The latest round of speakers to take center stage at Library U are snatching their topics straight from today’s trends.
Attention will be paid to a plethora of pop culture specimens, including rap music, superheroes, comedy and Washington’s own musical evolution at the weekly speaker series held from 10 to 11 a.m. Saturdays, April 9, 16, 23 and 30 in the Bainbridge Public Library’s large meeting room.
Each topic will be tackled by a different appropriate expert in an instructor lineup including journalists, philosophers and teachers.
The schedule:
April 9: “Washington’s Musical Pioneers: The Swing Years and Beyond,” with Amanda Wilde.
Wilde, a musical journalist and KUOW radio host, will explore both the unique influences and common themes that unite three distinct Washington musicians — Bing Crosby, Jimi Hendrix and Kurt Cobain —with their respective groundbreaking cultural ages.
Along the way, Wilde will show how music influenced technology, business trends and the general reputation of the Evergreen State.
April 16: “Seriously Funny: Humor, Film and Philosophy” with Mike VanQuickenborne.
Film holds tremendous power to shape the thoughts and beliefs of the audience. In this unique presentation, VanQuickenborne, a philosophy instructor at Everett Community College, discusses the powerful combination of comedy, philosophy and film using examples such as “Being John Malkovich,” “I Heart Huckabees,” “Intolerable Cruelty” and “Adaptation.”
April 23: “Superhero America: The Comic Book Character as Historical Lens” with T. Andrew Wahl.
Since the revolutionary debut of Superman in 1938, the American superhero has been a more or less constant part of our popular culture landscape. In this multimedia presentation, Wahl, a comic book historian and journalism instructor at Everett Community College, explores how historical events and shifting social mores can be seen in the evolution of some of our most beloved modern myths.
April 30: “Rap 101 —The Message Behind the Music” with Eric Davis.
Few forms of art are as openly political as rap music. What are the deeper cultural and societal implications of rap and what does the evolution of this specific musical style say about the state of the country today? Davis, a sociology instructor at Bellevue College, will explore contemporary culture, diversity issues and social justice concerns through the lyrics of popular rap music.
Trendy topics
What: Library U presents “American Pop Culture: A Humanities Washington Speaker Series.”
When: 10 to 11 a.m. Saturdays, April 9, 16, 23 and 30.
Where: Bainbridge Public Library.
Admission: Free.
