A powerful and moving novel where science, faith and religion collide will captivate the University community as the 2023-24 Campus Read.
Yaa Gyasi’s “Transcendent Kingdom” tells the story of a Ghanaian family living in Alabama that is deeply affected by addiction and depression.
After losing her brother to a heroin overdose and watching her mother’s mental health decline, Gifty, a sixth-year doctoral candidate in neuroscience at the Stanford University School of Medicine, is determined to discover the scientific basis for the suffering she sees around her. Even as she looks to science for answers, Gifty longs for the faith and family experienced during childhood.
“Transcendent Kingdom” is a New York Times Bestseller and was a finalist for the Women’s Prize for Fiction.
Every year, a class of Honors College students reads and reviews five books suggested by the WVU community to be the Campus Read.
“Almost every student who read ‘Transcendent Kingdom’ during the selection process said the same thing, ‘I couldn’t put it down,’” Susan Jennings Lantz, director of the Campus Read, said. “I think it resonated so highly with our students, because they also find themselves in a developmental space where they are examining their lives through different lenses, exploring new intellectual ideas, and trying to remain true to themselves and their upbringing.”
Lantz went on to say Gyasi beautifully encapsulates the challenges many college students face.
“It isn’t easy to shift from being a child to being an adult, and that’s where most college students find themselves,” she said. “When we add the intersectional challenges of coming to terms with culture, religion, science, economic status and past trauma, college can be a confusing time.”
Now in its seventh year, the Campus Read provides opportunities to engage the campus, particularly first-year freshmen, in a year-long discussion about the themes of a single book.
Throughout the 2023-24 academic year, there will be opportunities for faculty and staff to incorporate the book into courses and programs at all levels. Events centered around “Transcendent Kingdom” will take place during the fall 2023 and spring 2024 semesters. All events will be open to the public and will be posted on the website as they are announced.
Any faculty or staff member whose work intersects with themes of the novel — or who wants to use the book in a class or activity — should contact Lantz at susan.lantz@mail.wvu.edu.