, by Richard Wright. Set in 1930's Chicago, young Bigger Thomas is trapped by the walls of poverty and racism that surround him, and spirals into a violent, criminal life. Native Son has served as a sharp and controversial commentary of the division and inequities of race and social class since its first publication in 1940. In November 2007, the novel made Chicago Magazine's list of top ten essential Chicago novels.

A limited number of complimentary copies of the unabridged novel are still available for the first 100 staff and faculty members to register for the 2008 DRT program. Books will be supplied by the Office of Mission and Values.

Faculty and staff are encouraged to join a book discussion group, which will meet twice during winter quarter, once in February and once in March, to discuss the text. Groups will meet at various times at both campuses. The program will conclude with a screening of the film Native Son on Friday, March 7, to which all DRT participants are invited.

To suggest titles for future DRT programs, or find out more about the program, please contact Alice Farrell at afarrell@depaul.edu or 312/362-8822.