Planning a lecture on Fight Club and its dystopian themes. Spending time watching this 2003 Palahniuk documentary/video thing called Postcards from the Future:
Month: April 2013
the house of order stories–2013 int’l latino book award finalist
Latino Literacy Now has listed my book The House of Order Stories as a finalist for their Mariposa Award Best First Book Fiction Award: 2013 Int’l Latino Book Awards Finalists. Could not be more pleased or honored.
what’s write for me interview
Just finished a very engaging What’s Write for Me interview on my book, writing and the process of writing. Thank you to the host Dellani Oakes.
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recuerdos-memories: latino experience in the land of lincoln
Lincoln Presidential Library hosting discussion of immigrant experiences, followed by food and music
From Swedes in the 1840s to southern African-Americans in the 1940s, newcomers helped strengthen Illinois with fresh ideas and energy. The process continues today with Latino immigrants, who will be the focus of a Cinco de Mayo discussion and celebration April 28 at the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
The free event, entitled “Recuerdos-Memories: Latino Experience in the Land of Lincoln,” runs from 1-5 p.m.
It begins with a round table in the library. Illinois judges,professors, educators and community activists will give brief presentations about their personal experiences with immigration or its role in their communities They’ll also discuss the generations-long history of Latinos in Illinois. A question-and-answer period will follow.
Afterward, visitors can enjoy refreshments and music in the library atrium. The group El Nuevo Trio Acapulco will perform “corridos,” which are Mexican ballads with themes of oppression, immigration, revolution and other social conditions.
“This event brings us together to explore the diversity within Illinois, the immigrant experience and the American dream. Lincoln and his tenacious pursuit of the American dream continues to be a global inspiration to those who want to improve life for themselves and those around them,” said Eileen Mackevich, executive director of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum.
The panelists discussing their personal experiences and the historic role of Latinos in Illinois include:
· Claudia Zabala, a dual-language teacher in Beardstown.
· Salvador Valadezof Bloomington, lead researcher for the McLean County Museum of History’s Latino History Project.
· John Paul Jaramillo, associate professor of creative writing at Lincoln Land Community College and author of the short-story compilation The House of Order.
· Manuel Barbosa of Elgin, who served 14 years as a judge on the U.S. Bankruptcy Court, Northern District of Illinois.
· Ricardo Montoya Picazo of Springfield, representing the Culturally Integrated Education for Latinos Organization.
This event builds on the presidential library’s exhibit on Benito Juarez, who is often called the Mexican Lincoln for presiding over Mexico during a period of war and social change in the 1860s.
Cinco de Mayo dates back to the 1862 Battle of Puebla, whenthe Mexican Army defeated the poorly prepared but vastly superior Frenchmilitary. After the defeat, Juarez instructed Mexican mariachi bands to playthe national anthem and lively corridos to mark Mexico’s victory. He laterdeclared Cinco de Mayo a holiday. Citizens turned out in lavish displays ofcolorful dress for a street festival filled with corridos music, dancing, andfood.
Cinco de Mayo is not widely celebrated in Mexico today butremains popular with Mexican-Americans in the United States.
Refreshments are being provided by La Familia Mexican Bakeryin Beardstown.
Entertainment co-sponsored by Great Plains: Laborers-Employers Cooperative & Education Trust
rereading mark richard’s strays
This afternoon I’m rereading Mark Richard‘s “Strays” for my Lit 150 class:
“Uncle trash rakes everything my brother and I owned into the pillowcases off our bed and says let that be a lesson to me. He is off through the front porch door, leaving us buck-naked at the table, his last words as he goes up the road, shoulder-slinging his loot, Don’t ya’ll burn the house down.”
margaret atwood’s the handmaid’s tale
Prepping to discuss Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale tomorrow in my Lit 111 course. We’ll discuss more dystopian elements, feminism and watch some scenes from the film adaptation.
salinger documentary poster
Reading an article about the Salinger documentary. The new poster has an interesting design.
tom spanbauer and literary minimalism
Preparing for Lit 150 and discussion of Amy Hempel’s stories “The Cemetary Where Al Jolson is Buried” and “The Harvest”. This morning I’m reviewing Tom Spanbauer’s notes on literary minimalism:
Notes on Literary minimalism—(exemplified by Mark Richard, Amy Hempel and Chuck Palahniuk)
Literary minimalism is characterized by an economy with words and a focus on surface description. Minimalist authors eschew adverbs and prefer allowing context to dictate meaning. Readers are expected to take an active role in the creation of a story, to “choose sides” based on oblique hints and innuendo, rather than reacting to directions from the author. The characters in minimalist stories and novels tend to be unexceptional.
Instead of grand narratives we see briefer and more economical scenes and seemingly insignificant moments that “add up to more than the sum of their parts.”
pablo neruda’s remains
Reading about Pablo Neruda’s remains that are to be exhumed. It is alleged Pinochet’s regime poisoned the poet.
benjamin alire sáenz wins 2013 pen/faulkner award for fiction
I’m looking forward to reading this award winning book by Benjamin Alire Sáenz.
Great interview here: “An award like this isn’t ever just for the person that won it; it’s for the community who raised that writer.”
representations of columbus
Columbus owes Washington Irving quite a bit. Also his portrait/face has never been authenticated. In fact, Charles Patrick Daly calls this painting from 1592 “pure fancy.”
Not much changed in these different cartoon and feature film representations of Columbus:
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