We’re very excited to bring you a discussion of J. Drew Lanham’s The Home Place.

National Geographic wrote that Lanham’s book is a “lyrical story about the power of the wild [that] synthesizes J. Drew Lanham’s own family history, geography, nature, and race into a compelling argument for conservation and resilience.”

Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum is partnering with the Ypsilanti District Library in a community read program featuring books that portray the intersection of race and the environment. Two titles have been selected this year, one for adults (The Home Place by J. Drew Lanham) and one for children (Ruby’s Birds by Mya Thompson). Both are available for request at YDL.

On June 28 we will hold a virtual discussion of The Home Place. Our special guests will be Sheridan Alford, an environmental educator and co-organizer of the online movement Black Birders Week; and Karen Simpson, an Ann Arbor-based writer and author of Act of Grace.

Do you have a question or comment, or a reflection you’d like to share about the about the book? Please submit your questions, comments, or reflections in advance by clicking here.