OFFBEAT: Join me Thursday at VU for free coffee talk about Roger Ebert memoir

Film critic Roger Ebert is a man whose life has had more twists and turns and tears and triumph than many movie plots.

And through it all, he remains one of the most honest and genuine people I've ever met during my two decades of journalism.

I've only known Roger Ebert, the man connected to the most famous thumbs in show business and a Pulitzer Prize for his field, through my casual connections of working in the same fish bowl of Chicagoland media.

The first time we met was in 1993 when I interviewed him at his weekend home in New Buffalo, Mich., while he was promoting his new "Roger Ebert's Video Companion" book. I had graduated from Valparaiso University a year earlier, and he had agreed to do a joint book signing with his fellow newspaper columnist and author friend Rev. Andrew Greeley, who also had a home in New Buffalo, and at the time, also a newly published book.

After that, I would see Ebert at film screenings and Chicago social events.

So when I received an invitation in October from VU English department professor Arvid Sponberg to be a guest presenter at the 2012 VU Books and Coffee Series discussing Ebert's recent memoir, I was happy to accept.

The invite read:

"On behalf of the English department, Arvid Sponberg, Edward Uehling and Miranda Heckler invite you to review 'Life Itself: A Memoir' by Roger Ebert for 'Books and Coffee,' the department's public book review series. The date we have in mind is Feb. 9, 2012. If you accept this invitation, we will provide a copy of the book that you may keep as an honorarium.

Since 1974, 'Books and Coffee' has been a regular event on the first eight Thursdays of the Spring Semester. This year all reviews will occur in the Harre Union. Each review begins promptly at 4 p.m. and ends at 5 p.m. Reviewers usually speak for 35-40 minutes and then take questions from the audience. The audience consists of our neighbors from the surrounding community and usually numbers about 110-120 for each review."

So now, I extend an invitation to Times readers to be part of what promises to be a lively hour of interesting discussion Thursday afternoon dedicated to the life and career of the legendary (and all around good guy) Roger Ebert. The event is free and will be in the ballroom of the Harre Union in the center of campus, just across from the chapel. Refreshments will be served.

For more information on this event, call (219) 464-6001.

The opinions expressed are solely those of the writer. He can be reached at philip.potempa@nwi.com or (219) 852-4327.