Nov. 6, 7 pm
The Black Box Theater

Third Annual James Jones Lecture Series: Tim O'Brien

Novelist Tim O'Brien writes mostly about his experiences in the Vietnam War and the impact of the war on American soldiers who fought there. He is best known for such works as "If I Die in a Combat Zone, Box Me Up and Ship Me Home" (1973) and "The Things They Carried" (1990). He is the recipient of numerous awards including the James Fenimore Cooper Prize for Best Historical Fiction, Chicago Tribune Heartland Award in fiction and and was a finalist for both the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics Circle Award. His most recent novel is "July, July".

After his reading and lecture, O’Brien will offer a book-signing in the Concourse of the Doudna Fine Arts Center, where he will be joined by Kaylie Jones, James Jones's daughter and author of the recently published "Lies My Mother Never Told Me" and "A Soldier’s Daughter Never Cries." This event is special part of the bi-annual Symposium of the James Jones Literary Society.

The James Jones Lecture Series was established by the EIU College of Arts & Humanities, the department of English, and the department of History, in conjunction with the James Jones Literary Society. The series is offered in support of the establishment of the James Jones Chair in World War II Studies in English and History at EIU.

Nov. 10, 7:30 pm
Dvorak Concert Hall

EIU Wind Symphony: The Call to Duty

In honor of Veterans Day, the Wind Symphony will salute veterans past and present with "The Call to Duty".

All active-duty military members and veterans wearing all or part of their uniforms or VFW regalia will be admitted free to the concert. All Central Illinois veterans who have been killed in action, or who served but have since passed, will be acknowledged during the concert. To avoid omissions, community members are asked to provide the veterans' names and hometowns, as well as the name of the wars in which they served, by Nov. 6, via e-mail (mdallen@eiu.edu) or phone message (217-581-2799).

A "To Honor, Thank and Remember" display will be set up in the Doudna's Concourse, where community members may display pictures, letters and other items either from their own service or in honor of another who has served. Items may be placed before the concert and retrieved either after the concert or at the end of the week. The display will be available for public viewing through Nov. 13

The EIU Wind Symphony, led by conductor Milton Allen, will perform several musical selections:

• Those who have served will be asked to stand during the "Armed Forces Salute."
• French composer Darius Milhaud's "Suite Francaise," dedicated to the Americans who fought with the Allies and the French Underground for the liberation of France during World War II, will be illustrated by images provided by Dan Crews.
• David Gillingham's "Heroes, Lost and Fallen" is the first piece to memorialize those lost in the Vietnam conflict — and to pay tribute to those who survived.
• Jerker Johansson's "The Missing Man" and Samuel Hazo's "Each Time You Tell Their Story" will provide the back drop as those who were lost are honored.

Tickets are $5 each, or $3 for EIU students and may be purchased in the Doudna Fine Arts Center box office (217-581-3110) from 11:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. weekdays, or one hour before each performance. Tickets may also be reserved via e-mail at doudnatix@eiu.edu.

Nov. 12-13 | Doudna Fine Arts Center, Martin Luther King Jr. University Union

Literature Conference: Re-encountering Shakespeare

The Twentieth Annual Literature Conference for Teachers and Lovers of Good Books.

Re-encountering Shakespeare features scholarly presentations and workshops examining the works of the Bard of Avon. Thursday, Nov. 12 features a preview performance of the EIU Theatre Department's The Tempest, along with a conversation with director Bill Kincaid.

For online registration, please visit the Continuing Education web site. Please register by Nov. 2.

Nov. 12-14 | Lecture Hall
Nov. 14 | Will Rogers Theater, Charleston Square

Embarras Valley Film Festival: 'Lincoln, Memory, and the Civil War'

The Embarras Valley Film Festival, co-sponsored by Eastern Illinois University’s College of Arts & Humanities and the Coles County Arts Council, is a yearly event honoring a person or theme relevant to the Embarras Valley. The year 2009 marks the 200th year since the birth of Abraham Lincoln and accordingly, the EVFF will celebrates the life of this great U.S. president who had family ties in the Coles County area.

For more information, please see the EVFF web site.