Tampa Great Books Council Sponsors Talking Service

We’re grateful for the 12 independent Great Books councils that support reading and discussing literature by modeling it in their communities, and we’re especially grateful when these councils make an effort to introduce the experience to new people. Earlier this year, the Tampa Florida Great Books Council sponsored Talking Service—our reading and discussion program for veterans—by providing one of their host sites for discussions.

The four Talking Service discussions of selections from our anthology, Standing Down: From Warrior to Civilian, involved more than 20 participants, many of them veterans. The discussions were a result of a rewarding collaboration between dedicated Tampa council members and the Florida Humanities Council (sponsor of Talking Service at other sites in the state).

As Talking Service grows nationally, we look forward to more involvement from the traditional Great Books audience in this much-needed opportunity for veterans to get together and reflect on their past experiences, current concerns, and aspirations for the future.

We hope that more Great Books Councils will follow Tampa’s lead and find ways to host Talking Service programs in their communities. Thank you Tampa Great Books Council!