“Community of the Imagination”: International Writing Program Film
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An archive file of the film Community of the Imagination, produced by Gerald Krell in 1973, is now available online. The hour-long documentary was commissioned by the United States Information Agency, one of the early funders of the IWP. Its producer and director Gerald Krell and his crew came to Iowa City in winter of 1973, shot for about a week, then completed the production at the USIA facilities in Washington DC. The film was then shipped to US Embassies world-wide and shown locally, at screenings or via broadcast media. After years in the vaults it has surfaced. The video provides a rich trove of IWP history and an ingenious perspective on the writers.
The writers in the 1973 residency:
AMADI, Elechi - Nigeria
AMPATZOGLOU, Petros - Greece
ASHOKAMITRAN, J. Thyagarajan - India
BLANDIANA, Ana - Romania
BRAUN, Andrzej - Poland
BRAVO, José Antonio - Perú
CHEUNG, Dominic - Hong Kong
CHOE, In-hoon - South Korea
COSTA, Flavio Moreira - Brazil
DOMINGUEZ, Luis - Chile
GERGELY, Ágnes - Hungary
GUBEGNA, Abbie - Ethiopia
HADI, Abdul - Indonesia
HOWELL, Anthony - United Kingdom
KARPOWICZ, Tymoteusz - Poland
LAPINSKI, Zdzislaw - Poland
MORENO, Virginia R. - Philippines
NAZARETH, Peter - Uganda
POPESCU, Petru - Romania
RAWSON, Alicia Dellapiane - Argentina
RUSAN, Romulus - Romania
SHIRAISHI, Kazuko - Japan
VANEGAS, Teodoro - Ecuador
VENTURA, Adao – Brazil
YU, Tien-t’sung – Taiwan
Hualing NIEH ENGLE
Paul ENGLE
International Writing Program website
In:
Authors:
Date Recorded: July 09, 2009
Program: --
Format: performance
Topics: International Writing Program, history, Cultural Exchange, Iowa City
Christopher Merrill Interview
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International Writing Program website
Authors: Christopher Merrill
Date Recorded: July 09, 2009
Program: --
Format: interview
Topics: History of the IWP residency, International Writing Program, Iowa City Person of the Year, Iowa City UNESCO Designation, Cultural Interchange, Knighthood
Kei Miller Interview
Kei Miller, the 28-year-old Jamaican poet, fiction writer and essayist who is in residence this fall at the University of Iowa International Writing Program, calls his homeland “a remarkably religious country.” And although he no longer actively practices religion, he views the power of religious ritual, scripture and ecstatic experience is an enduring model for what he hopes to achieve in his writing.
“It’s the one trope that comes up again and again in all of my work—modeling things off of religious experience,” he says. “I think I have a relationship with the church from growing up, even if I walked a little bit far from that place. Writing is always ritual, and scripture teaches you how to make work powerful. I think religion is also destructive and awful and sometimes I like to talk about it, and use the language of religion to critique it…
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Jamaican Writer Kei Miller Aims for the ‘Goose-Pimply Moment’
In: Poetry
Authors: Kei Miller
Date Recorded: March 04, 2009
Program: --
Format: reading
Topics: Jamaica, poetry, identity, voice, narrative, religion
Anat Pick and Alina Nelega Reading
In this Shambaugh House series reading, Christopher Merrill introduces each of the speakers. Alina Nelega reads and performs segments from her mono-drama “Amelia Breathes Deeply.” Anat Pick performs selections of her work.
Alina NELEGA (playwright, fiction writer, journalist; Romania) has authored over 15 plays, most recently TAXI/ VINYL; she runs playwriting workshops, translates and directs new writing. A participant in cultural exchanges in Ireland, Switzerland, Holland, Germany, and at the New York Fringe Festival, she has been a beneficiary of international residencies at the Royal Court Theatre and The Bush Theatre (London). Her awards include “Play of the Year 2000,” and “The European Author Award” at the New Plays Festival in Heidelberg, Germany, in 2007, and a shortlist as “best playwright” by the Romanian Writers’ Union, for Kamikaze. She lives in Tirgu Mures, and attends courtesy of the Romanian Cultural Institute and independent sources.
Anat PICK (sound-text performance artist; Israel) began her career as a pianist, eventually branching out to develop a repertoire of innovative language-oriented performance, one elaborating from the base of a phonetic mixture of eastern and western languages. For the past decade, Pick has given concerts across Israel, the Far East, and Europe. Her many collaborations with other artists and musicians have involved a variety of forms, including spoken word and free-improvisation.She maintains an intense interest in the performance of Dada sound poetry. Pick lives in Tel Aviv and participates courtesy of the Foundation for Jewish Culture, and the University of Iowa Louis Schulman Hillel.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry | New Media
Authors: Anat Pick , Alina Nelega
Date Recorded: September 12, 2008
Program: Shambaugh House Readings
Format: reading
Topics: performance, sound poetry
Patricia Hampl Discusses Regionalism
Patricia Hampl discusses regionalism with participants of the International Writing Program. Hampl defines what regionalism means to her and presents her own definition of the term. Hampl speculates that Midwesterners feel a lack of regional identity, and she explores what it might mean to be a Midwesterner. Hampl reads her favorite passage from The Great Gatsby. She takes questions from the audience at the end.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction
Authors: Patricia Hampl
Date Recorded: October 05, 2006
Program: --
Format: lecture
Contributors: David Hamilton
Topics: Minnesota; Grant Wood; Garrison Keillor; Johnny Carson
Note: Year is unknown. Recorded October 5. The tape ends before the discussion is over.
Michael Gartner Reading
Michael Gartner reads from and discusses his book, Outrage, Passion, and Common Sense. Gartner, who himself won the 1997 Pulitzer Prize for Editorial Writing, discusses the great newspaper editors and editorials of the age. Gartner claims that, although times have changed, many of the issues that garner editorials are still the same; he cites Horace Greeley’s editorial from the 1850’s addressing religion in public schools as an example.
Gartner goes on to outline the careers of the men he considers to be the top four editors of all time: Horace Greeley, Henry Watterson, William Allen White, and Vermont Connecticut Royster. He also details a few of the most “eloquent” editorials ever written, including editorials concerning the American Civil and Vietnam Wars, the Dred Scott Decision, and various presidential elections.
During a question and answer period, Gartner considers the quality of contemporary editorials, claiming that “I think the supply of great editorials is dwindling.” He cites the current trend toward chain ownership of newspapers as the main cause for the lower quality of today’s editorials. Gartner goes on to discuss the best piece of advice concerning editorial writing that he has ever received: “Give the other side the space, and your side the thought.” Gartner closes by describing his experience winning the Pulitzer Prize.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Journalism
Authors: Michael Gartner
Date Recorded: December 05, 2005
Works Read: Outrage, Passion, and Uncommon Sense: How Editorial Writers Have Taken on the Great American Issues of the Past 150 Years, by Michael Gartner
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: journalism, editorials, Horace Greeley, Henry Watterson, William Allen White, Vermont Connecticut Royster
David Albahari Reading
David Albahari reads from his book, Götz and Meyer. He begins by discussing his time spent in the International Writing Program in 1986, and how those experiences have informed his writing since. Albahari goes on to explain that all of his novels are written in one long paragraph, joking that perhaps the cause is that the ‘enter’ key on his keyboard doesn’t work. He claims that this style serves as a long labyrinth, where the only way out is through the end of the book.
During a question and answer session, Albahari gives a brief historical background of his novel. The tale follows the lives of Götz and Meyer, two SS soldiers during WWII that were stationed at a concentration camp in Belgrade. Albahari points out that his impetus for writing the work was to sort through in his mind how these “normal people” could commit such atrocities. Albahari explains his research that was performed at the Jewish Historical Museum in Belgrade, and how that research led him to meet the daughter of the man who had sanctioned the mass killings in Belgrade.
Albahari ends by discussing his writing process, explaining that although he currently lives in Canada, he still writes his novels in Serbian. He explains that he had previously attempted to write his novels in English originally, but found that it interrupted his writing flow.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: David Albahari
Date Recorded: December 01, 2005
Works Read: Götz and Meyer, by David Albahari
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Holocaust, Serbia, writing styles, historical research
Deborah Noyes Reading
Deborah Noyes reads from her novel, Angel and Apostle, intended as a “revisionist’s look” at Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter. Noyes explains her decision to write a sequel to The Scarlet Letter, claiming that “writers are thieves at heart, like crows collecting shiny bits for our nests; we take inspiration wherever we can.” She explains that she always held a certain fascination with the character of Pearl, and wanted to explore Pearl’s story further.
During a question and answer session, Noyes discusses the difficulty of writing the novel from a first person point of view while referencing Hawthorne’s language and writing style. She goes on to discuss her exploration of Pearl’s character as an outcast, and her subsequent ability to exist outside of social constraints. Noyes also points out that, unlike in Hawthorne’s novel, the character of Hester Prynne is much more in charge of her life on an emotional level in Noyes’ interpretation of the story.
Noyes discusses her passion for Gothic storytelling, mentioning a compilation of Gothic Stories for young adult readers that she had previously edited. She points out that her role as a reader ultimately informs her role as a writer, claiming that “it’s the accumulation of your reading history that creates your voice.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Deborah Noyes
Date Recorded: November 30, 2005
Works Read: Angel and Apostle, by Deborah Noyes
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne, historical fiction
Meredith Broussard reading
Editor Meredith Broussard reads from her book, The Encyclopedia of Exes: Twenty-Six Stories by Men of Love Gone Wrong, a collection of fictional stories by male writers that explore love and relationships from the male perspective. She begins by reading the forward of the book which relates how she became interested in collecting stories about relationships. Author Lee Klein, at the time a student at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, reads a story by Jonathan Ames as well as his own piece from the collection.
Broussard compares her impressions of the stories in this book, all authored by men, with the stories she collected for her previous work, The Dictionary of Failed Relationships: Twenty-Six Tales of Love Gone Wrong, all authored by women, and reflects on gender differences. She discusses how she tried to choose authors for this collection that would be a counterpoint to the authors in The Dictionary of Failed Relationships. She also discusses her personal relationships and a new project, a memoir of her parents. Finally, Lee Klein talks about his experience in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop and the process of being edited by Meredith Broussard.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive
Authors: Meredith Broussard , Lee Klein
Date Recorded: November 29, 2005
Works Read: forward, Sealed-off by Jonathon Ames, Last by Richard Rushfield, Nightlife by Lee Klein
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander
Topics: love, relationships, gender
Faith Sullivan Reading
Faith Sullivan reads from her novel entitled Gardenias, a sequel to her previous novel, Cape Ann. She begins by reading a poem by a fellow southern Minnesotan poet, Phoebe Hanson. Sullivan goes on to provide a brief synopsis of her novel: two women and a small daughter leave Minnesota to secure jobs in California during the Great Depression.
During a question and answer session, Sullivan acknowledges the women’s issues and feminist undertones that permeate the novel. She discusses the roles of women during the Great Depression, and also their allowance to secure employment outside the home during World War II. Sullivan claims that “this was a mass empowerment of women that has never been seen before in the history of our country”, and thus served as a foundation for the Feminist Movement. Sullivan also discusses the issue of violence against women and the utter lack of social services for women during the time that the novel is set.
Sullivan ends by discussing her writing process, and tells the story of the inception of Cape Ann. Sullivan had approached her husband, who is also a writer, with the idea for a novel, with the hopes that he would pen the story himself. When it became apparent that he was not interested in the story, Sullivan decided to write the story herself.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Faith Sullivan
Date Recorded: November 28, 2005
Works Read: Gardenias, by Faith Sullivan "My Father Mows the Grass," by Phoebe Hanson
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Great Depression, World War II, Minnesota, California, feminism
Jeremy Mercer Reading
Jeremy Mercer reads from and discusses his memoir, Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co.. He goes on to detail the events that led up to his arrival at the Shakespeare & Co. bookstore in Paris, France. Mercer had previously worked as a crime reporter in Ottowa, Canada, and was forced to flee from a criminal that had threatened his life.
Mercer goes on to describe the colorful life of George, the bookstore’s owner. He explains how, through the years, George’s famous bookstore had become a haven for such writers as Anaïs Nin, William S. Burroughs, and Henry Miller. Mercer goes on to describe the relationship he developed with George while living at the bookstore.
In a question and answer session, Mercer explains how he was able to help George secure the fate of the bookstore. He also details the falling out between himself and the owner, pointing out that George had been unhappy with the title that the British publishers had chosen for Mercer’s book, Books, Baguettes, and Bedbugs, claiming that the title fed a longstanding rumor which George despised.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Jeremy Mercer
Date Recorded: November 21, 2005
Works Read: Time Was Soft There: A Paris Sojourn at Shakespeare & Co. by Jeremy Mercer
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: crime reporting, Shakespeare & Co. bookstore,
Note: A short video is played during the discussion.
Craig Davidson reading
Canadian novelist Craig Davidson reads from his collection of eight violent, macabre, and raw short stories, Rust and Bone; his characters include gamblers, fighters, and sex addicts. Davidson admits that occasionally people walk out on his readings because his subjects can be difficult to hear. He first reads excerpts from the piece which lends its title to the collection, “Rust and Bone,” a first-person story about a boxer losing his first “smoker,” an illegal bar fight. He also reads from “A Mean Utility” about a couple who breed and fight dogs, partly as a way to displace frustration with their own infertility. At the time of the reading, Davidson is a student at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop.
In the question and answer session, Davidson discusses why he is drawn to unsavory characters and difficult subjects like dog fighting. He also writes horror fiction under the pseudonym Patrick Lestewka and he explains why and how he chose a penname. He also talks about his experience at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, Canadian writers he enjoys, and why he feels his work is “Un-Canadian.” He discusses his regimented approach to writing and his relationship with his characters. He then shares what he learned from researching pornography for “Friction,” a story about a sex addict. When asked if he thinks he ever pushes his work too far, Davidson explains that he does not censor himself while he writes nor apologize for what he’s written, but sometimes his stories are difficult to publish. Finally, he discusses the final, less graphic story in the collection, “The Apprentices Guide to Modern Fiction” about a magician who abandons his children. He blogs about his work and his life at www.penguinblogs.ca/davidson.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive
Authors: Craig Davidson
Date Recorded: November 17, 2005
Works Read: “Rust and Bone,” "A Mean Utility"
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander
Topics: boxing, dog-fighting, Canadian fiction, violence
Poets Against the War Reading
This reading was organized in conjunction with the national grassroots movement, Poets Against the War (www.poetsagainstthewar.org), and features poets associated with the Writers’ Workshop and the International Writing Program.
Marvin Bell introduces the reading, and then Kiki Petrosino speaks briefly about the spirit and purpose of the reading. Poets Marvin Bell, James Galvin, David Hamilton, John Mateer, James McKean, Dave Morice, Mani Rao, Mary Ruefle, Mary Swander, Jan Weissmiller, and Dean Young each read a selection of poems.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry
Authors: Marvin Bell , Kiki Petrosino, David Hamilton, John Mateer, James Galvin, James McKean, Dave Morice, Mani Rao, Mary Swander, Mary Ruefle, Jan Weissmiller, Dean Young
Date Recorded: November 09, 2005
Works Read: Marvin Bell reads the following poems: "I Didn't Sleep;" "A Lesson from the Core;" and "Hard Times for Army Recruiters."
James Galvin reads the following poems: "Nike;" and "What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up."
David Hamilton reads two poems by Margaret Gibson: "Fuel;"and "Moment." He reads an excerpt from the August, 1804 journal of Lewis and Clark, then reads a poem of his own, "Someone."
John Mateer reads the following poems: "The Bombing;"and "One Year."
James McKean reads an excerpt of Robert Lowell's "Near the Ocean," and a poem of his own, "Policy." He reads the last stanza of W.H. Auden's poem "September 1, 1939."
Dave Morice sings "Deep in the Heart of Bagdhad."
Mani Rao performs two songs. The first song is untitled, but the first line is "Protect me from myself." The second song is titled "Bush."
Mary Ruefle reads a poems that begins with the line, "War engenders violence." She reads John Berryman's "Snowline," and Gerard Manley Hopkins' "Binsey Poplars," and Walt Whitman's "Look Down, Fair Moon."
Mary Swander reads from her book, Crazy Eddy on the Judgement Day.
Jan Weissmiller reads "Eye on Apocalypse;" and "Tribute." She reads Emily Dickinson's "My Life Had Stood - a Loaded Gun."
Dean Young reads "Primitive Mentor." He reads the last stanza of Kenneth Koch's "The Pleasures of Peace."
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Marvin Bell and Kiki Petrosino introduce the reading.
Topics: September 11, 2001; the war in Iraq; the Vietnam War; military draft; (George W.) Bush administration; 2004 Tsunami; Oklahoma City bombing; the War in Iraq; Hurricane Katrina
Mark Blumberg Reading
Mark Blumberg discusses his work, Basic Instinct: The Genesis of Behavior. Blumberg, a neuroscientist at the University of Iowa, begins by discussing various popular culture headlines dealing with genetics and the nature vs. nurture debate. Blumberg points out that the language that is being used to discuss genetics has taken on the lingo of creationism: genes are the body’s blueprints and hold great power.
During a question and answer session, Blumberg discusses instincts that are “species specific"--instincts that have played a direct role in the evolution of a certain species. He does go on to point out, however, that these instincts cannot be divorced from the environment of the animal--much of instinct still relies on experience. Blumberg points out that “there is no place in development where genes can be divorced from the environment, the context.”
Blumberg goes on to criticize popular psychologist Steven Pinker. He decries Pinker’s tendency to simplify actions and instincts as being gene-specific, and calls Pinker’s research “bedtime stories for adults.” Blumberg explains the importance of moving away from this “design thinking” and educate the public on the complex subtleties of genetics and instinctual behaviors. Blumberg acknowledges that Pinker’s argument is popular due to its ability to be packaged into soundbites.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Mark Blumberg
Date Recorded: November 03, 2005
Works Read: Basic Instinct: The Genesis of Behavior, by Mark S. Blumberg
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: discussion
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: human behavior, instinct, evolution, creationism, genes, Steven Pinker
Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo Reading and Discussion
Michael Ugarte, a translator of Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo’s fiction, reads an English translation of Ndongo-Bidyo’s short story, “The Dream.” Ugarte shares the circumstances of the story’s original publication in 1974 and relates the story to Spain and Equatorial New Guinea’s shared history. A prolonged question and answer session follows; Ugarte translates for Ndongo-Bidyogo. The questions of the audience and Ugarte’s English translations of Ndongo-Bidyogo’s responses are difficult to hear, but Ndongo-Bidyogo’s responses in Spanish are clearly audible.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction
Authors: Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo
Date Recorded: October 28, 2005
Works Read: Michael Ugarte reads "The Dream."
Program: Shambaugh House Readings
Format: reading
Topics: Post-colonial Equatorial Guinea; translation; immigration in Spain; Franco
Note: Donato Ndongo-Bidyogo also known as Bidyogo, Donato Ndongo, and Ndongo, Donato.
Kay Redfield Jamison Reading
Kay Redfield Jamison discusses and reads from her book entitled Exuberance: the Passion for Life. Jamison points out that the state of “exuberance” is rarely studied in psychology; psychologists tend to focus their study on the more “morbid mental states.” Jamison discusses the tendency for children to exhibit exuberant qualities, pointing out that “exuberant play” is integral in the development of mammals. Jamison goes on to explain the connection between exuberance and mental disorders such as manic depression and bipolar disorder.
Jamison discusses the interviews she conducted with various “exuberant” scientists and teachers. She points out that exuberance allows individuals to pick themselves up from defeat as well as to seek out innovative ideas, both qualities that are beneficial for people working in these fields. Jamison does point out that exuberance does have its disadvantages: it causes people to be prone to error, not taken seriously, and aggravating to others. Jamison also hypothesizes why Americans in particular value exuberance as a personality trait, citing out American tendencies of “restlessness and an optimism about the future.”
During a question and answer session, Jamison discusses the gender differences in how exuberance is exhibited in humans. She does admit that men tend to exhibit more intense exuberant qualities, yet this may be due to society’s discouraging of exuberance in women starting from a young age. She goes on to point out that the physical passivity of individuals as well as lack of free time in today’s society contributes to the suppression of exuberance.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Kay Redfield Jamison
Date Recorded: October 27, 2005
Works Read: Exuberance: the Passion for Life by Kay R. Jamison
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: manic depression, bipolar disorder, creativity
Ted Kooser Reading
Ted Kooser reads various poems in honor of the release of his collection of poems entitled Delights and Shadows.
Kooser explains his tradition of annually sending postcards inscribed with a Valentine’s Day poem to wives of friends, and how he has expanded his practice to include any women that would wish to be on the list. He goes on to outline his writing process, explaining that “I might have written 40 versions of [a poem] before I got it done, but I want it to look as if I’d written it in 5 minutes, like a gesture in itself.” He explains his practice of employing an artist’s watercolor sketchbook to house all of his writings and collected articles. Kooser also relays the humorous stories of his learning of both his invitation to become the Poet Laureate of the United States, as well as winning the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Ted Kooser
Date Recorded: October 25, 2005
Works Read: "Success"; "Selecting a Reader" from Sure Signs; "Tattoo" from Delights and Shadows; "A Rainy Morning"; "Student" from Delights and Shadows; "Splitting an Order"; "Weather Central" from Weather Central; "Skater" from Delights and Shadows; "At the Cancer Clinic" from Delights and Shadows; "In Passing" from Weather Central; "A Spiral Notebook" from Delights and Shadows; "Lobocraspis griseifusa" from Delights and Shadows; "The Urine Specimen"; "The Gilbert Stuart Portrait of Washington" from Weather Central; "A Box of Pastels" from Delights and Shadows; "A Deck of Pornographic Playing Cards" from Weather Central; "Etude" from Weather Central; "The Beaded Purse" from Delights and Shadows; "A Goodbye Handshake" from Weather Central; "That Was I" from Delights and Shadows; "The Hog-nosed Snake"
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introductions by host Julie Englander and Cole Swensen, poet and professor in the Iowa Writers' Workshop.
Topics: poetry writing
Anna Rogoshnikova and Edi Shukriu Reading
IWP Director Christopher Merrill introduces a joint reading featuring Kazakhstani author Anna Rogozhnikova and Edi Shukriu from Kosovo. Rogoshnikova reads a selection of short fiction pieces. Shukriu reads from the first draft of her new novel, which she completed as a resident at the IWP, a selection of poems, and an excerpt from her play, The Return of Eurydice.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction | Dramatic Writing
Authors: Anna Rogozhnikova , Edi Shukriu
Date Recorded: October 21, 2005
Works Read: Shukriu reads from her novel The Return of Eurydice.
Program: Shambaugh House Readings
Format: reading
Contributors: Christopher Merrill
Topics: N/A
Paul Collins Reading
Paul Collins reads from his nonfiction work, The Trouble with Tom: The Strange Afterlife and Times of Thomas Paine. Collins explains how his coming across an article within an old copy of Notes and Queries magazine influenced his decision to write a book about the stories that surrounded the exchange and search of Thomas Paine’s remains. Collins goes on to give a brief summary of the various places that Thomas Paine’s bones had traveled to, as well as the individuals who were involved in the search.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Paul Collins
Date Recorded: October 21, 2005
Works Read: The Trouble with Tom: the Strange Afterlife and Times of Thomas Paine, by Paul Collins
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Thomas Paine, historical research, travelogues, McSweeney's
Bill Thompson, Julie Zickefoose, and Donald E. Kroodsma Reading
Bill Thompson and Julie Zickefoose discuss their book entitled Identify Yourself: The 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges. They explain how the book evolved from a column that Thompson edits in Iowa Bird Watching magazine, entitled “Identify Yourself.” Thompson provides a few tips for quick identification of birds, pointing out that approximately 85% of North American birds can be visually identified from the shoulder up.
Zickefoose discusses her role as illustrator of Identify Yourself, pointing out that she is a “bird painter"--a subset of “wildlife artists.” She details the considerations that have to be made when painting birds, such as how the skeleton is constructed, how they carry their weight, and how their feathers are layered. Zickefoose points out that she painted most of the illustrations in the book from museum study skins, but does admit that the Internet has become a great resource for images of birds.
Donald E. Kroodsma discusses his passion for the study of songbirds, and plays various audio tracks of bird-calls throughout his discussion. Kroodsma claims that songbirds “learn” their songs much in the same way that humans learn words, they go through a period of “babbling” before mastering their song. He points out that songbirds have two voice-boxes, each positioned at the top of each lung.
Kroodsma goes on to explain the main reason that songbirds sing: to attract a mate. He claims that, in order to get a male songbird to sing, one would only have to manipulate the hormone level of the female--they sing to females that are in a breeding stage. Kroodsma bluntly points out that the “survival of the fittest” notion definitely applies to songbirds--if a male does not have an attractive song, he will essentially fail to attract a mate.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Bill Thompson , Julie Zickefoose, Donald E. Kroodsma
Date Recorded: October 13, 2005
Works Read: Identify Yourself: the 50 Most Common Birding Identification Challenges by Bill Thompson, illustrated by Julie Zickefoose The Singing Life of Birds: The Art and Science of Listening to Birdsong by Donald E. Kroodsma
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: birdwatching, wildlife illustration, birdsong, ornithology
Note: Sound recording of bird songs are played during this discussion.
John Kinsella Poetry Reading
Poet John Kinsella reads from two of his recent publications, Peripheral Light: Selected and New Poems and The New Arcadia. Kinsella describes how his experience of growing up and living in Western Australia informs each of the poems. He says that his work is deeply influenced by the landscape of Western Australia’s “wheatbelt.” Kinsella also explains that The New Arcadia is the third publication in a trilogy; The Silo and The Hunt are the other publications in the trilogy. When he has finished reading, Kinsella fields a few questions from the audience.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry
Authors: John Kinsella
Date Recorded: September 23, 2005
Works Read: Kinsella reads from Peripheral Light: Selected and New Poems and The New Arcadia.
Program: Shambaugh House Readings
Format: reading
Contributors: David Hamilton
Topics: Colonization of Western Australia; salinity; pastoral poetry; Sir Philip Sydney; land rights; Nyungar tradition
Note: Interruption at 44 minutes: transfer from tape side a to side b.
Josef Haslinger, Kiki Petrosino, and Dr. Ma Thida: IWP/Writer’s Workshop Joint Reading
Josef Haslinger reads an excerpt from his short story, “The Battle for Vienna.” Writers’ Workshop student Kiki Petrosino reads a selection of poems organized, she explains, around the theme of danger. Dr. Ma Thida begins her her reading by explaining the title of her manuscript, Twenty and Twenty. She reads a few sentences of her manuscript in Burmese, and then reads a passage in English.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction | Poetry
Authors: Josef Haslinger , Kiki Petrosino, Ma Thida
Date Recorded: September 11, 2005
Works Read: Haslinger reads "The Battle for Vienna." Dr. Ma Thida reads selections from Twenty and Twenty.
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Christopher Merrill
Topics: World War II; Burmese history; imprisonment; reincarnation
Katherine Towler Reading
Katherine Towler reads from Evening Ferry, her second novel in a trilogy. During a question and answer session, Towler describes her childhood spent living on the grounds of the General Theological Seminary in New York, where her father was a professor. Towler explains that, during the time that she lived at the seminary, women were not allowed to be ordained. She acknowledges that faith has always been a struggle in her life, and recognizes that the concept of “faith” is a strong theme in her novels.
Towler goes on to describe her process with the writing of the trilogy, pointing out that she was so compelled to tell the story that she began the second book before the first book had ever been published. She discusses how her hobby of photography affects her writing style by allowing her to picture her novels in “scenes.”
Towler ends by explaining how her experiences at an all-male seminary and later an all-female school informed her awareness of women’s issues. She points out her belief that women’s lives have not been as fully told as men’s lives, and her conviction to bring out women’s experiences through her writing.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Katherine Towler
Date Recorded: July 27, 2005
Works Read: Evening Ferry, by Katherine Towler
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: faith, religion, publishing
Bart Yates Reading
Bart Yates reads from his second novel entitled The Brothers Bishop. During a question and answer session, Yates describes his writing process as well as his subsequent decision to write the novel in first person. He points out that, while none of his characters are based on real people, virtually all of the settings in Yates’ novels are based on actual locations.
Yates goes on do express his frustration with how books are marketed, especially his frustration with the segregation of works of “gay fiction” from general fiction. Yates points out that, although his books are about gay men, they are first and foremost about “people.”
Yates again addresses his writing process, elaborating on his tendency to draft a loose outline of a story before beginning to “flesh out” a novel. He admits that, although he used to be a disciplined writer, he has lately begun to write with a more relaxed regimen.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Bart Yates
Date Recorded: July 21, 2005
Works Read: The Brothers Bishop by Bart Yates
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by Julie Englander.
Topics: writing process, gay fiction
Elizabeth Kostova Reading
Elizabeth Kostova reads from her novel entitled The Historian. During a question and answer session, Kostova details how the topic for her novel came from the stories about Dracula that her father had told her as a child while traveling through Europe. She addresses the decision to leave the narrator in the story unnamed, claiming that the narrator is unnamed even in her own mind.
Kostova goes on to point out that she considers The Historian her “love letter to libraries”, recalling the vast amounts of time she spent in libraries as a child. She also details the research that she performed in preparation for the novel, employing translations of mostly primary sources from the Middle Ages. Kostova shares that the majority of her sources were written by Byzantine, Ottoman, and Romanian historians of the time.
Kostova gives a brief explanation of the elusive mystery regarding Vlad the Impaler’s grave, outlining the various people throughout history that have claimed to identify his remains. She points out that she is not interested in horror as a literary genre, but instead the “horror of history”, especially with regard to geopolitical issues.
Kostova ends by explaining the process of translating her novel into audio format, and the extensive editing that inevitably had to take place. She shares the anecdote that, had the audio-book been unabridged, it would have spanned 26 hours and cost $80.00.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Elizabeth Kostova
Date Recorded: July 12, 2005
Works Read: The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Vlad the Impaler/ Dracula, Middle Ages, libraries, audio-books
Lee Child Reading
Lee Child reads from his novel, One Shot: A Jack Reacher Novel. Child then explains his path to becoming a writer, which began when he was fired from his corporate job at the age of forty. His growing disappointment with the selection of detective novels led him to pursue a career within that genre.
During a question and answer session that follows, Child explains his decision to make his main character into a military man. He claims that Reacher’s military past enables him to capture the feeling of “dislocation,” especially in regard to Reacher’s transition back into civilian life.
Child goes on to explain in detail his role as a reader, claiming that “writers are first and foremost readers; we write a book a year but read hundreds of books a year.” Child claims that his preferred area of reading is nonfiction; he fears that if he read too much fiction, the style of other authors would begin to seep into his work.
Lastly, Child goes on to explain his choice to both create Jack Reacher as an American man as well as to initially publish his novels in America. Child, who is British, points out that America not only has a larger reading market, it is in fact more literate than England. He also claims that the American geography allows for him to literally broaden the setting of his novels.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Lee Child
Date Recorded: June 24, 2005
Works Read: One Shot: A Jack Reacher Novel, by Lee Child
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: mystery novels, U.S. military, writing style, reading, American book market
W.S. Merwin Q & A
W.S. Merwin answers questions from an audience. He discusses how politics and the media can intervene in the life of an individual. Merwin also identifies poets that have influenced his work, with a specific focus on Spanish modern poets. Finally, he discusses the challenges of translating poetry, and concludes that “there is no final or good way of translating.”
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry | Translation
Authors: W.S. Merwin
Date Recorded: May 02, 2005
Program: --
Format: discussion
Topics: George W. Bush; Emily Dickinson; Spanish modern poetry; Pablo Neruda; Wallace Stevens; Federico Garcia Lorca; Ezra Pound; Virgil; John Ashbery; Bob Dylan; Stalin; translation of poetry; Shakespeare
Note: From the Year of the Arts and Humanities Festival Series.
Andramalech’s Monologue, performed by Hilario Saavedra
Actor Hilario Saavedra performs an intense monologue on a minimally lit, bare stage. The monologue is largely non-linear, reminiscent of post-modernist thought, and heavy with alliteration. The character of Andramalech relays stories of his childhood, wars he has endured, and crimes he has committed.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Theater
Authors: Hilario Saavedra , Valère Novarina
Date Recorded: April 30, 2005
Program: --
Format: performance
Topics: Stream of consciousness; mythology; postmodernism; alliteration; Surrealism
Jodi Picoult Reading
Jodi Picoult reads from her novel Vanishing Acts. She discusses the extensive research that went into the preparation of the novel, focusing primarily on the idea of recovered memory. She gives a brief history of the use of recovered memory as testimony within the justice system, and explains the difference between repressed and triggered memories. Picoult also explains her use of multiple first-person narrators within Vanishing Acts, pointing out that the convention allowed for a full story to be told through the partial stories of many characters.
Picoult goes on to discuss her writing process explaining that she writes the scenes within each book in order, and never initally sketches out an outline of the story. She points out that she doesn’t feel that she is a “creative writer” who constructs a tale, she is simply transcribing a story that is already taking place.
Picoult describes the complexities of selling movie rights to her books: “When you sell the rights, you’re giving the baby up for adoption. You’re not allowed to call every morning and ask, ‘What are you feeding the baby for breakfast?’ You just have to hope it’s going to a good home.” She relays the joys and trials of working with Hollywood, especially Lifetime Television, which has produced two films from her novels.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Jodi Picoult
Date Recorded: April 11, 2005
Works Read: Vanishing Acts, by Jodi Picoult
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: recovered memory, alcoholism, writing process, film adaptations
Erin Hart Reading
Erin Hart reads from her mystery novel, Lake of Sorrows. Hart gives a brief plot synopsis, explaining that the novel is set in modern day Ireland where officials have just discovered a “bog body,” believed to be around 2,000 years old. She explains that the novel is primarily about “sacrifice;” the bog has always been considered an “otherworldly place, a place of communication with the gods,” halfway between land and water.
During a question and answer session, Hart details the specific procedures involved when authorities discover a “bog body” in Ireland. She also mentions the “Treasure Trove” laws of Ireland, where any artifacts found must be turned over to the government.
Hart goes on to outline the current ecological issues with bogs, and points out that 1 in 6 acres in Ireland is a bog. The induction of Ireland into the European Union, she explains, has resulted in strict laws concerning environmental issues. Hart also recounts many hours spent traveling and performing research with her husband, who is a native of Ireland.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Erin Hart
Date Recorded: March 24, 2005
Works Read: Lake of Sorrows, by Erin Hart
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Ireland, bogs, "bog bodies", archaeology, ritual sacrifice
Marilyn Abildskov Reading
Marilyn Abildskov reads from her memoir entitled The Men in My Country. Abildskov gives a brief context of her memoir, claiming that it is about the time she spent teaching English in Japan and the three men she fell in love with while in the country. She explains her drive to write about her experiences by claiming, “Mystery is what compels a writer, not expertise.” Abildskov does admit that it took her a while to write about such intimate experiences.
Abildskov goes on to discuss the overt criticism that the memoir form has received, pointing out that many are quick to criticize “inadequate memoirs,” but the same is not true for “inadequate novels.” She explains that she felt that the memoir/personal essay form was the best way for her to portray her “interior story.”
During a question and answer session, Abildskov discusses how she was treated by Japanese men during her stay, claiming that she “found them incredibly attentive.” She does admit, however, that “if I were a Japanese-American woman, I would have told a very different story.” She goes on to discuss her previous journalism experience, claiming that she eventually left the profession when she realized that the “real stories were on the side”—not the main news items.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Marilyn Abildskov
Date Recorded: March 22, 2005
Works Read: The Men in My Country by Marilyn Abildskov
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Japan, romantic relationships, memoir, journalism
Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards Reading
Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards discuss their book entitled Grassroots: A Field Guide for Feminist Activism. Baumgardner and Richards discuss their early days working together at Ms. magazine, and their eventual collaboration for their first book where they attempted to identify the meaning of feminism within a 21st century context. They explain that in Grassroots, they attempted to address the issue of activism. Baumgardner and Richards sought to “demystify” activism, to bring it away from a vague definition into more concrete suggestions for actions that would specifically apply to young individuals.
Baumgardner and Richards go on to detail their personal experiences with volunteer organizations and how these experiences helped to shape their ideas of activism. Richards discusses how her online advice column, “Ask Amy,” brought her to the realization that many people were coming to feminism not out of personal conviction, but because the feminists had the resources that they were looking for.
During a question and answer session, Baumgardner and Richards acknowledge the importance of individuals to be aware of their privilege--whether it be social, racial, or economic. They explain how this realization allows people to use their “inside access” to a group of people as an impetus for change. The women address the issue of materialism within feminism, and their belief that sacrifice within this arena should be demanded of both sexes, not just women.
Bamgardner and Richards end by discussing the documentary that Baumgardner produced, entitled “Speak Out: I Had an Abortion.” They stress the importance for women to speak out about their personal experiences, and how this reiterates that abortion is more than a political issue.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Jennifer Baumgardner , Amy Richards
Date Recorded: March 07, 2005
Works Read: Grassroots: A Field Guide for Feminist Activism, by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: feminism, activism, Noam Chomsky, social class, abortion
Aimee Phan Reading
Aimee Phan reads from her collection of short stories entitled We Shall Never Meet. Phan gives a brief historical background of her stories, detailing the project “Operation Baby Lift” during the Vietnam War. “Operation Baby Lift” was the emergency evacuation of 2,600 orphans out of Vietnam a few weeks before the fall of Saigon. Phan also tells about her mother’s involvement in the project, and her subsequent work with Vietnamese foster children when she worked as a social worker in Orange County, California.
Phan explains the layout of her book: four stories are from the viewpoint of Vietnamese orphans either involved in “Operation Baby Lift” or as boat refugees, and four of the stories are from the point of view of individuals who were involved in the implementation of “Operation Baby Lift.” She points out that she chose to write a collection of short stories so she could incorporate many viewpoints of the same situation.
Phan goes on to explain her writing process, claiming that she is a “jigsaw writer"--she writes portions of paragraphs and will go back later to flesh them out. She also comments on her newfound focus on the language of her writing, pointing out that she takes care to ensure that her writing is “crisp”.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Aimee Phan
Date Recorded: March 03, 2005
Works Read: "Motherland" from We Shall Never Meet by Aimee Phan
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Vietnam War, "Operation Baby Lift", writing process,
Eleni Sikelianos Reading
Eleni Sikelianos reads a selection of prose and poetry from her two most recently-published books, The Book of Jon and The California Poem. Sikelianos fields questions from the audience. She says that place influences poetry, because language responds to landscape, comparing the aesthetics of Californian and New York poetry. Sikelianos shares how her travels have change the way she thinks about landscape. She confirms an audience member’s suggestion that The California Poem enacts some of the same poetic strategies as William Carlos Williams’ long poem, "Paterson," as well as Brenda Coultas’ A Handmade Museum. Sikelianos describes her research and writing process for The California Poem. She also shares how she came to write The Book of Jon, a memoir about her father, after his death.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Eleni Sikelianos
Date Recorded: March 02, 2005
Works Read: Eleni Sikelianos reads the following from The Book of Jon: "Date Unknown;" "The Trip;" "Who Is Asking, Who is Interviewing;" "The Land;" "Myth, Truth;" "State Unknown;" "What I Left Out." She reads excerpts of the The California Poem.
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander hosts the reading and introduces the author.
Topics: New York School; Walt Whitman; memoir; poetry writing
Suzanne Lebsock Reading
Suzanne Lebsock reads from her work, Murder in Virginia: Southern Justice on Trial. Lebsock, who considers herself a social historian, details the 1895 ax murder of a white woman in Lunenberg, Virginia. Lebsock explains that three black women and one man were charged with the murder, and many community members worked to ensure their safety so that they escape public lynchings and live to be tried in a court of law.
Lebsock goes on to explain that the three women were convicted of the murder and sent to a jail in Richmond. While in Richmond, the women’s situation became publicized through the local black newspaper, and enough money was raised for each woman to receive a new trial with lawyers to represent them. As a result, all three women were eventually freed.
During a question and answer session, Lebsock speculates on who she believes committed the murder, and outlines the evidence she had uncovered to support her conclusion. She explains that the sources she consulted during her research were scattered and incomplete; there had only been a transcript produced for one of the many trials of the women. Lebsock also points out that all of the accused were functionally illiterate, and subsequently did not leave behind any records of the events.
Lebsock ends by reflecting on the events from 1895, and explains that her research revealed that many people were willing to act honorably in the situation, regardless of the influence of race. While Lebsock had begun her research with the assumption that the focus would be on gender issues, she realized that ultimately the story dealt more heavily with race issues.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Suzanne Lebsock
Date Recorded: February 23, 2005
Works Read: A Murder in Virginia: Southern Justice on Trial by Suzanne Lebsock
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Virginia, race relations, lynching, historical research
Curtis Sittenfeld Reading
Iowa Writers’ Workshop alumnus Curtis Sittenfeld reads from her debut novel Prep and then answers questions from the audience and host Julie Englander for the rest of the hour. Sittenfeld shares how her experiences as a student at the Massachusetts boarding school Groton, as a teacher, and as a journalist have all contributed to the writing of this book. Sittenfeld describes what it was like to study fiction writing at the Writers’ Workshop. She also recounts the publication process for this novel.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Curtis Sittenfeld
Date Recorded: February 21, 2005
Works Read: Prep, by Curtis Sittenfeld.
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander hosts the reading and introduces the author.
Topics: boarding school; education; character development in fiction writing; class consciousness
Andrew Sean Greer Reading
Andrew Sean Greer reads from his novel entitled The Confessions of Max Tivoli. Greer explains that Max, the protagonist of the novel, grows physically younger as the years of his life pass by. Greer shares how this convention allows him to explore both romantic and family relationships at different points in Max’s life, as well as the complexities of childhood and later adulthood. Greer points out that Max’s strange ability to age in reverse is the only implausible aspect of the novel; he otherwise worked hard to create a realistic novel.
Greer discusses why he chose to set the novel at the turn of the 19th century, claiming that he thought that the story fit well with other “imaginitive” stories of the time such as Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. He also felt that setting the book in the past would “put a little fairy dust over it”, making it seem as if there was a probability that the story could have actually taken place. Greer goes on to detail a few of the outcomes of Max’s ability to age in reverse, pointing out that Max goes through reverse puberty and as a result becomes somewhat of a eunuch.
Greer discusses the possibility of his book becoming a film, claiming that he would appreciate the financial security. On the other hand, Greer explains, “it would be great to write a totally unfilmable book, because that would mean that it’s a booky-book [sic].” Greer ends by discussing the joys of sharing a talent for fiction writing with his twin brother, Michael.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Andrew Sean Greer
Date Recorded: February 18, 2005
Works Read: The Confessions of Max Tivoli, by Andrew Sean Greer
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: 19th century, aging, writing conventions, writing process
Steve Healey and William Waltz Reading
Steve Healey reads selections from his collection of poetry entitled Earthling. Waltz then reads selections from his own collection of poetry entitled Zoo Music.
During a brief question and answer session, Waltz discusses how his interest in politics and economics feeds into his poetry. Healey discusses the joys and challenges of teaching creative writing to prison inmates in Minnesota, pointing out that the inmates deal with issues such as race and social class in their poetry. The two men go on to discuss the magazine which Waltz founded, Conduit. Both men serve as editors for Conduit, and they explain how the magazine has truly been a labor of love for many years.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Steve Healey , William Waltz
Date Recorded: February 15, 2005
Works Read: "Shirts vs. Skins", "Small Winter", "Where Spring Is", "Interview with a Piece of Smoke", "I Do Not Know Onesies", "Airport Bowl", "Asshole of the Imminent", "Tilt"; all from Earthling by Steve Healey "A Little Blood", "Huron Slumber", "Zoo Music", "Theory of Scars", "Natural Selection Pt. 3", "Emerson in Vegas", "Runaway Vectors", "I'll Be the One Wearing Tiny White Boots", "Calculus Accumulates Among the Mightly Cuspids", "Wild Beating Heart"; all from Zoo Music by William Waltz
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: poetry, prison education, Conduit magazine
Rattawut Lapcharoensap Reading
Rattawut Lapcharoensap reads “Draft Day” from his collection of stories entitled Sightseeing. Spending his childhood moving between Bangkok, Thailand and Chicago, Lapcharoensap discusses his time spent in the Thai armed reserves at the age of 16. He goes on to describe the current Thai military draft, claiming that the process is much more bureaucratic and “messy” than the past process described in “Draft Day.”
During a question and answer session, Lapcharoensap discusses the interplay of religion and politics in Thailand, pointing out that the temples in the country tend to function as community centers. Lapcharoensap talks about the unstable political climate of 1970’s Thailand, and how the details of this time have never been taught in the country’s schools. He recalls his time spent at the Cornell University archives, and his discovery of many banned books from Thailand that detailed this turbulent history.
Lapcharoensap further discusses his “geographically hyperactive upbringing”, and how these experiences affected his aspirations as a writer. He had considered writing to be a very formal, inaccessible professional practice until he was exposed to a wider array of Asian-American writers, which served to dissolve the disconnect he felt about writing.
Lapcharoensap ends by discussing the title story in Sightseeing, explaining the importance of the tourism trade in contemporary Thailand.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Rattawut Lapcharoensap
Date Recorded: February 14, 2005
Works Read: "Draft Day" from Sightseeing: stories by Rattawut Lapcharoensap
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: military draft, Thailand, immigration, tourism
Pam Houston Reading
Author Pam Houston reads from her novel, Sight Hound. She explains the format of her novel. Each chapter is written in the first-person, from the perspectives of different characters, including nine humans, two dogs, and one cat. Houston also explains how her personal struggle with her Irish wolfhound’s cancer diagnosis informed the storyline for Sight Hound.
Houston goes on to discuss the character and temperament of Irish wolfhounds, noting that they were originally bred in Scotland to not only kill wolves but also to “protect the castle while the king was gone.” Houston addresses the question of whether or not she considers herself a feminist writer, pointing out that she hopes that all women writers feel as “entitled” to their stories as that of male writers. Houston outlines her beginnings as a writer, noting that she began writing at a very young age as a distraction from her abusive household environment. She recalls that she would frequently rewrite the endings to movies when she disliked the original ending. Lastly, Houston points out that she wrote Sight Hound as a way to honor her experience she had with her Irish wolfhound, and to honor animal-human relationships in general.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Pam Houston
Date Recorded: February 10, 2005
Works Read: Sight Hound, by Pam Houston
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Irish wolfhounds, animal-human relationships, feminism
Mary Doria Russell Reading
Mary Doria Russell reads fromA Thread of Grace, a work of historical fiction. Russell explains her choice to write about Jewish Italians during World War II, claiming that approximately 85% of Jewish Italians survived the Holocaust. Russell sought to explore why the survival rate was so high, and thus performed numerous interviews with Italians who had survived the war. She discusses how the emphasis on family, community, and loyalty within Italian culture informed the brave actions of Italians that hid and aided Jews during the war.
During a question and answer session, Russell outlines the ways that writing a work of historical fiction differed from her past works of science fiction. When asked why she did not choose to write a nonfiction work after all of her research, Russell points out that it was very important for the stories to retain the emotion of the time. She explains that she wanted the reader to understand that survival was the result of pure luck; that no one could possibly predict the outcomes of any situation. To reiterate her point, Russell shares that she literally flipped a coin to decide whether each character in her novel would die or survive.
Russell, a Jewish woman of Italian heritage much like her characters, explains her decision to convert to Judaism. She points out that her husband is not Jewish; she solely converted to Judaism when she became a mother and wanted to raise her son “with the morality that came from a religion.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Mary Doria Russell
Date Recorded: February 08, 2005
Works Read: A Thread of Grace by Mary Doria Russell
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: historical fiction, Holocaust, Italy, historical research
Jennifer Haigh Reading
Jennifer Haigh reads from her novel, Baker Towers. She discusses how her childhood experience of growing up in a small mining town in Pennsylvania ultimately informed the setting for Baker Towers. Haigh’s discussions with female relatives who had lived through World War II also helped shape the character of the three Novak daughters. She outlines the research process that was involved in the writing of her novel, employing both oral history and library research techniques.
Haigh briefly discusses her readers’ responses to her previous novel, Mrs. Kimball. She relays numerous anecdotes of readers who identified with or felt strong reactions to the distinct characters in that novel.
Haigh goes on to discuss her experiences within the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, which she graduated from in 2002. Haigh’s undergraduate writing instructor had initially advised her to wait some time after graduating to enter the MFA program, and she discusses the positive outcome of that decision. She also discusses how the Writers’ Workshop proved invaluable in finding a “lifelong reader” for her work, someone with whom to critique her work.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Jennifer Haigh
Date Recorded: February 01, 2005
Works Read: Baker Towers, by Jennifer Haigh
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: coal mining, small town life, WWII, playwriting, Iowa Writer's Workshop, literacy, primary source research
Note: A question and answer period follows the reading.
David Laskin Reading
David Laskin discusses his nonfiction work, The Children’s Blizzard, which details the blizzard that hit the Midwest on January 12, 1888. Laskin details the terrible storm, pointing out that the temperature dropped 80 degrees in one day. Approximately 500 people were killed during the storm. Laskin explains why roughly one fifth of the victims were children: the storm hit the majority of the Midwest during the day, while many children were still at school.
Laskin describes the format of his book and his choice to follow five specific families that were affected by the blizzard. He describes in detail the story of seven Mormon boys that were caught in the storm; five of which were lost. Laskin also mentions the numerous schoolteachers that were considered heroes due to their attempts to move their children to safety.
Laskin goes on to explain the meteorological factors that produced the blizzard, namely the merging of both a cold front from the north and an unseasonably warm front from the south. He explains the physical effects that hypothermia has on the human body, as well as the hallucinations and “amnesia” that these individuals most likely experienced.
During a question and answer session, Laskin discusses the research he conducted, as well as the assistance he received with interpreting weather maps that were produced during that time. He explains the lack of preparedness on the part of the government, pointing out that the lack of funding and technology contributed to the inability to inform the public of the winter storm before it had reached them.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: David Laskin
Date Recorded: January 19, 2005
Works Read: The Children's Blizzard, by David Laskin
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: discussion
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: blizzards, Midwest, meterology, historical research
Lisa Reardon Reading
Lisa Reardon reads from her novel entitled The Mercy Killers. Reardon discusses the lengthy research she conducted for the novel, which is set during the time of the Vietnam War. Reardon recalls how the 9/11 tragedy occurred while she was visiting Vietnam, and how this experience further informed the “most political work” she has ever written. She goes on to acknowledge the similarities between her novel and John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men, pointing out that the similarity was so great that she was forced to rethink the ending to her narrative.
Reardon further discusses her extensive research on the Vietnam War, claiming that she read “anything that I could get my hands on.” She had been concerned that, due to all of her research, her novel would read like a non-fiction account, so she had taken special care to focus on the relationships between characters in the work as well. Reardon goes on to discuss her position as a creative writing teacher to “troubled” youth, claiming that “they have an amazing ability to convey the immediacy of their experience, once you gain their trust—which takes a long time.”
Reardon discusses how fiction writing differs from her past screenwriting experience, pointing out that she felt so much freedom with the ability to move beyond the constraints of writing in strictly dialogue. She expresses her appreciation for the feeling of “total control” that fiction writing allows her.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Lisa Reardon
Date Recorded: November 22, 2004
Works Read: The Mercy Killers by Lisa Reardon
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Vietnam War, primary source research, creative writing instruction
Patricia Foster Reading
Patricia Foster reads two excerpts from her book of essays entitled Just Beneath My Skin: Autobiography and Self-Discovery. Foster, a professor in the Nonfiction Writing Program at the University of Iowa, discusses her take on the memoir or personal essay. She acknowledges academics’ disdain for the memoir form, yet she strongly feels that it is a strong enough form to warrant its own genre. During a question and answer session, Foster discusses her writing process, confessing that it takes her a very long time to write and edit a collection. She points out that she hopes in the near future to move past the memoir form and write about other individuals, claiming, “I think I’ve run out of my own stories.”
When asked to describe the difference between an essay and a short story, Foster claims that an essay is essentially a “nonfiction short story.” Foster further explains her belief that the conventions of storytelling can be used in the nonfiction form. She goes on to relay the pressure she feels as a native Southerner to master the art of storytelling, claiming that sometimes she felt like she was “just repeating the masters of fiction.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Patricia Foster
Date Recorded: November 05, 2004
Works Read: "Skin" and "The Intelligent Heart" from Just Beneath My Skin: Autobiography and Self-Discovery by Patricia Foster
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: memoir, nonfiction, storytelling, Southern culture, writing process
Gish Jen Reading
Gish Jen reads from her novel entitled The Love Wife. Jen gives a brief synopsis of the novel, explaining that it focuses on the relationships between members in a contemporary Chinese-American interracial family. During a question and answer session, Jen explains the complex layout of the book. She points out that the novel features five first-person narrators, as well as numerous font styles. Jen further explains that there are two sets of italic fonts employed to distinguish between speakers who speak in both English and Chinese (with an assumed translation).
Jen, who is a Chinese-American, points out that she conducted a large amount of research while developing her Chinese character. She points out that her first novel was very well received in China, an accomplishment that has been very important to her. Jen explains her belief that when writers are writing about another culture, they have a responsibility to portray it correctly. Jen goes on to discuss her time at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop, as well as the time spent immediately after her graduation.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Gish Jen
Date Recorded: October 26, 2004
Works Read: The Love Wife by Gish Jen
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Chinese-American culture, writing process, writing conventions
Tamora Pierce Reading
Tamora Pierce discusses her young adult fantasy novel, Trickster’s Queen. She takes questions from the audience, which is mostly comprised of young adults. Pierce lays down a few ground rules for questions, explaining to the audience that they are in a “rude-free zone"--she will allow questions to be asked that may be considered rude or too personal elsewhere.
Pierce goes on to give advice to young writers about how to begin writing a story, name and develop characters, and overcome writer’s block. She details the process of converting her stories into audiobooks as well as her work with Bruce Coville’s audiobook company, Full Cast Audio. Pierce also gives a very detailed outline of the titles, broad plotlines, and release dates of her upcoming books until the year 2010.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Tamora Pierce
Date Recorded: October 22, 2004
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: discussion
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: young adult fiction, fantasy, audiobooks, writing process, mythology
David Gilbert Reading
David Gilbert reads from his novel entitled The Normals. During a brief question and answer session, Gilbert explains the research he conducted for his novel, where he visited a facility where healthy individuals take part in drug trials for medical research purposes. He explains that these “human guinea pigs” are part of the “Phase One” of many phases of drug testing. Gilbert points out that he performed just enough research so that he could take the concept and stretch it a bit farther, instead of creating a more truthful account.
Gilbert goes on to detail his process in writing The Normals, explaining that during his writing he developed an obsession for which he sought professional help. He explains how he had become obsessed with the spacing of words and margins while typing, and began to write so that each line of his novel was the perfect length. Gilbert humorously claims that, after seeing a psychologist for his problem, it was ultimately solved when he purchased a new computer which had an auto-hyphenate feature on the word processing program.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: David Gilbert
Date Recorded: October 19, 2004
Works Read: The Normals by David Gilbert
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introductions by host Julie Englander as well as Paul Ingram from Prairie Lights Books.
Topics: research process, short story writing, obsessive behavior
Goretti Kyomuhendo and Hein Willemse Reading
Peter Nazareth introduces Goretti Kyomuhendo, a fiction writer from Uganda. Kyomuhendo reads “Because I Love this Land,” a poem written by another author. Kyomuhendo then reads from her work Secrets No More and her short story “Do You Remember?” Kyomuhendo’s writings deal with the violence and the genocide that took place in Uganda. Nazareth then introduces Hein Willemse, a professor and writer from South Africa. Willemse writes in Afrikaans and he talks about the controversy surrounding the use of this language. Willemse also discusses the government of South Africa and the problems taking place there. He is also a syndicated newspaper columnist and the editor-in-chief of the oldest peer-reviewed literary journal in South Africa, Tydskrif vir letterkunde, which he also talks about.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction
Authors: Goretti Kyomuhendo , Hein Willemse
Date Recorded: October 18, 2004
Works Read:
Works by Goretti Kyomuhendo: “Because I Love this Land.” Secrets No More, Do You Remember?.
Program: Shambaugh House Readings
Format: reading
Contributors: Peter Nazareth
Topics: Life; violence; genocide; Uganda; Africa; government; politics; women
Note: Sound quality is extremely poor.
Rick DeMarinis Reading
Rick DeMarinis reads the title story from his collection of short stories entitled Apocalypse Then. During a question and answer session, DeMarinis discusses his time spent as an engineer at Boeing and Lockheed Martin during the 1960’s. He explains how his experiences at the company contributed to the majority of the short stories in Apocalypse Then; specifically, the corruption related to government contracts given to the company during that period.
DeMarinis goes on to discuss his writing process, claiming that he first and foremost writes to entertain himself. He points out that writing is more difficult now than in the past, since he is constantly working to improve upon his previous work. He details his over 25 years of experience with teaching college writing, and reflects on the difficulty of the short story form. DeMarinis explains the meaning behind the title Apocalypse Then, citing specifically the anxious feeling felt during the Cuban Missle Crisis.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Rick DeMarinis
Date Recorded: October 18, 2004
Works Read: "Apocalypse Then" from Apocalypse Then: Stories by Rick DeMarinis
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introductions by host Julie Englander as well as Douglass Midget of the University of Iowa Department of Anthropology.
Topics: Boeing and Lockheed Martin, 1960's, short story writing
Thomas Frank Reading
Thomas Frank reads selections from his book entitled What’s the Matter With Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America. Frank goes on to detail a phenomenon he terms “The Great Backlash”, explaining it as a “cultural conservatism” that was a direct response to the liberal climate of the 1960’s. He claims that this “cultural conservatism” masks itself as a working-class movement, yet has done “incalculable, historic harm to working-class people.” He also points out that this group of individuals is fond of fighting cultural wars on such issues as gay marriage, yet takes care not to “win” to war so as not to lose their support.
During a question and answer session, Frank further elaborates on the “futility of the culture wars”, claiming that the conservatives “always choose battles where victory is impossible.” Frank goes on to discuss his own political leanings, pointing out that he did support Reagan when he was a teenager.
Frank points out that a large part of What’s the Matter With Kansas? focuses on politics in Kansas, as well as the Populist movement of the 1890’s. He refers to the Populist movement as a time “when average people finally figured out that they’d been lied to all their lives.” Frank ends by detailing his time spent researching Populism at the University of Kansas libraries.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Thomas Frank
Date Recorded: October 15, 2004
Works Read: What's the Matter With Kansas?: How Conservatives Won the Heart of America by Thomas Frank
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: politics, Kansas, conservatism, culture wars, Populism
Mona Smith Reading
Mona Smith discusses and reads from her non-fiction work, Becoming Something: the Story of Canada Lee. Her book outlines the “meteoric rise” and “precipitous fall” of African American actor Canada Lee during the mid-20th century. Smith begins by explaining the circumstances that led up to the writing of her book, which was originally produced as a play. She details the difficulty that she faced in finding primary sources to aid her research, and tells of the winding road that eventually led her to the door of Canada Lee’s widow.
Smith goes on to flesh out the details of Canada Lee’s life, moving chronologically from his position as a child prodigy of the violin, a horse jockey, a boxer, and finally to his introduction into acting. She details Canada’s work with such famous directors as Orson Welles and Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock’s picture was filmed in South Africa during apartheid, and Smith explains how Mr. Lee used this circumstance as an opportunity to expose the atrocities of the apartheid system to the American public.
Smith then outlines the “precipitous fall” of Canada’s career by detailing the circumstances surrounding Canada’s induction onto the famous Hollywood “blacklist” during post-WWII. Canada’s betrayal by a news columnist and longtime friend began his “erasure from history” and his subsequent misfortunes.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors:
Date Recorded: October 12, 2004
Works Read: One Shot: A Jack Reacher Novel, by Mona Z. Smith
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by Julie Englander.
Topics: Canada Lee, playwriting, archive research, Red Scare, Hollywood blacklist, Orson Welles, Alfred Hitchcock, apartheid
Timothy Liu and Bruce Beasley Reading
Timothy Liu and Bruce Beasley read selections from their various poetry collections. During a short question and answer session, Liu and Beasley discuss the allusions to visual art that frequently appear in their poems. Liu points out that he also writes as an art critic, and faces the challenge of describing an art show that many individuals will never be able to see in person. Beasley states that his interest in the visual arts stems from his fascination with how Biblical narratives were translated into imagery by the Italian Renaissance painters.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Timothy Liu , Bruce Beasley
Date Recorded: October 04, 2004
Works Read: "Ars Poetica", "Duck Hunting", "Woman With Dog, 1917", "To Autumn", "With Cherubim and a Flaming Sword", "Getting There", "Bisexuality", "F-Stop", "The Marriage", "Of Thee I Sing"; from Of Thee I Sing: Poems by Timothy Liu "Support Group", "Bon Vivant", "Retrospective" by Timothy Liu "The Assignation" from Of Thee I Sing: Poems by Timothy Liu "Why Not", "A Rose At His Door" by Timothy Liu "Till Death Do Us Part" from Hard Evidence by Timothy Liu "For Dust Thou Art" from For Dust Thou Art by Timothy Liu "Hunger Triptych", "This Living Hand"; from Lord Brain by Bruce Beasley "Spiritual Alphabet in Midsummer" from Signs & Abominations by Bruce Beasley "Lord Brain" from Lord Brain by Bruce Beasley
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: poetry, visual art, religion
Vida Vendela Reading
Vendela Vida reads from her novel And Now You Can Go. She follows by explaining that the idea for the story comes from a ten page excerpt from a novel that she spent years writing (which she decided not to publish). Vida says she wrote And Now You Can Go very quickly; she observes that the story is "fast and plotty and angry."
Vida recounts her experience of going undercover at a UCLA sorority to research female initiation rituals, Girls on the Verge. Vida describes her involvement in Operation Ohio, an initiative to boost voter registration among Ohio undergraduates for the 2004 election, as well as her work as the editor of the magazine,The Believer, as a founder of 826 Valencia, a nonprofit writing lab for kids.
In: Fiction
Authors: Vida Vendela
Date Recorded: September 24, 2004
Works Read: Works by Vendela Vida: And Now You Can Go; Girls on the Verge: Debutante Dips, Drive-Bys, and Other Initiations.
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introductions by host Julie Englander.
Topics: editing; fiction writing; creative writing M.F.A. programs
Rebecca Wolff and Catherine Wagner Reading
Poet Rebecca Wolff reads a selection of poems from her collection, Figment, and also reads a few new, unpublished poems. Catherine Wagner reads a selection of poems from her collections Miss America and Macular Hole. Wagner also reads selection of new work.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Rebecca Wolff , Catherine Wagner
Date Recorded: September 21, 2004
Works Read: Rebecca Wolff reads the following poems from Figment: "Life of Sorts;" "Eminent Victorians;" "Public Space Suite;" "Don't Look in the Basket;" "Good Enough for Folk Music;" and "Invidious Comparison." Woolf also reads the following poems, which have not yet been published in a collection: "Arcadia et in est;" "One Morning;" "Tonal Pattern;" "Raised by Wolves;" "The King;" "Where's the Funeral;" and "Dark Roads."
Catherine Wagner reads the following poems from Miss America: "White Man Poem #1;" "White Man Poem #2;" and"White Man Poem #3." Wagner reads the following poems from Macular Hole: "I'm Total I'm All I'm Absorbed in this Meat Cake;" "I Was at Congress with Myself;" "Scary Ballad;" "Song;" "San Francisco Ballad;" "Big Bang;" and "Song: Scary Several Light." Wagner reads the following new poems: "Everyone in the Room is a Representative of the World at Large;" and "I Walked in the House."
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Jan Weissmuller hosts the reading and introduces the authors.
Ilya Kaminsky Reading
The tape begins with Christopher Merrill in the process of introducing the Russian poet Ilya Kaminsky. Kaminsky reads selected poems from his work Dancing in Odessa. The poems read include “American Tourist,” “Dancing in Odessa,” “Musica Humana,” “Marina Tsvetaeva,” and “Praise.”
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry
Authors: Ilya Kaminsky
Date Recorded: September 20, 2004
Works Read: Ilya reads the following poems from Dancing in Odessa: "American Tourist;" "Dancing in Odessa;" "Musica Humana;" "Marina Tsvetaeva;" and "Praise."
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Christopher Merrill
Topics: Love; politics; America; morality; poetry
Note: Sound Quality is poor
Dan Chaon Reading
Dan Chaon reads from his novel, You Remind Me of Me. Chaon discusses his portrayal of the Doberman in the novel, and how he successfully choreographed the shift of the character from a tame to dangerous dog.
During a question and answer session, Chaon discusses his transition from short story writing to fiction. Chaon points out that so much more time is spent with the characters in his novel than short stories, and that a “clear architectural sense” is needed to create a structured novel. He reveals his tendency to narrate specific details very thoroughly; his editor claims that Chaon would write an entire book filled with these details, void of action, if he could. Chaon explains that the details about “mundane” moments or images in his novel are utilized to work up to an event or to give psychological insight into a character.
Chaon goes on to discuss the editing process for You Remind Me of Me, explaining that the novel was originally written in first person but was eventually changed to third person with multiple narrators. He claims that there is a “dramatic irony” to a first person narrative, and that this narrator can never be entirely trusted. Chaon also felt that multiple narrators were needed to balance out the main character of Jonah.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Dan Chaon
Date Recorded: September 20, 2004
Works Read: "You Remind Me of Me" by Dan Chaon
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: short story writing, novel writing, childhood, adoption,
Lucia Watson and Teresa Marrone Reading
Lucia Watson begins by discussing her book entitled Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland. Watson who is chef and proprietor of Lucia’s Restaurant in Minneapolis, Minnesota, discusses the importance of locally grown seasonal food. Watson expresses her disappointment that individuals are no longer learning to cook using traditional techniques. She discusses the traditional foods of the “heartland”, and details what foods were brought when various groups emigrated to the region.
Teresa Marrone discusses and reads excerpts from her book entitled Abundantly Wild: Collecting and Cooking Wild Edibles in the Upper Midwest. Marrone, who is passionate about foraging in the wild for food, details a few of the 75 plants that are covered in her book. She points out that she only discusses plants that she has had personal experience with, and warns of the concerns and precautions that foragers must take when searching for plants, both “to your own health and the health of the land.”
Marrone continues by discussing morel mushrooms—how to wash, prepare, store, and dry them. She also cautions foragers to check with park staff before foraging for morels on public lands.
During a question and answer session, Marrone discusses the pawpaw fruit, which taste and smell very similar to a banana. She also addresses the strategies for foraging for types of fiddlehead ferns and ground cherries. Watson talks further about the various cultures affecting foods in the Heartland, zeroing in on such groups as Native Americans and the Mung and Somali communities of Minneapolis.
The two women end by sharing how working with locally grown foods has changed their outlook on life. Marrone claims that foraging has made her more aware of the “creatures” that she shares the land with, and Watson points out that her experience with local foods has made her more aware of the seasons.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Lucia Watson , Teresa Marrone
Date Recorded: September 17, 2004
Works Read: Savoring the Seasons of the Northern Heartland by Beth Dooley and Lucia Watson Abundantly Wild: Collecting and Cooking Wild Edibles in the Upper Midwest by Teresa Marrone
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Note: This reading was co-sponsored by the Field to Family Festival.
Michelle Glazer Reading
Michelle Glazer reads a selection of poems from Aggregate of Disturbances and poems from her first book, It Is Hard to Look at What We Came to Think We’d Come to See. She responds to questions from the audience about the form of her poems, the role of the natural world in her writing, as well as the role of personal, emotional events.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Michelle Glazer
Date Recorded: September 13, 2004
Works Read: Poems from Aggregate of Disturbances, by Michelle Glazer: "A Small Infidelity;" "Sonnet;" "Her Eyes;" "Early Romance: Japanese Garden (in the heart of the city);" "Map;" "Firefly;" "The Fecundity;" "Wherein space is constructed that matter may reside in . . . ;" "Science;" "Drive;" "Conjunctions;" "Letter;" "Ad Infinitum;" "Real Life #11: Hummingbird;" "John Is in the Next Room;" "Inscape;" "Two Blinds & a Bittern;" "Echo to Narcissus;" "Historic House, Astoria;" "Valediction;" "The Infinite Imperative;" "Moon Casings;" "Translucencies, her death;" "Fragment's Song."
Poems from It Is Hard to Look At What We Came to Think We'd Come to See, by Michelle Glazer: "Real Life #2: Scraps;" "Real Life #7: Summer."
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Yan Mo Reading
Christopher Merrill introduces Hualing Nieh Engle who then introduces Mo Yan. Mo Yan speaks only in Chinese and so a translator repeats what he is saying in English. It is difficult to hear what the translator is saying because he is further away from the microphone than Mo Yan, which makes it seem like Mo Yan is speaking very loudly. Mo Yan talks about his novel Big Breasts and Wide Hips and how the title is sometimes misunderstood by readers as an insult to women when in reality it tells a story that shows the importance of women in Chinese society in contrast to the many foolish men they are surrounded by. Mo Yan reads an excerpt from the novel, which the translator then reads in English. Questions are taken from the audience at the end, but we are unable to clearly hear what the audience members are asking/saying, which makes the last part of the recording very difficult to understand.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction
Authors: Yan Mo
Date Recorded: September 13, 2004
Works Read: Yan Mo discusses his novel Big Breasts and Wide Hips.
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Chirstopher Merrill; Hauling Nieh Engle
Topics: Women's rights in China; literature in China; history of China; Communism in China
Note: It is very hard to hear what the translator is saying because he is standing too far from the microphone, whereas, Mo Yan is standing very close to the microphone so it seems like he is speaking very loudly.
IWP and Writers’ Workshop Reading at Prairie Lights
Christopher Merrill introduces each of the speakers. Michal Horvecký from Slovakia begins by reading from his short story “Suede.” Kurt Folch from Chile then reads some of his poems, including “Landscape,” “Where the Ripe Wheat,” “Love Letter,” “The Pestilence of Meaning,” “The Glass Harmonica,” and “Two.” Sarah Strickley, a Writers’ Workshop student, reads from her short story “In Parked Cars.”
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction | Poetry
Authors: Michal Hvorecký , Kurt Folch, Sarah Strickley
Date Recorded: September 12, 2004
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Christopher Merrill
Topics: poetry; short stories; sex; love; violence
Helon Habila and Kofi Awoonor Reading
Christopher Merrill introduces Sandra Barkan who then introduces the African writers Helon Habila and Kofi Awoonor who are speaking as part of the Year of the Arts and Humanities celebrations. Habila reads a poem and then reads from his novel Prison Stories. Awoonor reads the poem “Rio de Janeiro” from his work Latin American & Caribbean Notebook I. Awoonor also reads the poems “Grieve Again” and “Dream Again.” Awoonor ends by reading some of his translations of Ewe Durges. Questions are taken from the audience at the end of the reading.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry
Authors: Helon Habila , Kofi Awoonor
Date Recorded: September 09, 2004
Works Read: Habila reads from his novel Prison Stories. Awoonor reads the follwoing poems from Latin American & Caribbean Notebook I: "Rio Dejanero;" "Grieve Again;" and "Dream Again."
Program: Shambaugh House Readings
Format: reading
Contributors: Christopher Merrill; Sandra Barkan
Topics: Africa; prison; Latin America; translations
Note: audio quality is poor
Year of the Arts and Humanities Kickoff Celebration: The Future of Nonfiction
Christopher Merrill introduces Robin Hemley who begins by reading his essay “No Pleasure But Meanness.” Hemley discusses the difference between memoirs and general nonfiction. He is drawn to writers who look at the self and self-obsession. More and more often genre boundaries are breaking down and Hemley sees this as a good thing. Hemley discusses how much make believe can exist in nonfiction and have it still be considered nonfiction. According to Hemley, much of nonfiction these days seems to have more in common with poetry than it does with fiction. He notes how we tend to think too much of genre boundaries- a writer can write works of poetry or nonfiction without going back to school. Form and language are as important for nonfiction writers as they are for poets.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Robin Hemley
Date Recorded: September 07, 2004
Works Read: "No Pleasure But Meanness"
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Christopher Merrill
Note: The questions being asked by the audience cannot be heard
The Year of the Arts and Humanities Kickoff Celebration: The Case Against Poetry
Christopher Merrill introduces Edward Hirsch who reads his poem “Krackow 6 A.M.” Hirsch discusses the history of arguments against poetry such as that of Plato’s. Hirsch believes that poetry uses fiction in order to tell the truth and that poetry creates a kind of poetic thinking that is different than philosophical thinking. Hirsch discusses Witold Gombrowicz’ essay titled “Against Poets.” Hirsch argues that poetry needs a kind of dialogue between the history of its forms and its relationship to the world. He says that poetry at its heart allows us to become individuals and creates distinction among us. After the first 30 minutes, Hirsch takes questions from the audience.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Poetry
Authors: Edward Hirsch
Date Recorded: September 07, 2004
Works Read: "Krackow 6 A.M," by Edward Hirsch
Program: Shambaugh House Readings
Format: reading
Contributors: Christopher Merrill
Iowa Review Reading
David Hamilton, editor of the Iowa Review, begins the reading with a moment of silence for the hostage tragedy in Beslan, Russia. He notes that every issue of the Iowa Review features a “Human Rights Index.”
Hamilton introduces author Yiyun Li. Yiyun Li reads her short story, “The Ground Floor,” and then she and David Hamilton take questions from the audience. Yiyun Li shares why she originally moved from China to Iowa City to study immunology and how she eventually earned M.F.A. degrees from both the Writers’ Workshop and the University of Iowa Nonfiction Writing Program. Hamilton describes the editorial processes of the Iowa Review.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Yiyun Li , David Hamilton
Date Recorded: September 03, 2004
Works Read: Yiyun Li reads "The Ground Floor" from The Iowa Review (Volume 34. Number 2: Fall 2004).
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander hosts the reading and introduces David Hamilton.
Topics: human rights; creative writing
Thisbe Nissen Reading
Thisbe Nissen reads from her novel, Osprey Island. Nissen, who received her MFA from the Iowa Writers’ Workshop in 1997, discusses the research she conducted for her book. She discusses her readers’ response to the potent rape scene that is portrayed in the book. She also qualifies her decision to set the book in a seaside resort town in 1988, claiming that her personal experience within the same setting ended around 1988.
After a brief question and answer period, Nissen goes on to read her entry in the McSweeney’s book, The Future Dictionary of America. Her political entry, formatted in the style of a dictionary entry, gives the humorous definition for the “W virus.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Thisbe Nissen
Date Recorded: September 01, 2004
Works Read: Osprey Island, by Thisbe Nissen The Future Dictionary of America, published by McSweeney's Books
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
George Hagen Reading
George Hagen reads from his first novel entitled The Laments. Hagen discusses the similarities between his childhood experiences and the novel, pointing out that “the places are real, the events are apocryphal.” He was born in colonial Africa, moved with his family as a child to England, and then to the United States.
Hagen goes on to discuss his childhood, and how the frequent relocating of his family caused him to be able to “size things up very quickly.” He further relates his experience to that of the main character’s in The Laments, citing the attempt to anchor himself to an emotional connection with someone as a main boyhood goal.
Hagen discusses his role as a screenwriter, and how this has enabled his ability to be a succinct fiction writer. When comparing screenwriting to fiction writing, Hagen points out: “The nice thing about writing a novel is that you really do get the last word.”
Hagen goes on to discuss his impetus for writing The Laments: he decided to write a novel entirely for himself, with no eye whatsoever as to whether or not the work would ever be published. Hagen then describes the subsequent bidding war for his novel, waged between two publishers from the same conglomerate. He points out that he was able to pick his editor, and chose a woman who was the most “protective” of the novel.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: George Hagen
Date Recorded: July 19, 2004
Works Read: The Laments: a novel by George Hagen
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: colonial Africa, England, emigration, narrative voice
Wayne Johnson Reading
Wayne Johnson reads excerpts from two of his books, The Baseball Diaries and The Devil You Know. Johnson then goes on to discuss his childhood years spent in northern Minnesota, as well as the subsequent experiences that served to inform his novel, The Devil You Know. Johnson describes The Devil You Know as a coming-of-age story that is written with an authorial voice. He points out that this is his only book to employ an omniscient narrator, but felt that it was important to be able to give the book a wider scope.
Johnson recalls his time spent at the Iowa Writers’ Workshop; specifically, the time spent with professors James McPherson and Jane Smiley. He claims that Smiley taught him to write with discipline, to consider the form instead of writing anything that would come into his head. Johnson goes on to discuss his role as a screenwriter, and the various restrictions that are placed on him due to this specific writing form.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Wayne Johnson
Date Recorded: July 16, 2004
Works Read: The Baseball Diaries: Confessions of a Cold War Youth by Wayne Johnson The Devil You Know by Wayne Johnson
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Northern Minnesota, character development, Iowa Writers' Workshop, writing process
Kent Haruf Reading
Kent Haruf reads from his novel, Eventide, which is a sequel to his previous novel, Plainsong. Haruf acknowledges that while his growing up in small Colorado towns influenced his novels, he ultimately aims to write about “universal matters.” Haruf began writing his previous novel, Plainsong, while he was in the Iowa Writers’ Workshop (MFA 1973). He points out how independent bookstores such as Prairie Lights contributed greatly to his success as a novelist.
A question and answer period follows the reading, where Haruf discusses his writing techniques and conventions in detail. He explains his decision to omit quotation marks around the dialogue in his latest novels; he enjoys the clean, uncluttered appearance of the page. Haruf stresses the importance of significant dialogue in his books, and points out that he attempts to incorporate various “distinctive or idiosyncratic phrases” he hears in daily life. When addressing his stark style of writing, Haruf claims that “if you are paying very close attention to each word, that each word has to be there for an absolute and precise reason, then that language can sound as if it had been reminted that very day.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Kent Haruf
Date Recorded: July 07, 2004
Works Read: Eventide, by Kent Haruf
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Colorado, conventions in writing, fiction, dialogue styles, writing process
Note: This reading takes place in Shambaugh Auditorium, in the Main Library at the University of Iowa.
Sandra Scofield Reading
Sandra Scofield reads from her memoir entitled Occasional Sin.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Sandra Scofield
Date Recorded: June 29, 2004
Works Read: Occasions of Sin: a Memoir by Sandra Scofield
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: memoir writing, primary source research
Larry Watson Reading
Larry Watson reads from his novel entitled Orchard. During a question and answer session, Watson discusses his writing process, claiming: “Often I feel like I’m writing for the work itself—if I’m attentive enough it will assert certain things.” Watson claims that he writes in a mostly linear fashion, although Orchard in structured in a non-chronological order. He claims this order was important so that the reader could make connections from scene to scene, instead of linking events in relation to their place in time.
Watson goes on to discuss the importance of landscape in his work, claiming that the story “nudged him” toward it. He also points out the difficulty in portraying a character who is a visual artist, and details the extensive research he performed regarding painting techniques to inform the novel. He further explains that, like the painter in Orchard, many of the characters identify strongly with a specific sense such as sight or touch.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Larry Watson
Date Recorded: June 28, 2004
Works Read:
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: writing process, visual artists, obsession
Jennifer Stevenson Reading
Jennifer Stevenson reads a selection from her novel entitled Trash Sex Magic. During a question and answer session, Stevenson discusses the importance of nature in her novel, calling it a “love letter to the vacant lots of Chicago.” Stevenson recalls how her mother brought her up to spend a lot of time outdoors, despite the fact that she grew up in the suburbs.
Stevenson goes on to explain that Trash Sex Magic was a novel 18 years in the making, and was originally intended as a work of contemporary horror. She further describes the editing and publishing journey of Trash Sex Magic, pointing out that she ended up cutting at least half of the original draft out of the final copy.
Stevenson discusses her influences, including her grandfather who once served as night editor of City News Bureau in Chicago. She recalls his ambition as a journalist, pointing out that he considered his occupation “newpapering”, as opposed to “journalism.”
Stevenson goes on to discuss the use of “magic”, or pagan beliefs, in her novel. She claims that the utilization of magic by the two main characters solidifies their reputation as “outsiders.” She further discusses the portrayal of sex in her novel, as well as the unique needs that children have in an overly sexualized world. A student of Gestalt psychology, Stevenson points out the importance of focusing of development of self-esteem in children.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Jennifer Stevenson
Date Recorded: June 25, 2004
Works Read: Trash Sex Magic by Jennifer Stevenson
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: nature, magic, psychology, journalism
Gina Franco Reading
Gina Franco reads selection of poems from The Keepsake Storm. Franco explains how both her upbringing in a Latino culture, and later her study of the traditional literary canon, informed the poems in her collection. It is due to this combination of influences that Franco considers her writing style to be “polyphonic.”
During a question and answer session, Franco discusses her reverence for Romantic poetry. She expresses her love of John Keats’ poetry, claiming that his is “perfect poetry” with “not a hair out of place.”
Franco goes on to explain her childhood spent in an Arizona mining town; she had never consider writing an option-- it was more important to make money to help support the family. She recalls how the creative writing classes she took at a local community college eventually led to her further education on the East Coast. Franco points out that it is difficult for her family to understand what she does for a living, but are nonetheless supportive.
Franco ends by discussing the storms that form a theme throughout her poetry collection. She tells that her initial inspiration for the book was a woman she had once cared for, who had lost her memory long before Franco had met her. The woman had survived Hurricane Cleo while on a boat, and it was the only memory that she could still recall.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Gina L. Franco
Date Recorded: June 22, 2004
Works Read: "These Years, In the Deepest Holes," "Darkling," "The Spirit That Appears When You Call," "The Walk Like Old Habits," "That Cried to the Whole City 'Sleep No More,'" from The Keepsake Storm, by Gina L. Franco
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Latino heritage, Romantic poetry, Arizona, mining, natural disasters
Seth Kantner Reading
Seth Kantner reads selections from his novel, Ordinary Wolves. During a brief question and answer session, Kantner discusses how closely the dialect in the book matches the true dialect of the Inupiaq language of the native peoples of the Alaskan region. Kantner points out that his book generally stays true to the language, although many of the phrases in the book were the influence of a person that Kantner knew when he was young.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Seth Kantner
Date Recorded: June 18, 2004
Works Read: Ordinary Wolves, by Seth Kantner
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Alaska, Inupiaq language
Note: While the reading lasted 59 minutes, the audio recording cuts out at 28 mins.
Douglas Unger and Rachel Pastan
Douglas Unger reads the short story “Leslie and Sam” from his collection entitled Looking for War. Rachel Pastan then reads an excerpt from her novel entitled This Side of Married. During a very brief question and answer period, Unger discusses the experiences that informed his short stories, and Pastan reflects on her views of marriage in the 21st century.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Douglas Unger , Rachel Pastan
Date Recorded: June 14, 2004
Works Read: "Leslie and Sam" from Looking for War: and Other Stories by Douglas Unger This Side of Married by Rachel Pastan
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Tim Tyson Reading
Tim Tyson reads from his memoir, “Blood Done Sign My Name.” Tyson describes his childhood in Oxford, North Carolina, and the murder of an African American man by Tyson’s white neighbors when he was eleven years old. The men were all acquitted, and several acts of arson were committed in Oxford as a result of the decision.
In a question and answer session, Tyson addresses the event when, performing research for his Master’s thesis many years after the event, he approached the man charged with the murder for an interview. Tyson discusses that, even after all the years in between, it was apparent that the man still thought he had done no wrong; that he had been defending his family’s honor.
Tyson, who admits that “this story has been burning a hole in my brain since I was 11,” had thought that he was finished with the story when he submitted his Master’s thesis. He discusses his decision to release his memoir so many years after the fact, and the attention that his book has received since its publication. Tyson explained that he felt that the people of Oxford were partly to blame for keeping quiet about the murder, and claimed that events such as the murder were “inevitable” in the “racial caste system” that had been established in America.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Tim Tyson
Date Recorded: June 08, 2004
Works Read: "Blood Done Sign My Name: A True Story" by Timothy B. Tyson
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: race relations, murder, memoir
Karen Joy Fowler Reading
Karen Joy Fowler reads selections from her novel The Jane Austen Book Club. She explains how she conceived the idea for the novel while at reading at an independent bookstore. Fowler recounts how she had seen a poster on the wall that had proclaimed “The Jane Austen Book Club”, and was excited to purchase the book with that title. When she realized that the poster was for an actual book club instead of a book, Fowler knew she had to pen a book with that title.
During a question and answer session, Fowler explains the format of her book--the book club in her novel covers six of Jane Austen’s works over the course of six meetings. She goes on to discuss the tendencies of the characters in her book to relate specifically to characters in Austen’s works.
Fowler, who is also a successful science fiction writer, feels that she has two separate careers in two completely distinct genres. She explains that she purposely keeps her two careers “separate” so that each fan base does not feel put off by her other works.
Fowler goes on to recount her own experiences in a book club, and how these experiences informed her novel. She outlines her respect for Austen and Emily Dickinson, and her awe at their contemporary style of writing.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Karen Joy Fowler
Date Recorded: May 25, 2004
Works Read: The Jane Austen Book Club, by Karen Joy Fowler
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introductions by host Julie Englander and Paul Ingram of Prairie Lights Books.
Topics: science fiction, book clubs, Jane Austen, Emily Dickinson
Anchee Min Reading
Anchee Min reads from her fourth novel, Empress Orchid. The novel, set in 19th century China, follows the rise of the last Empress Dowager of China. Min describes the difficulty of portraying a character that the Western world has solely characterized as an evil woman. She feels it is important to display the humanity and relationships of the Empress Orchid, outlining the events that led up to the “distortion of the human spirit.” She discusses the difficulty of researching the life of the Empress using unbiased sources. Min found that the most beneficial information came from more “indirect” histories of China: the histories of Chinese architecture, military, herbs, and opera.
Min goes on to discuss her early life as a communist in Mao’s China. She relays the story of her recruitment into Madam Mao’s famous film production company, where Min worked as an actress in propaganda films. Min points out that her peasant status made her an ideal actress for Madam Mao, claiming that “I was a piece of white paper and they could draw any colors on me; that was a sign of a political reliability.” Min then describes her move the United States, and her struggle with learning English. She claims that she first began writing for the sole purpose of improving her English.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Anchee Min
Date Recorded: May 20, 2004
Works Read: Empress Orchid, by Anchee Min
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Mao Tse-Tung, Madam Mao, Maoism, Empress Tzu Hsi, historical fiction, role of media, Vietnam War, feminism
Andrei Codrescu Reading
Andrei Codrescu reads from his novel entitled Wakefield. Codrescu jokes about the fact that his publishers scheduled the first stop on his book tour for Iowa City, claiming that they must that thought that “if you drop a pebble in Iowa City, the concentric circles will ripple throughout the world—which is possible.” Codrescu goes on to discuss his novel Wakefield, which is based on Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short story of the same name. He discusses his experiences with novel writing, claiming that the main characters usually end up “taking over the book"--he ends up “channeling their spirit”, in a sense.
Codrescu goes on to discuss his current projects, one of which is a documentary on the Mississippi River. Codrescu, who has lived in New Orleans, wants to highlight both the musical styles and events that have occurred throughout the length of the river. He also mentions his past experiences with visiting Iowa City, as well as his time spent at the Dada Archive during his most recent visit.
Codrescu discusses his position as a commentator on National Public Radio, as well as how his position as an immigrant to the United States has affected his commentary. He points out that writers are “self-cleaning insects”, they essentially write “to forget.” Codrescu goes on to discuss his experiences with film--his teaching of a documentary film writing class, as well as his experience with creating a film based on one of his novels.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Andrei Codrescu
Date Recorded: May 10, 2004
Works Read: Wakefield, by Andrei Codrescu
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Jenna Blum Reading
Jenna Blum reads from her first novel entitled Those Who Save Us. Blum discusses the historical background of her book, which takes place in Nazi Germany during World War II. She claims that she “wanted to explore the fact that people are very rarely villains and are very rarely heroes; their behavior is composed of grey shades and they fall somewhere in between.” Blum goes on to discuss how her unique ancestry contributed to her novel, as well: she has both Jewish and German ancestors.
During a question and answer session, Blum describes the trips she took to Germany with her mother, aiming to explore the “schizophrenic nature” of the country. She also points out that her time in Germany helped her pick up on how Germans communicate and relate to each other. Blum goes on to describe her work with Steven Spielberg’s Shoah Foundation, where she performed oral history interviews with Holocaust survivors. She explains that often times the interview marked the first time these individuals had shared their story--many had found that when they had first arrived in America people were not receptive to their stories about the war.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Jenna Blum
Date Recorded: May 05, 2004
Works Read: Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Shoah Foundation, WWII, Nazi Germany, historical research
Faith Adielé Reading
Faith Adielé reads excerpts from her memoir entitled Meeting Faith: the Forest Journals of a Black Buddhist Nun. Adielé, a woman of both Scandinavian and Nigerian descent, discusses her time spent growing up on her grandparent’s farm in Washington state. She identifies her unique position as a child, pointing out that she was the “only black girl in town;” and that her family was comprised of Unitarian liberals in a sea of conservative Christians. Adielé describes her excitement at attending Harvard University, with the assumption that she would finally “fit in”—but found that she felt forced to chooses between blacks and whites. She details her decision to drop out of Harvard and move to Thailand, and eventually become ordained as a Buddhist nun.
Adielé describes the layout of her book, pointing out that she incorporated her personal journal entries that were written during the time of her ordination as a demonstration of “how any practice requires a daily commitment and struggle.” During a question and answer session, Adielé describes the process that led up to her ordainment, pointing out that she had initially only been conducting research about the Buddhist nuns. She goes on to describe her “vow of silence” experience as well as her studies with the head nun of the temple. Adielé also points out that she is no longer ordained as a nun, and details the “temporary ordinations” that are performed in Thailand.
Adielé ends by discussing her filming of the documentary about her experience entitled “My Journey Home.” She points out that the documentary was extremely beneficial personally in that it helped her to contextual her experience.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Faith Adielé
Date Recorded: April 27, 2004
Works Read: Meeting Faith: the Forest Journals of a Black Buddhist Nun by Faith Adielé
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: interracial identity, Buddhism, Thailand, memoirs
Christopher Merrill Reading
The author reads excerpts of Only the Nails Remain, a nonfiction book about his work and travels in the former Republic of Yugoslavia and his involvement with the literary demimonde of that region. He reads a selection of poems from the collection Brilliant Water, and then takes questions from the audience. He answers questions about his experience and process of writing in the midst of war, the role of the natural world in his poetry, and provides insight into the politic aspects of poetry writing in the Balkans.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry | Nonfiction
Authors: Christopher Merrill
Date Recorded: April 26, 2004
Works Read: The author reads an untitled poem by Aleš Debeljak that begins "Your story is simple." The author reads from Only the Nails Remain. He reads the following poems from his collection, Brilliant Water: "The Fence;" "Reckonings;" "Sagebrush;" "Sestina on Six Words by Vicente Huidobro;" and "Should, Should Not."
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander and James Galvin
Topics: Balkan War; poetry writing; war reporting
Note: Interruption at 45 minutes, transfer from tape side A to side B.
Robert Dana Reading
Robert Dana reads selections from his tenth collection of poems entitled The Morning of the Red Admirals. Robert mentions the poets James Galvin and Donald Justice at the start of his reading. He asserts that Galvin’s “most recent book just sent me off the planet,” and dedicates his reading to Donald Justice. Dana claims Justice as his “greatest adversary,” claiming that they both organize their poetry and think about writing in similar ways.
During a very brief question and answer period, Dana discusses how his political opinions affect his poetry. Dana points out that most everything in our lives are touched by the political, and thus cannot be divorced from his poetry.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Robert Dana
Date Recorded: April 26, 2004
Works Read: "The Morning of the Red Admirals", "Walking the Yellow Dog", Ecstacy", "February", "This Time", "In Panama", "Five Card Draw", "Of Cats, Switchblades, and the Unimaginable", "In Heaven", "Stepping Lightly", "Late October Rainy Days", "Chimes"; from The Morning of the Red Admirals\ by Robert Dana
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: poetry, jazz music, Donald Justice, politics
Amy Stewart Reading
Author Amy Stewart discusses her nonfiction work, The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms. Stewart, an avid gardener, notes that she first became interested in earthworms during a move when she discovered the species of earthworms on her new land differed from those on her old land. She also points out that Charles Darwin’s final book had explored the topic of earthworms. Stewart also discusses the strategy of employing earthworms in the garden composting process, and explains how these worms have the remarkable ability to survive exposure to the chemical DDT.
Biologist Sam James, whom Amy Stewart interviewed for her book, is also on hand to discuss the lifestyle diversity and different species of earthworms. Not only does James discuss earthworms, but he also shows various species that he has brought in for the bookstore audience to view. James goes on to discuss the different habitats and locations of native species. He explains that earthworms in the Iowa City area and northwards are considered non-native and have only existed in this region since settlement of Asians or Europeans, while areas south of Iowa City inhabit “native” earthworms. James goes on to outline the difficulties of studying earthworms in their native habitat, and shares techniques that biologists use to gather information about these creatures.
Amy Stewart steps in to further explain the use of earthworms for composting purposes. She explains the steps to take and ideal conditions under which to employ earthworms as composting agents.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Amy Stewart
Date Recorded: April 07, 2004
Works Read: The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms, by Amy Stewart
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander. Biologist Sam James is a guest contributor.
Topics: gardening, earthworms, composting
Donald Morrill Reading
Donald Morrill reads a selection from his memoir entitled The Untouched Minutes. Morrill briefly explains the book, pointing out that it is based on a home intrusion that he and his wife experienced in the middle of the night in 2001. Morrill explains that the book is written in both 1st and 3rd person; the 3rd person sections concern world events and their relation to the intrusion.
During a question and answer session, Morrill discusses “Gregory”, the fictional name that Morrill’s wife gave to the intruder. When asked if Morrill has forgiven “Gregory” for his crime, Morrill replies that “forgiveness requires a huge amount of effort—a huge psychic investment.” He also goes on to compare and contrast the ways that he and his wife have dealt with the event, claiming that “there are very distinct differences in the way that genders respond to these situations.”
When asked why Morrill chose to write about such a traumatic event, he responds, “Writers have the belief that writing can give you control over situations.” He does point out, however, that the personal essay aspect of the book seemed “self-indulgent,” and thus chose to add the 3rd person sections to the book. He explains that this allowed for both “outside and inside views, kind of like a Möbius strip.”
Morrill goes on to discuss his other nonfiction titles, specifically an “immerision journalism” piece written about a group of “abandoned” adolescents that he worked with for a year. Morrill ends by pondering how a writer deals with such emotional material as his home invasion. He points out that it is important for the writer to take a step back and “think aesthetically,” with the understanding that “writing about an event is not the same as living it.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: Donald Morrill
Date Recorded: April 01, 2004
Works Read: The Untouched Minutes by Donald Morrill
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: memoir, personal essay, nonfiction, home intrusion, trauma
Jon Woodward and Oni Buchanan Reading
Jon Woodward and Oni Buchanan read selections from both published and unpublished works.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: Jon Woodward , Oni Buchanan
Date Recorded: March 22, 2004
Works Read: "Two Hawks Are Above Cambridge", "Upwards", "Auditioning Anchormen", "Where Billy Goats Should Always Stay, Too" Mister Goodbye Easter Island by Jon Woodward "Blizzard", "Message Thrown Over the Edge of the Flying Prison: Found Poem", "Twelve Tone" by John Woodward "Minutes from the Tuesday Meeting", "The Only Yak in Batesville, Virginia", "The Walk", "Cinch Song", "Cryptography", "The Girls"; from What Animal by Oni Buchanan
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: poetry, prose, cryptography
Guy Vanderhaeghe Reading
Guy Vanderhaeghe reads from his novel entitled The Last Crossing. During a brief question and answer session, Vanderhaeghe discusses his writing process. He points out that he had initially written his novel in the 3rd person but changed the format to 1st person point of view with alternating characters’ points of view, claiming that this alteration allowed for multiple interpretations of the same events.
Vanderhaeghe, whose novel features a Native American character, elaborates on the relationship between his native Canada and its indigenous peoples. He goes on to discuss his difficult childhood, claiming that his family put a very high value on education. Vanderhaeghe mentions his Master’s degree in History, and how his training as an archivist has both helped and hindered his writing.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Guy Vanderhaeghe
Date Recorded: March 11, 2004
Works Read: The Last Crossing by Guy Vanderhaeghe
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Canadian history, writing process, education
Binnie Kirshenbaum Reading
Binnie Kirshenbaum reads from her novel entitled An Almost Perfect Moment. During a question and answer session, Kirshenbaum points out that the voices of the characters in the book had been with her for many years--they would be saying, “What a face, will you look at that face.” When Kirshenbaum tried to imagine the face that these voices were referring to, she pictured the Virgin Mary--and thus the main character was created. Kirshenbaum points out that the setting of the novel is in Brooklyn, in an area where Jewish and Italian families grew up together. She wanted to be able to explore the way people dealt with differing cultures as well as religions.
Kirshenbaum goes on to discuss the use of humor in her novel, pointing out that she often looks at humor as “tragedy taken to its farthest limit.” She discusses the characters in her novel, describing them in terms of their faith and personal beliefs. Kirshenbaum does concede that there are “miracles” that take place in her novel, but points out that she was careful to provide a rational explanation for events so that the reader could decide either way. She goes on to discuss recurring imagery in An Almost Perfect Moment, specifically a pair of yellow birds that appear throughout the book.
Kirshenbaum ends by discussing critical reception of her novel thus far, speaking specifically of Norman Mailer’s critique of the book. She also talks about her experience as a creative writing professor at Columbia University.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Binnie Kirshenbaum
Date Recorded: March 08, 2004
Works Read: An Almost Perfect Moment by Binnie Kirshenbaum
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Virgin Mary, Judaism, sex, miracles, teaching, character development
Matthew Pearl Reading
Matthew Pearl reads from his novel The Dante Club. Pearl details the history of the actual Dante Club formed in Boston in the 1860’s. The club included such famous members as Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr., James Russell Lowell, and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. In the novel, the Dante Club members become aware of a serial killer in Boston that has been murdering his victims using techniques described in Dante’s Inferno. Pearl goes on to read selections from Dante’s Inferno, outlining a few of the tortures that are included in the novel.
Pearl describes his writing process, explaining that there was an abundance of research material for his topic--the Dante Club members were all writers. He outlines his work and struggles with his editor, pointing out that many of his chapters had been cut; he had subsequently posted them on his website instead. Pearl also explains his decision to re-release Longfellow’s translation of Dante’s Inferno as a companion piece for his novel.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Matthew Pearl
Date Recorded: March 01, 2004
Works Read: The Dante Club, by Matthew Pearl
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: historical fiction, Dante's "Inferno"
Barbara Cully and Ann Cummins Reading
Barbara Cully reads poems from her collection entitled Desire Reclining. Ann Cummins then reads the title story from her collection of short stories entitled Red Ant House. During a very brief question and answer session, Cully and Cummins discuss the importance of landscape in their work. Both women work and reside in the Southwest. Cummins briefly discusses the education she received while in school on Native American reservations, and the subsequent “catching up” with regard to literature that she felt she needed to do when she moved on to college.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction | Poetry
Authors: Barbara Cully , Ann Cummins
Date Recorded: February 26, 2004
Works Read: “Solo", “In Violet, In Violet”, “Meditation at Strahov”, “Organizing a Piece of Cheese”, “Coming to Rest”; all from Desire Reclining by Barbara Cully "Red Ant House" from Red Ant House by Ann Cummins
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Southwest United States, landscape
John D’Emilio Reading
John D’Emilio reads from his nonfiction book, Lost Prophets: the Life and Times of Bayard Rustin. D’Emilio discusses Rustin’s life as an African American homosexual civil rights leader in the early to mid-20th century. Rustin, a self-proclaimed “agitator for justice,” was a famous nonviolent protest leader who corresponded with famous leaders such as Martin Luther King, Jr., Malcolm X, and Stokely Carmichael. D’Emilio points out that not only is Lost Prophets about Rustin’s work with civil rights issues, but is also about how he learned to deal with the homophobia that constantly threatened his career. D’Emilio relays various instances where Rustin was framed and blackmailed because of his sexual orientation.
Host Julie Englander plays a few soundclips of Bayard Rustin’s various speeches where he outlines his belief that black and white people had to band together in order to successfully fight racial injustice. As D’Emilio explains, Rustin believed that “an all black politics...was always going to remain a politics of the minority that would be overwhelmed by white resentment.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Nonfiction
Authors: John D’Emilio
Date Recorded: February 20, 2004
Works Read: Lost Prophets: the Life and Times of Bayard Rustin, by John D'Emilio
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Bayard Rustin, civil rights movement, nonviolence movement, homosexuality
Haven Kimmel Reading
Haven Kimmel reads an as-yet unpublished short story entitled “That Old Time Religion.” The story is written in a unique Southern dialect, intended, she says, to imitate a college professor of Kimmel’s daughter.
Kimmel talks about her upbringing in an extremely religious household, and her later decision to enroll in a Quaker seminary. She points out that she joined the seminary with the sole purpose of becoming a better writer, and not for religious purposes. Kimmel goes on to discuss the mathematician and philosopher Alfred North Whitehead, and the immense influence that his teachings have had on her novels.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Haven Kimmel
Date Recorded: February 17, 2004
Works Read: "That Old Time Religion," by Haven Kimmel
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: Quakers, Alfred North Whitehead, children's books
Cheryl Peck Reading
Cheryl Peck reads from her collection of short stories, Fat Girls and Lawn Chairs. Peck addresses the difficulties of being both a large woman and a lesbian in today’s society. When asked how she deals with society’s pressures, Peck responds: “Well, I think at some point you have to say to yourself, ‘This is the size that I am, and this is the life that I’m leading.’ So you can either wait indefinitely until you become thin and straight, or you can say, ‘Okay I have to have a sense of humor; I have to have a thing I can use to deal with it.”
Peck discusses her interaction with her family members; how they ultimately influence her style of writing. Peck points out that her family taught her that “the way that you tell a story is at least as important as the story you’re telling.”
Peck goes on to discuss the evolution of her collection of short stories. She had originally penned the stories for a local lesbian magazine, and her partner convinced her to publish them herself. Peck points out that she owes a lot of her success to independent bookstores such as Prairie Lights.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction
Authors: Cheryl Peck
Date Recorded: February 05, 2004
Works Read: "Tales from the Duck Side"; "The Carpenter and the Fisherman"; "Wounded in Action"; and "Fat Girls and Lawn Chairs; all from Fat Girls and Lawn Chairs by Cheryl Peck.
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: lesbianism, family relationships
G.C. Waldrep Reading
G.C. Waldrep reads a selection of poems from his book, Goldbeater’s Skin. In a question and answer session that follows, Waldrep recounts the story-telling traditions from the rural South and the myths around the Anglo-saxon claim to Virginia and the New World. He reflects on the influence of his rural Southern background on his writing.
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Poetry
Authors: G.C. Waldrep
Date Recorded: February 03, 2004
Works Read: Goldbeater's Skin, by G.C. Waldrep
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Host: Julie Englander. Introduction: Professor Cole Swensen
Peter Manseau and Jeff Sharlet Reading
Peter Manseau and Jeff Sharlet read excerpts from their book entitled Killing the Buddha: a heretic’s Bible. During a brief question and answer session, Manseau and Sharlet discuss their online magazine killingthebuddha.com, which had inspired their book. They describe the format of Killing the Buddha, where the two authors contribute non-fiction “book of psalms” entries, and guest writers contribute fictional “books of scripture.”
In: "Live from Prairie Lights" Audio Archive | Fiction | Nonfiction
Authors: Peter Manseau , Jeff Sharlet
Date Recorded: February 02, 2004
Works Read: "Psalm of Heartland, Kansas" and "Psalm of Geneva, Illinois" from Killing the Buddha: a heretic's Bible by Peter Manseau and Jeff Sharlet
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Introduction by host Julie Englander.
Topics: religion, travel, oral interviews
Peter Matthiessen Q&A
American fiction and non-fiction writer Peter Matthiessen answers questions about his accomplishment as a writer and political and environmental activist.
In: International Writing Program Archive
Authors: Peter Matthiessen
Date Recorded: November 02, 2003
Program: --
Format: interview
Contributors: Chris Merrill
Topics: United States environmental policy; United States foreign policy; oil industry; nature writing; Leonard Peltier
Aharon Shabtai Reading
Julie Englander hosts the reading. Christopher Merrill introduces the Israeli poet Aharon Shabtai. Shabtai reads selected poems, some of which come from his publications J’Accuse and Ziva, Zmora Bitan. His poems deal with the social and political issues surrounding the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians. Shabtai discusses how we need to learn to share the world and that life is about keeping hope. Shabtai takes questions from the audience during the last five minutes of the recording.
In: International Writing Program Archive
Authors: Aharon Shabtai
Date Recorded: October 28, 2003
Works Read: Shabtai reads the following poems: "To My Friend;" "Elections: Israel 2001;" "Ziva;" "This Country;" "Politics;" "Culture;" "War;" "Hope"
Program: Live From Prairie Lights
Format: reading
Contributors: Julie Englander and Christopher Merrill
Topics: Politics; love; social issues; war; human rights; Israelis; Palestinians; Zionism; hope
Debora Kuan, Gregory Norminton, and Mirsad Sijaric Reading
Debora Kuan, a student of the Writers’ Workshop, reads several poems. International Writing Program participants Gregory Norminton and Mirsad Sijaric read several of their works. Norminton reads haiku he was written from his experience in Iowa and reads his parody prose of Sir Thomas Wyatt’s “They Flee From Me.”
In: International Writing Program Archive
Authors: Debora Kuan , Gregory Norminton, Mirsad Sijaric
Date Recorded: October 26, 2003
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Chris Merrill
Topics: Bosnia-Sarajevo conflict
Brit Bildøen, Barolong Seboni, and Minae Mizumura Reading
The three authors, Bildøen, Seboni, and Mizumura read excerpts from their pieces.
In: International Writing Program Archive
Authors: Brit Bildøen , Minae Mizumura, Barolong Seboni
Date Recorded: October 24, 2003
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Chris Merrill
Topics: Americanization of Japanese language
IWP and Writers’ Workshop Prairie Lights Reading
Vasugi Ganeshananthan reads from a short story influenced by the tradition of magical realism, describing a mystical and isolated society of women. Shimon Adaf reads poetry from his collections Metamorphosis and The Monologue of Icarus. Minae Mizumura reads from her works An Orthodox Novel and Shishosetsu from Left to Right.
In: International Writing Program Archive | Fiction | Poetry
Authors: Shimon Adaf , Vasugi Ganeshananthan, Minae Mizumura
Date Recorded: October 19, 2003
Program: --
Format: reading
Contributors: Chris Merrill