‘In the Country of the Undone’

The Tuesday Lunch Series welcomes Peter Grandbois, associate professor of English and narrative journalism, presenting “In the Country of the Undone: A poetics of mental illness.”

We have always had an uneasy relationship with madness. The history of mental illness is, in many respects the history of silence, the history of shame. As a creative writer, Grandbois’ discussion will veer into a poetry reading and perhaps even an excerpt from a stageplay, all written during his past year’s sabbatical exploration of the history of the ways in which human beings talk about, tip toe around, or turn away from those who suffer from mental illness and the consequences of that engagement or lack thereof when it comes to treatment and care.