Elizabeth Rush is the author of Rising: Dispatches from the New American Shore, a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize in General Nonfiction, and Still Lifes from a Vanishing City: Essays and Photographs from Yangon, Myanmar. Her work explores how humans adapt to changes enacted upon them by forces seemingly beyond their control, from ecological transformation to political revolution. She teaches at Brown University and is currently at work on a book about motherhood and Antarctica’s diminishing glaciers.

At Gunston, we believe in the transformative power of language and the study of writing as craft. Our In Celebration of Books program is one way that we instill these values in our students. Each year, we invite a writer of local, regional, and national prominence to our campus. Consistent with our mission of educating “ethically and environmentally minded scholars, citizens, and leaders for our globalized society,” the program features authors from all fields and disciplines. In addition to a public reading or talk, each guest also visits the classroom, where students have the unique opportunity to interact with them in a highly-personalized environment. 

This year’s In-Celebration of Books will be virtual. Our schedule for the day is under development but we anticipate Ms. Rush will address the full student body in the morning via Zoom, followed by smaller group conversations with students in English electives, relevant science classes, and members of the Environment & Outing Club.