Coastal Carolina University is hosting a reading and discussion of Venetian Porter's book, "The Art of Hajj," at Lackey Chapel on Tuesday, Nov. 5, at 4:30 p.m. This is the fourth installment of the ongoing series, "Let's Talk About It: Muslim Journeys." Guest lecturers will be Sam Baalbaki, Middle Eastern instructor with Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, and Naquin Muhammad, minister from the Muhammad Mosque of Conway. This event is free and open to the public.

The Hajj, one of the five pillars of Islam, is a requirement of the faithful to journey to Mecca at least once in their life. This event highlights the skill and creativity of the artists, craftspeople and the pilgrims who have responded to the call of Hajj throughout the years.

The books being discussed in this series can be found in Kimbel Library on the Bridging Cultures Bookshelf: Muslim Journeys. A limited number of each individual title will be given to registered participants and can be exchanged for the next title in the series after each event.

CCU has chosen the theme "Pathways of Faith" for the reading series that is being presented by CCU's Kimbel Library and Bryan Information Commons and the Department of Philosophy and Religion. The series is in conjunction with "Bridging Cultures," a grant program of the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) designed to familiarize audiences with the people, places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world. Kimbel Library is one of 125 libraries and state humanities councils across the country selected to participate in the project.

The Bridging Cultures Bookshelf is a project of NEH, conducted in cooperation with the ALA Public Programs Office, with support from the Carnegie Corporation of New York. Additional support for the arts and media components was provided by the Doris Duke Foundation for Islamic Arts.

For additional information, to register or to obtain copies of program materials for an upcoming discussion, contact Barbara Burd at 843-349-2401 or bburd@coastal.edu or Allison Hosier at 843-349-4001 or ahosier@coastal.edu.