Historical novels tell interesting stories about a time and a place and the people who live there, requiring authors to do extensive research so their writing accurately reflects the history of the period. Using This Tender Land by William Kent Kreuger as the launching point, this class will offer a one-hour look at the history of the Great Depression and then continue with a discussion of the novel as a piece of contemporary literature. Readers and history buffs welcome! You should read This Tender Land before the class.

Moderators: Stan and Diane Henderson are avid readers--Stan reads history, Diane fiction. In other lives, they would have been history and English professors. Now they share their passions with us. Pre-retirement, Stan was Vice Chancellor for Enrollment Management and Student Life at the Univ. of Michigan-Dearborn, and Diane an educational program planner and consultant. Both are currently failing retirement.