About Book
2009 - 10 Common Book
Pellissippi State has a common reading experience for new students. Each year a new book is selected for this program. The intention is to stimulate a year-long discussion of issues related to the book, by encouraging exploration in classes, on and off campus, and with co-curricular programming. This common reading experience involves incoming first-year students, and many faculty and staff.
Definition
Common Book (n) - An innovative approach to orient new students to college. The Common Book gives students a reading experience to share with their peers at Pellissippi State.
Common Book Blog

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Featured Event
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Goins Auditorium Thursday April 8 Two Showings 3:30 & 6:30 pm |
Barbara Kopple’s Academy Award-winning Harlan County USA unflinchingly documents a grueling coal miners’ strike in a small Kentucky town. With unprecedented access, Kopple and her crew captured the miners’ sometimes violent struggles with strikebreakers, local police, and company thugs. Featuring a haunting soundtrack-with legendary country and bluegrass artists Hazel Dickens, Merle Travis, Sarah Gunning, and Florence Reece-the film is a heartbreaking record of the thirteen-month struggle between a community fighting to survive and a corporation dedicated to the bottom line.
Events Presentations - Appalachian Coal Families
Missed the Appalachian Coal Families or another Common Book Event? Watch it at Pellissippi's UStream Channel here. Click on the title of the Event at right to start the session.
Storming Heaven - Common Book
Book Description:
Four strong, entirely different voices evoke the passion and the pain of unionizing the coal mines of Kentucky and West Virginia in the early 20th century. The canvas is broad, the action complex but even minor characters quicken to life in this memorable, beautifully written novel. The inhabitants of the hills of Appalachia see their beloved land stolen by the coal companies; forced to work in the mines, they are cheated out of their pay. Families starve, die of malaria and dysentery and slowly, almost against their will, begin the fearsome job of fighting back. In 1921, an army of 10,000 workers marches on a single town. The coal companies, the police and finally the federal government close in; hundreds are killed and the man who masterminded the attack is shot. As fast paced and compulsively readable as a thriller, this novel never overlooks the gentler pleasure of living on the land, falling in love, raising a family. Stunning sensory images sear scenes on the mind's eye. Giardina (Good King Harry has written one of those rare books that portrays a small world with impeccable clarity while telling an exciting story in vigorous, elegant prose.
From Publishers Weekly
Background:
During the Battle of Blair Mountain, which lasted three days and nights, President Warren G. Harding sent federal troops to Logan County, West Virginia, to put down a cohort of miners who were struggling against the coal companies to gain back control of their lives and land. The forces opposing the workers actually used machine guns and aerial bombs to put down the uprising. Some 200 men, women, and children died. It was the first time federal troops were deployed against United States citizens. Watch the video (below), to find out more about this chilling episode in American history. Also, listen to singer/songwriter David Rovics sing "The Battle of Blair Mountain".
Battle of Blair Mountain Video
Borrow book
Storming Heaven, the Pellissippi Campus Common Book is available on Reserve in the Library and at Satellite Campus ERCs for reading while on-campus.
Events Calendar
Storming Heaven - Events Calendar
- Thursday, Sep 10th, 2009: President's Convocation
11:50 Clayton Performing Arts Center:
Denise Giardina, the author of this year’s common book, Storming Heaven, will be with us to discuss “Language, Power, and Our Appalachian Region.” - Wednesday, Sep 23rd, 2009: In Response to Industrialism
10:50 - 11:50 Goins Auditorium (Rm 136)
David Key: In Response to Industrialism. - Monday, Oct 12th, 2009: Something's Rising
10:45 - 11:45 Goins Auditorium (Rm 136)
Silas House & Jason Power: Something's Rising - Wednesday, Oct 21st, 2009: The Afrilachian ExperienceNoon Magnolia Campus
Jesse Williams: The Afrilachian Experience. - Thursday, Oct 22nd, 2009: Appalachian Coal Families
12:50 - 1:50. Goins Auditorium (Rm 136)
Roundtable Discussion - Tuesday, Oct 27th, 2009: Appalachian Stereotypes in Literature2:30 - 3:30, Blount County Campus.
Eddy Francisco: Appalachian Stereotypes in Literature, Film and Popular Culture. - Tuesday, Nov 3rd, 2009: Appalachian Stereotypes in Literature2:30 - 3:30, Division St. Campus
Eddy Francisco: Appalachian Stereotypes in Literature, Film and Popular Culture - Monday, Mar 22nd, 2010: Coal Mining Families
11:50 - 12:45 Goins Auditorium
Panel discussion on personal experiences featuring faculty and staff. - Thursday, Mar 25th, 2010: Appalachian Heritage: literature, politics and social change12:15 - 1:45 Goins Auditorium
George Brosi -- Speaker -- editor of Appalachian Heritage, speaking on its role in literature, politics and social change in the region - Wednesday, Mar 31st, 2010: Loletta Clouse: Research & Writing historical novelsBlount Campus, Room B104
Loletta Clouse, a local author, speaking about researching and writing her historical novels. - Thursday, Apr 1st, 2010: In Response to Industrialism
11:00am - 12:00noon. Goins Auditorium
David Key, PSCC History Professor presents a lecture on "In Response to Industrialism". Using themes from Storming Heaven as a backdrop, Professor Key highlights the evolution of American Industry a
Events Movies
Storming Heaven - Movies Calendar
- Thursday, Mar 4th, 2010: To Render a Life
3:30 pm & 6:30 pm Goins Auditorium (Rm 136)
A film made about James Agee's book: Let Us Now Praise Famous Men. - Thursday, Mar 18th, 2010: Country Boys (1)
3:30 pm & 6:30 pm Goins Auditorium (Rm 136) - Thursday, Mar 25th, 2010: Country Boys (2)
3:30 pm & 6:30 pm Goins Auditorium (Rm 136) - Thursday, Apr 8th, 2010: Harlan County, USA
3:30 pm & 6:30 pm Goins Auditorium (Rm 136)
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