Now in its second year at the University of Utah, Great Books in the Humanities introduces first-year students to foundational literary and philosophical works from across world civilizations, alongside recent scholarship that deepens our understanding of enduring questions. At an evening reception at the Fort Douglas Commander’s House on October 16, campus and community members gathered to hear from this year’s Great Books faculty about their books and their approaches to teaching them to students.

In a blend of memoir and scholarly investigation, Dailey recounts the life and death of her mother, who was “a gifted teacher, a passionate reader, and a pathological liar.”

What makes a leader authoritarian, and how do they rule? This central question animates the work of Ruth Ben-Ghiat, professor of history and Italian studies at New York University.