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Frankenstein: A Commentary On Humanity And Nature On Friday's Access Utah

Frankenstein Mary Shelley
Mary Shelley

Frankenstein brings to mind Boris Karloff’s character in the 1931 film, or monster masks worn for Halloween. The book, however, surprises those who think they know the story. It’s a thought-provoking tale examining education, knowledge, and society.  Goodreads says “Frankenstein, an instant bestseller and an important ancestor of both the horror and science fiction genres, not only tells a terrifying story, but also raises profound, disturbing questions about the very nature of life and the place of humankind within the cosmos: What does it mean to be human? What responsibilities do we have to each other? How far can we go in tampering with Nature? In our age, filled with news of organ donation, genetic engineering, and bio-terrorism, these questions are more relevant than ever.”

“Frankenstein,” the 1818 novel by Mary Shelley, is the book chosen for this year’s USU Common Literature Experience. A Convocations Lecture will be given Saturday at 9:30 a.m. in the USU Kent Concert Hall by Associate Professor Brian McCuskey from the USU English Department and Professor Charlie Huenemann from the Philosophy Department. They’ll join us for Friday’s Access Utah. We’ll hear passages from the novel, and clips from the 1931 movie. We may also hear a clip or two from “Young Frankenstein.”

Tom Williams worked as a part-time UPR announcer for a few years and joined Utah Public Radio full-time in 1996. He is a proud graduate of Uintah High School in Vernal and Utah State University (B. A. in Liberal Arts and Master of Business Administration.) He grew up in a family that regularly discussed everything from opera to religion to politics. He is interested in just about everything and loves to engage people in conversation, so you could say he has found the perfect job as host “Access Utah.” He and his wife Becky, live in Logan.