CAConrad rethinks several etymologies of “soma” in order to create a poetic discipline that reforms the mind-body connection and completely immerses the practitioner. Anne Curzan brings us the history of words and our rituals and traditions around them, leading us along the path of how language changes and how we can embrace that change. And Elyse Graham calls to the forefront some unlikely heroes of World War II—not politicians nor generals, but those who studied the humanities and rewrote “intelligence” on many levels. While seemingly disparate, the featured books celebrate the exploratory, transformational and defiant power of language. 

Presenters: CAConrad, Anne Curzan, Elyse Graham

Moderator: Lillian Li