Zoom Book Discussion: Heartland by Sarah Smarsh

Join us as we discuss the NYT Bestseller, Heartland by Sarah Smarsh, over zoom with Humanities Kansas discussion leader Nicolas Shump.

“Ad Astra: Working Hard in the Heartland” is a Humanities Kansas TALK (Talk About Literature in Kansas) initiative that seeks to elevate the stories of working Kansans. Our discussion of Heartland aims to spark conversations on what it means to be working class in 21st century Kansas and to highlight the resilience of the often overlooked and over-worked members of our communities. 

Kansan Sarah Smarsh writes about growing up in rural Kansas during the 1980s and 1990s. She moves beyond a Kansas love story, however, and openly discusses taboo topics such as money (or lack thereof), teen pregnancy, divorce, and depression. Chronicling her family’s hard-scrabble life and struggles to make ends meet, Smarsh speaks about the toll of working on the working class. 

Nicolas Shump teaches history and English at the Barstow School in Kansas City, Missouri. He received his M.A. in American Studies from the University of Kansas. Shump joined the TALK program in 2012.

Manhattan Public Library has several copies of the book to check out. Please do so at the second floor reference desk. Heartland is also available as an eBook and audiobook through Sunflower elibrary.