On September 26, convocation was held in the PAC in which we were given the opportunity to meet Mary Roach, the author of the freshman common reading, Spook. She was a delight to listen to, and I was able to gain a broader understanding of the book through listening to her experiences and inquisitive nature. It was a pleasure to be able to listen to such a renowned author. I felt like I left the room with a plethora of new knowledge to share with my peers.

The question and answer session was very helpful and provided new meaning to the book. She explained that she was not all that happy with how she ended the book, and the reasons for not including topics such as Western reincarnation. The issue was that the university that held the studies in the paranormal that researched cases such as reincarnation did not want their work to be released to the public to avoid humiliation. Hearing these answers quelled some of the discontent I had held previously towards the book, as I was not too fond of how the book ended, and I really wanted to hear more on the topic of reincarnation, especially in Western culture.

Mary Roach was an overall delight and kept the crowd entertained. Everyone in the audience seemed to enjoy having her there and had insightful questions for the question and answer session. It was also an option to actually go up to and talk to Mary Roach and get your book signed. Sadly, I had to run to get a bite to eat before heading to class, so I was unable to take up on the offer although I did have my book on me. However, if she was to ever return to campus, I’ll be sure to be in the audience.