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Recently in literature Category
 Here's hoping that all of you dear readers had lovely holidays and a felicitous, peaceful, and smooth entry into the beginnings of 2012. During this time of year, I often hear from students who have either graduated recently or long ago and who I now call friends. Two friends who I mention here are former students from our English Department at The University of Nebraska-Lincoln: Lenna Pierce is a gifted musician and singer and Emily Danforth is a gifted writer whose first novel comes out in February.
I had coffee with Lenna Pierce last week. She had just returned from her cross-country one-woman concert tour: from Lincoln, Nebraska to New York. It was intriguing listening to her road stories. She recounted experiences in bars, dives, and very nice concert venues. Most interesting to me were her descriptions of the music she heard along the way, the musicians she met--alternative, experimental. Lenna is in a world far and away from popular culture. The kind of music she creates with her cello, voice and words, transcends anything that is on the radio or I-Pods right now. I find it literary, creatively multi-layered, so complex in its lightness. Before Lenna went solo, she performed with Rachel West (who accompanied Lenna's cello with an accordian) and they called their duo, "Das Hoboerotica." They played various venues here in Lincoln, Nebraska until Rachel decided to pursue other interests. Now Lenna has broadened her concert card to a number of states between here and New York (inclusive of NY). You don't meet many alternative cello playing singers. Lenna says the cello, "just feels so right. You know, it's big and warm but it's dark too. It's not a simple instrument, but it is a beautiful one." Lenna's music reminds me of the Argentine singer, Juana Molina. Juana sings in what I call "Rioplatense Spanish transcendency." Rioplatense is the regional Spanish she chooses to use in the writing of her songs. Listen to her here: (CLICK) and also here: ( CLICK). She is in a kind of trance, repeating words, verses, shifting chords that shift the listener, move us into another space. Sometimes I imagine Lenna Pierce playing with Juana Molina. What a collaboration that would be!
If you're in Lincoln, Nebraska tomorrow (Friday, January 6th) you can hear Lenna Pierce at Meadowlark Coffee House at 8p.m. (1624 South Street).
Emily Danforth received her PhD in creative writing just last May 2011 from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. She is now an Assistant Professor at Rhode Island College in Providence.
When I read Emily's words, I am literally there lying on the Montana fields watching those slow moving clouds above me. She carries you from there to heartbreaking and bittersweet first love, loss, and maturity. The book is already a "starred review" from Kirkus Reviews: "Rich with detail and emotion, a sophisticated read for teens and adults alike." Booklist also starred it: "[An] ambitious literary novel, a multidimensional coming-of-age." It will be released February 7th. You can also pre-order from your local bookstore!
Lately, book publishers have been marketing their books with youtube mini-films. It's brilliant. Emily's publisher, Balzer and Bray have come out with a sweet, lovely "trailer" so to speak, to whet your appetite. Here it is: CLICK HERE.
I always wish for our students to find what makes their hearts leap, to pursue a passion-- not to pursue what someone else thinks they should be doing. I hope for students to dig deep inside themselves and find their true gifts to develop. Lenna and Emily are passionate about their work. It shows. It delights. We are lucky to have them share their gifts with us.
And on that note, today I read a wonderful article in the New York Times regarding professors who are taking their lectures "to the bar" or to concert hall venues, or main stages of clubs-- giving lectures for free-- trying out their ideas in public. This is wonderful. Here's the article about it entitled: " Continuing Education, at the Bar." These are people who wish to reach a different audience from the 8a.m. class. It's a way to spread the love of learning.
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It's that time -- the end of the semester when I am thinking so much about my students and our time in class. Here are some of the books we've read together---
 We've had such a jam-packed semester reading and discussing plays, attending plays, reading/discussing memoirs, novels, watching films, having a myriad of guests, laughing and learning together.
This is English 212--Lesbian and Gay Literature and the students in this class are strong and powerful individuals who are unafraid to read a wide variety of amazing literature. My thoughts keep going to one of our early readings this semester: Tony Kushner's play, Angels in America. In an interview, Kushner discussed his play saying, "The question I am trying to ask is how broad is a community's embrace? How wide does it reach?" Kushner is speaking of personal as well as political bonds. In Angels in America, it is only after these personal and political bonds are tested, deconstructed, destroyed, that then community is regenerated/recreated to include connections never before imagined. I think of our group knitted together within the fabric of literary analysis. And yet, within that fabric, our analytical discussions unravel our own preconceived notions or break open toward other avenues of inquiry. The authors we read have created works that problematize what it means to be human or what it means to be an individual within a constructed normative society.
Sometimes I wish this could be a year course. There is so much more to read, so many more films to consider with these works of literature. I always hope that my students will not stop but continue and many of them do. Today when one of my students gave me her final paper, she exuberantly told me how she had come across more books in her research and that she will be reading them over the winter break. Her effusive manner was contagious. I kept smiling the rest of the afternoon.
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Thanks to everyone who joined us today at CSULA! It was standing and sitting room only at our "The Historical Novel" panel. Profesoras y escritoras Graciela Limón, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Emma Pérez, y yo were greeted by such generous and important questions after we read from our books and discussed why the historical novel genre is especially prescient for our twenty-first century. What we are all doing is returning la mujer to history--giving her voice. So important.
Las escritoras: Amelia Montes, Alicia Gaspar de Alba, Graciela Limón, Emma Pérez
Fielding questions from the audience
The audience!
After our panel, I also met many young Chicanas y Chicanos who are also dedicated to the "word" and I am posting their pictures here and will explain their projects (below). These young students, especially, were such a pleasure to meet because I see in them passion and commitment to the "word." They see that in the reading and writing of literature, they are participating in deepening their understanding of their humanity, of our culture. By writing, they are creating art and contributing to the transformation of their world. YOU are the future!
Who are these vibrant, young writers pictured above? In their book _Behind Every Beautiful Eye_, the section entitled "About the Authors," reads: "We wrote this book when we were freshman at the Los Angeles School of Global Studies (LASGS). We are a diverse group of students coming from the United States, Mexico, the Philippines, El Salvador, Honduras, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Jamaica. We all have one thing in common--we know what it's like to grow up as teenagers in the neighborhoods of downtown Los Angeles" (357). This is a project that can happen in any city because Latinas y Latinos are in every state of the U.S.
And joining the Global Studies students are these vibrant young writers who call themselves, "Barrio Writers." They are the first "Barrio Writers" chapter in Santa Ana, Califas--a non-profit reading and writing program that aims to empower teens through creative writing, higher education and cultural arts. This winter, their first anthology publication (entitled _Barrio Writers_) will be out. Order a copy now at Barrio Writers BLOG!! I send a special gracias to Claudia Breña (standing next to me in the picture) who took time to talk to me about being a "Barrio Writer." Much success to Claudia and all the Barrio Writers!
A special shout out to Chicana Detective novelist, Lucha Corpi! She read from her story, "Hollow Point at the Synapses" just recently published in the anthology, Hit List: The Best of Latino Mystery (edited by Sarah Cortez and Liz Martínez). Lucha also discussed the importance of writing the mystery and detective novel. Gracias Lucha!
Felicidades to René Colato Lainez (above) fellow Macondista and children's author at the Latino Book Festival author booth today. He has two new books coming out: René Has Two Last Names (out October 31!) and The Tooth Fairy Meets El Ratón Pérez. I have seen René read from the El Ratón story--priceless! Bilingual books ROCK. Gracias René!
And finally--a big GRACIAS to mi carnala, Pat Alderete, Chicana author, who joined us for the day, took pictures, engaged me (as she always does) in important discussions about literature, writing, Chicanisma, barrio life, and the art scene in Chicana Los Angeles! Orale Pata. Gracias por tu presencia en mi vida! Abrazos!
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--audience members at Bird & Beckett Bookstore
Thank you to Eric, owner of Bird & Beckett Bookstore! There were so many wonderful people interested in learning about Ruiz de Burton tonight. Some were there because they had read about the reading in the SF newspaper, others saw it on the B&B website. Most said they were there to find out about the first Mexican American novelist--amazed that Latina literary heritage dates back to the mid-nineteenth century. And then there was my "tocaya" (translation: "namesake"), Amelia Vigil who was there with her mother. Here is a picture of Amelia Vigil and me:
Amelia Vigil attends Mills College and is soon to graduate. She's a creative writer and is interested in how writers consider blogging and facebook. Is blogging a creative enterprise, similar to, say, fiction writing? I say "no" and so does my "tocaya." Blogging can be a flash thought, a posting of an event (like this one), quick discussions. I look forward to more conversations about this with Amelia Vigil. It was quite a pleasure to meet her and her mother. I too, like Amelia's mother, am a first generation Latina/Chicana and like my "tocaya," I am the first in my family to receive a B.A. (which then I went on to the M.A. and Ph.D). I see Amelia Vigil doing the same if she so desires it.
What a thrill to meet everyone at the reading. Thank you for your interest in Ruiz de Burton but most of all, thank you for your love and commitment to literature! Gracias!
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