Published: April 13, 2008 12:08 am            

Mixing up books and bluegrass

The Stillwater Public Library and OSU library will present a “Books and Bluegrass” program Thursday at 7 p.m.

The program will feature Oklahoma Reads Oklahoma award-winning author Rilla Askew and Stillwater’s own Flatland Grass Band.

Askew will discuss her award-winning book, “Fire in Beulah,” and her new novel, “Harpsong,” which was published by the University of Oklahoma Press. Both books will be available for purchase and author’s signing.

“Fire in Beulah,” which concerns the Tulsa Race Riot of 1921, received the American Book Award from the Before Columbus Foundation and the Myers Book Award from the Gustavus Myers Center for the Study of Bigotry and Human Rights in 2002.

Born in southeastern Oklahoma, Askew is a fifth-generation descendant of southerners who settled the Choctaw Nation in the late 1800s.

After Askew’s talk, Flatland Grass Band will perform. The four OSU students in the band, Sam Parks, James Hempfling, Blake Parks and Blake Newton, have been performing together since December 2006.

The program is free and open to the public and includes refreshments and door prizes.

        

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