Banquet Speaker [Western MLA Chapters Meeting, Seattle]
The Middle East is at the forefront of the news today, but did you know Americans were there in the 1800's as teachers, printers, and missionaries? Among them was Dr. Asahel Grant, a country doctor from upstate New York with dreams of healing the sick and saving the world.
Gordon Taylor, a local Seattle author, will be the banquet speaker at the Western MLA Chapters meeting on Monday evening, October 16th. In his book, "Fever and Thirst: Dr. Grant and the Christian Tribes of Kurdistan," Taylor relates the odyssey of Dr. Grant in northwest Iran and nearby Hakkari in southeast Turkey. Gordon Taylor summarizes the state of medicine during Dr. Grant's era in just two words, "bleeding and purging." And yet, Dr. Grant was highly esteemed by those he treated.
In eight years Dr. Grant experienced ten lifetimes' worth of danger. He traversed deserts and glaciers, tended the sick, broke bread with thieves and murderers, and narrowly escaped death from drowning, disease, and assassination, before dying at the young age of 36.
Taylor's personal experiences serving in the Peace Corps in Turkey provided the inspiration for his writing, and his presentation will include stories and images you won't want to miss!
For more information about the book "Fever and Thirst," visit http://www.academychicago.com/feverandthirst.html
Join your colleagues at the banquet. Don’t forget to purchase a ticket when you register. http://www.pncmla.org/pncmla2006/
Contributed by Gail Kouame
Program Co-Chair
Pamela Corley
Publicity
Western MLA Chapters 2006 Annual Meeting Missions and Mountains: Believe and Achieve October 14-17, 2006 Red Lion Hotel, Seattle
Pamela M. Corley
Research Support Librarian
USC Norris Medical Library
2003 Zonal Ave.
Los Angeles, CA 90089-9130
323-442-1125 fax: 323-221-1235
pcorley@usc.edu
