LEWISTON — The University of Southern Maine’s Franco-American Collection will host USM Professor Joseph Conforti for a reading and discussion of his memoir, “Another City Upon a Hill,” at 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 16, in room 170 of USM’s Lewiston-Auburn College, at 51 Westminster St. Admission is free; donations are welcomed.

“Another City Upon a Hill” is a memoir of Conforti’s childhood in Fall River, Mass., a city that, like Lewiston, is home to a number of immigrant communities, including many Franco-Americans.

Conforti, whose mother was Portuguese and whose father was Italian, recounts how he negotiated those identities in a city where ethnic heritage mattered. Paralleling his own account, Conforti shares the story of his family, three generations of Portuguese and Italians who made their way in this once-mighty textile city.

The story will be both familiar to Lewiston-Auburn’s Franco-American community, and will offer a different perspective on questions of immigration and identity. All are welcome to attend, and no prior knowledge of the book is necessary to participate.

Conforti is professor emeritus of New England studies at the University of Southern Maine.

In the case of inclement weather, the event will be postponed. Call the USM LAC “Stormline” on the day of the event to check for closings: 753-6595.

For more information, contact James Myall, coordinator of the Franco-American Collection, at [email protected] or 753-6545.