Literature for Lunch is a beloved public book discussion series hosted by Boise State University Professors of English Literature for nearly half a century. Beginning in 1980 with Professors Dr. Carol Martin and Dr. Jan Widmayer, the series has evolved in location, leadership, and format, yet its heart remains the same: a welcoming space for thoughtful conversation about great literature.
The series is led by Professor Ann Campbell, who has been directing discussions since 2022. She brought the program to the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Center in 2023, where it continues to thrive. Literature for Lunch will be hosted by Professor Campbell throughout the 2024/25 and 2025/26 academic years.
All discussions are free and open to the public, and are held on Fridays at 12 noon at:
Osher Lifelong Learning Institute Center
220 E. Parkcenter Blvd., Boise, ID 83706
Whether you’re a longtime attendee or new to Boise, join us for rich conversations and a shared love of literature, community, and connection.
Questions? Contact Ann Campbell, anncampbell@boisestate.edu
Osher Lit for Lunch 2024/25 Schedule:
September 13, 2024: Anthony Trollope The Way We Live Now (1875)
October 25, 2024: John Updike The Witches of Eastwick (1984)
November 8, 2024: Charles Dickens, A Christmas Carol (1843):
No meeting in December
January 24, 2024: Karen Brooks, The Good Wife of Bath (2022)
February 21, 2024: Paul Scott, Staying On (1977)
March 7, 2024: Alberto Urrea, The Hummingbird’s Daughter (2006)
April 4, 2024: The Sentence, Louise Erdrich (2021)
May 2, 2024: Three Summers by Margarita Liberaki, Trans. Karen Van Dyck (1946, republished 1995)
Osher Lit for Lunch 2025/26 Schedule:
Sept 12, 2025: George Eliot, Daniel Deronda (1876)
Oct 10, 2025: Misery, Stephen King (1987)
Nov 7, 2025: The Marriage Portrait, Maggie O’ Farrell (2022)
No meeting in December
Jan 16, 2026: David Copperfield, Charles Dickens (1850)
Feb 13, 2026: I Claudius, Robert Graves (1934)
March 13, 2026: Kim, Rudyard Kipling (1901)
April 19, 2026: Book by Cabin Series Reading and Conversation Author TBA
May 8, 2026: The Wind in the Willows, Kenneth Grahame (1908)
For readings of previous years, visit the Lit for Lunch Archives Page.