Dudley Parallels “Postmortal” to Past

Dr. Chris Dudley will host the One Book, One Campus event tonight. Photo Credit / Rebecca Jasulevicz
Dr. Chris Dudley will host the One Book, One Campus event tonight. Photo Credit / Rebecca Jasulevicz
Dr. Chris Dudley will host the One Book, One Campus event tonight.
Photo Credit / Rebecca Jasulevicz

By Joseph Fialkowski
Copy Editor

Today, October 9, the One Book One Campus Program (OBOCP) will host another review of the novel “The Postmortal,” by Drew Magary.

The discussion will take place at 7:00 PM in Lower Dansburry and will be hosted by Dr. Chris Dudley, along with cohost Dr. Peter Pruim, OBOCP committee chair.

The primary focus of the review will compare historical events in the book to historical events in real life.

Dudley is an assistant professor of history at East Stroudsburg University. He has taught here for four years and is currently the history club advisor, as well as an enthusiast of the OBOCP.

A portion of his graduate research was on eighteenth and nineteenth century Britain. More specifically, he studied the political system in the eighteenth century and how it, as well as the industrial revolution, contributed to great changes during those times.

There are parallels between the novel and that place and time in history, some of which will be discussed at the review.

There was rapid growth in population, increase in divorce rate, and even early incorporations of retirement during the British industrial revolution.

What was the cause for this? What were some of the subsequent consequences and what was the overall outcome? How is this relevant to the novel, or anything for that matter? These are only some of the questions that will be addressed at the review tonight.

The tentative outline for the evening will consist of an introduction by Dr. Pruim, followed by the main review by Dr. Dudley.

Dr. Dudley plans on giving a short, lecture-based background on the bulk of the material he will discuss. This will span roughly five to ten minutes.

The remainder of the discussion will include an interactive question and answer activity between students as well as both professors hosting the review.

According to Dudley, “We are going to try to have some fun talking about historical events that parallel some of the changes described in ‘The Postmortal.’”

Again, the review will be tonight, Thursday, October 9 at 7:00 PM in Lower Dansbury. All students familiar with the novel are welcome.

Email Joseph at:
jfialkowsk@live.esu.edu