Eric Gansworth, a professor of English and Lowery Writer-in-Residence at Canisius, is one of the recommended authors on the middle school book lists for New York City in the NYC Reads 365 program. His debut young adult novel, If I Ever Get Out of Here, is a powerful story of friendship, memory and the joy of rock ‘n’ roll.
Middle school is lonely for Lewis Blake, the only Native American in his class. That changes when a new seventh-grader moves to town. The boys connect through their mutual passion for music but Lewis has to lie to hide the reality of his family’s poverty from his new friend.
Gansworth’s other books include novels and collections of poetry. His literary works feature paintings as integral parts of their narratives. Both his written work and his paintings depict themes that draw on his experiences growing up on the Tuscarora Reservation and integrate classic iconography with contemporary issues facing the Haudenosaunee.
Submitted by: Sara Morris, associate vice president, academic affairs
