2009 Wrap-Up!

I hope you didn’t miss December’s reading! Joseph Boyden interspersed Canadian jokes–the repeating of which this American dares not attempt–between his readings: creative non-fiction and excerpts from two of his novels (part of a proposed trilogy). Perhaps this was to lighten the rather somber mood of his readings; the non-fiction pieces were tied together by car-rides and the power of birth and death, and the fiction held some of the horrors of war. To paraphrase Mr. Boyden from the question and answer session, it was not possible to make up anything more horrifying than what actually happened. Still, the overall result of Mr. Boyden’s reading was not chilling, but quite simply, captivating.

After the intermission, Katie McGinnis from Tulane read a collection of Jewish-themed poetry, followed by Britton Blackall of UNO, reading a miscellaneous collection of poetry, including a few that seemed to follow the Native American theme that had risen in Joseph Boyden’s fiction. Kathryn Bell, a senior at Loyola, finished the evening with a gripping work of fiction reflecting the bloody tale of a modern Prometheus.

That wraps it up for 2009, but 1718 is headed for a great year in 2010! Hope to see you next month!