Welcome to ESU Happy Hour! The ESU has planned a series of programs to connect and reach out to our members through programs that are engaging, fun, and informative on a wide variety of topics. Happy Hour programs bring to you guest speakers live and free of charge.  Speakers may also suggest a unique cocktail for you to create and enjoy at home. These programs are designed so ESU members and guests can learn and interact with our outstanding speakers. Many speakers will provide exciting participation opportunities with fun give away books and products at the end of each program.

We invite members to suggest topics for future ESU Happy Hour Programs at this link. Cheers!

J.R.R. Tolkien was a towering figure in the world of twentieth-century English letters. His labors on Beowulf continue to shape the literary landscape, his work on the Oxford English Dictionary still serves, and his groundbreaking thoughts about the role and purpose of fairy stories gave focus to the thoughts of C.S. Lewis and other Inklings. The Rev’d. Andrew Lazo returns to speak to the ESU about Tolkien’s approach to myth and language in his own period—an approach that still speaks call on our age as well. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Central Florida Branch.

Co-Authors Dr. Robin Werner and her colleague, Dr. Elizabeth Lewis, will discuss their book titled Vampire Literature: An Anthology. Specifically, they will talk about the anthology’s inspiration and the challenges of the creation process. 

Vampire Literature: An Anthology is the first anthology designed specifically to introduce students and general readers to the history, theory, and cultural impact of the literary vampire. With coverage from the early nineteenth century to the twenty-first, Vampire Literature: An Anthology brings together a wide range of texts from many eras and collects work by American, British, Irish, and Caribbean writers. The focus is on shorter prose texts, primarily short stories and novellas; in a few cases, longer works are excerpted. A range of illustrations, from political cartoons to film stills, is also included.

Don’t miss this discussion on an often-misunderstood genre of literature by highly acclaimed authors who bring considerable research into the topic. This ESU Happy Hour is sponsored by the ESU Atlanta Branch.