For the first time since its launch in February 2021, the Oswego Alumni Book Club has selected a book by an alumni author. The club has chosen to read the novel "A Comedy of Pretzels" by Joseph “J.J.” Boskin ’51, an award-winning author and a professor emeritus of history and African-American studies at Boston University.
He will deliver a free online author talk at noon on May 7.
Hailing from Belmont, Mass., Boskin has authored six books, edited six volumes and has written dozens of articles about American social history, pop culture, ethnicity and conflict. Throughout his career, he was the recipient of numerous teaching and research awards and received the Oswego Alumni Association’s Distinguished Alumnus Award in 1981.
His most recent book, the current reading selection in the Oswego Alumni Book Club, shares the story of idealistic Reuben Lamberth, a young scholar teaching at a university with another foot planted secretly in the world of standup comedy as Josh Sandburg (a stage name pulled from “joshing” and renowned American poet Carl Sandburg). Should he be outed as a comic, he jeopardizes receiving tenure and his marriage to a fully tenured faculty member could suffer as well.
Learn more about how the story unfolds by joining the Oswego Alumni Book Club for free to participate in the next reading period by visiting pbc.guru/oswego.
Boskin, who was involved in Sigma Gamma at Oswego, shared in 1987 “Homage to a Teacher,” which he wrote about his classmate and college roommate of three years, the late Melvin Bernstein ’51, whose curious and voracious mind inspired Boskin to also question and feed his own search for knowledge.
After graduating from Oswego, Boskin went on to earn a master’s degree at New York University and a Ph.D. at the University of Minnesota. He worked as a faculty member at Minnesota, Iowa and the University of Southern California before coming to Boston University in 1969. He remained until his retirement in 2000-01, and continued to teach at BU’s Metropolitan College.
Much of his teaching and writing focuses on American social history, including popular culture, ethnicity, violence and humor.
Those interested can use this Zoom link to attend (Meeting ID is 925 1158 7923).
-- Submitted by University Advancement