Student, staff, and faculty writing and artwork have been published in a new book from UT Libraries, From the Remains: Reflections on “Station Eleven.”
The book contains the responses of select first-year students, staff, and faculty to the postapocalyptic novel Station Eleven, a 2014 finalist for the National Book Award and the Life of the Mind reading selection for members of UT’s Class of 2021.
Faculty and staff members included in the novel are Brooks Clark, Bruce MacLennan, Mark Rasnake, and Arthur Smith.
Thought-provoking essays, impressive artwork, beautiful photographs, song lyrics, and a poem span the pages of the book. Each entry reflects on Station Eleven’s central themes surrounding life and meaning, with many contributors pondering a mantra repeated throughout the novel: “Survival is insufficient.”
Many of the students were excited to have their work and insights published.
Anna Franklin, an honors communication studies major from Strawberry Plains, Tennessee, hopes her essay will leave an impact on those who read it.
“I’m thrilled that I’ll be able to challenge more people to value life differently and do my part to make my community a better place,” Franklin said.
Others were grateful for the lessons they learned through completing the Life of the Mind assignment. Andrew Comegna, a finance major from Franklin, Tennessee, said the project helped him embark on his college experience with a positive outlook.
“I learned to liberate myself from the daunting nature of entering college as a first-year student,” said Comegna.
In addition to the campus community, members of the local community also contributed thoughtful takes on Station Eleven. These responses come from a wide range of perspectives, including those of an infectious disease specialist, a postapocalyptic novel enthusiast, and a computer science professor.
From the Remains: Reflections on “Station Eleven” is a creation of UT Libraries’ marketing and communications office and is published in partnership with Newfound Press, the libraries’ online imprint. The book is part of an ongoing series based on community reading programs. Its first publication, Toward Justice: Reflections on “A Lesson Before Dying” (2017), preserves thoughtful and creative responses to Knoxville’s Big Read of the Ernest J. Gaines novel.
From the Remains: Reflections on “Station Eleven” and Toward Justice: Reflections on “A Lesson Before Dying” are available to download or read online.
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CONTACT:
Brian Canever (865-974-0937,bcanever@utk.edu)
Haley Harbin (hharbin1@vols.utk.edu)