Join Illinois Central College’s “Between the Lines” program to explore the historical novel The Weight of Ink by Rachel Kadish on Tues., March 6 from 7 to 8 pm in Arbor 112 on the Peoria Campus. Catharine Schaidle will offer a presentation on the book and lead the discussion.
“There was life in London. There was life in her. And desire. A flame leapt in her, defiant of the bounds in which she'd imprisoned it.” – Weight of Ink, Rachel Kadish
You might be thinking this is just a line from another bodice-ripper throwaway paperback.
In Kadish’s book, the desire alluded to is a deep burning quest for knowledge and understanding denied by the mere fact of a Jewish woman’s gender in 17th century London. In this sweeping historical novel, readers go back and forth from the 17th century when Ester Velasquez arrived in England as an immigrant and was permitted to scribe for a blind rabbi to the travails of the young postgraduate student and his ailing historian mentor who discover her work hidden beneath a staircase, in the 21st century.
“Between the Lines” is a lecture series presented by the faculty members of the English, Humanities and Language Studies Department at ICC. The goal of the series is to offer literary presentations that will interest students and people in the community, as well as promote reading literacy and scholarly study.
The programs are free and open to the public.