I became a writer because I grew up with storytellers, oral storytellers. Some of them did not even know how to read. But they sure could spin a tale. My grandmothers and my aunts could liven up a place by just telling a story… Often in their ordinary interaction with us, especially as children, they were very stern…they didn’t seem like fun people. But when they were telling a story they came to life. And there was something from a very young age I realized was transformative about the process of telling a story.
Category Archives: Featured
02
Dec
Dec
Rebecca Deng hasn’t had an easy life. Born in what is now South Sudan, her mother passed away when Deng was just two years old. Despite that, Deng lived a rather peaceful life until it was turned upside down in 1991 when the Second Sudanese Civil War reached her village of Duk Padiet and “everything was […]
26
Nov
Nov
“I remember the first time I felt seen in poetry…It was the first time I’d taken a class where all of the readings were by Black, Brown, and Indigenous women. I’d finally felt sustenance.
20
Nov
Nov
Throughout his life, people have been telling Pablo Cartaya to stop speaking Spanish. When he got to kindergarten his teacher told him they don’t speak Spanish in the classroom, even though that was the only language he knew at the time. Fast forward to graduate school when his advisor told him he doesn’t have to use so much Spanish in his work, he could write something normal. But Spanish is normal to Cartaya, so he didn’t listen.
13
Nov
Nov
Each week, the My America blog series will introduce you to one of the writers featured in our new exhibit My America: Immigrant and Refugee Writers Today, opening November 21, 2019. The exhibit is designed to elicit thoughtful dialogue on a wide array of issues with contemporary immigrant and refugee writers delving into questions about writing influences, being […]
12
Nov
Nov
For today’s Typewriter Tuesday we are honoring Veterans Day and taking a look at this Smith Premier No. 4 that belonged to William French Hoxey, a veteran of World War I, donated to us by his daughter Margie. This quite remarkable machine dates between 1896 and 1904, more exact dating of the machine proved difficult […]
11
Nov
Nov
In honor of veterans and active duty military members across the country, on this Veterans Day we’d like to share some thoughts on war and writing from a few veterans of both war and writing. Tim O’Brien, Karl Marlantes and Elliot Ackerman all visited us this past year as part of our robust lineup of […]
07
Nov
Nov
Happy Native American Heritage Month! Every November we recognize and celebrate the people who inhabited this land for many years, long before the United States of America even existed, long before European settlers even knew this continent existed. To honor this legacy, this month, for our monthly reading recommendations, we present books by indigenous writers, […]
06
Nov
Nov
Each week, the My America blog series will introduce you to one of the writers featured in our new exhibit My America: Immigrant and Refugee Writers Today, opening November 21, 2019. The exhibit is designed to elicit thoughtful dialogue on a wide array of issues with contemporary immigrant and refugee writers delving into questions about writing influences, […]
30
Oct
Oct
Each week, the My America blog series will introduce you to one of the writers featured in our new exhibit My America: Immigrant and Refugee Writers Today, opening November 21, 2019. The exhibit is designed to elicit thoughtful dialogue on a wide array of issues with contemporary immigrant and refugee writers delving into questions about writing influences, […]