Welcome, WashU readers! These book discussions are offered on a quarterly basis throughout the year and are hosted by WashU alumni and parents. Connect and network with members of the WashU community through this online forum to discuss current books, pulled from a variety of genres. It's free to join! All you need is a copy of the book.
The book selection for this quarter is Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI by David Grann.
Before the event, please take some time to review the discussion questions.
Meeting Host: Mary Yeldham, AB '93, WashU Parent. This discussion will be held over Zoom. Groups of 8-10 will be put into breakout rooms to allow for smaller discussions and more participation among attendees. If you would like to lead one of these groups, please indicate your interest on the registration form below.
About the book:
In the 1920s, the richest people per capita in the world were members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma. After oil was discovered beneath their land, the Osage rode in chauffeured automobiles, built mansions, and sent their children to study in Europe.
Then, one by one, the Osage began to be killed off. The family of an Osage woman, Mollie Burkhart, became a prime target. One of her relatives was shot. Another was poisoned. And it was just the beginning, as more and more Osage were dying under mysterious circumstances, and many of those who dared to investigate the killings were themselves murdered.
As the death toll rose, the newly created FBI took up the case, and the young director, J. Edgar Hoover, turned to a former Texas Ranger named Tom White to try to unravel the mystery. White put together an undercover team, including a Native American agent who infiltrated the region, and together with the Osage began to expose one of the most chilling conspiracies in American history.
Killers of the Flower Moon is now a major motion picture!
Cost: Complimentary, registration is required.
NOTE: You will receive a confirmation email after completing registration. If you do not receive one, please email alumninetworks@wustl.edu.
