As a continuation of Stockton’s seven year tradition, Stockton had Mary Roach, the author of Spook : Science Tackles the Afterlife, come speak.  After thoroughly reading Spook, I was a little apprehensive to listen to the author speak; I wasn’t a fan or necessarily interested in hearing what she had to say.  Spook went very in depth to a level that forced the idea of a dry presentation into my head.  However, when Mary Roach walked out onto the stage and admitted that she had never spoken in a place with the conventional seating of the PAC, the idea that Roach might not be boring slowly started to creep into my head.

Roach isn’t a woman with wild hair and thick glass that make her seem as crazy as her book may portray her as.  The light-hearted author was very down to earth, snarky, and not cocky about her fame.  After seeing authors speak, I figured that Roach would follow the same pattern, but I was wrong.  As a scientific author, she blatantly admitted “I don’t like science, I find it boring.”  Even though I like science, admitting something like that as a science writer made me really like Mary Roach.  Roach wanted things to be interesting in her book, and she seemed to push finding things interesting.

After the typical speech that college students get (to explore and discover), Roach explained that the only way her books got written were by her state of mind.  Mary Roach explained that, “I ask whatever questions come to mind.”  Roach followed up with an explanation of her investigation on what happens to oysters after people ate them, and explained, “Curiosity opens doors.”  When I heard this, I realized that even though Stockton has a lot to offer, there might be more hidden things around here that I have to find on my own.  My own curiosity is the only thing I have that will push me to be as successful as I hope here.

After Mrs. Roach gave her small speech, she opened up a question and answer session where she literally answered any question that a student would pose.  Listening to her talk completely changed my perspective on her.  She willingly acknowledged that the ending of the book wasn’t the best way to end it.  She had tried “to make a point about knowing and believing.”  Instead of a definite ending, Roach wanted the readers to be able to think about what really happens; she didn’t take the information and form an opinion for the reader.  I plan on reading her other books in the future because I think that I have a better understanding of her writing after hearing her speak.

If Stockton has more authors like Mary Roach come to speak, I’ll definitely frequent the events.  I think that sitting with almost the entire freshman class was a great way to help exchange some ideas about the book, and throw in some ideas from other freshman seminars.  After seeing this event, I’m really excited to start exploring RSC’s other events and can’t wait to see what the rest of the semester will hold.  Hopefully they’re as interesting as this one was!