Join others in reading and discussing Native writer Louise Erdrich's acclaimed novel, The Painted Drum.  Erdrich's 10th novel tells three stories from different time periods, united by a share Ojibwe artifact - a painted drum - that passes from a North Dakota reservation to New Hampshire and back again.  Intricate and beautifully written, Erdrich moves effortlessly between the Anglo and Indian worlds, telling her story in a style both lyric and precise.  Her mastery as a writer is seen in neatly etched characters and fine prose infused with wisdom and wit throughout.

Lynne Williamson, Director of the Connecticut Cultural Heritage Arts Program at the Institute for Community Research (Hartford) will lead a discussion of this work in the Research Library.  Ms. Williamson, of Mohawk-Mississauga descent, has been a museum professional for 30 years, working to develop exhibits and programs which explore the rich artistic traditions of many ethnic groups in New England.