Novelist Roger Rosenblatt, a Stony Brook University Distinguished Professor of English and Writing, has launched a new weekly literary series, Write America, which features renowned and emerging writers in weekly readings and conversation about how books and art might bridge the deep divisions in our nation.
The series, in collaboration with Book Revue in Huntington, N.Y., begins on February 1 at 7 pm EST with former United States Poet Laureates Rita Dove and Billy Collins. The series is available on Book Revue’s Crowdcast channel.
“When President Trump incited the mob attack on our Capitol, it proved how lethal language can be,” Rosenblatt said. “Writers have better uses for language – the stirring of thought, self-inspection, fellow-feeling, love. The divisions in the country do not end with Trump, who served to show us how deep these divisions go. We are an injured nation. Write America will try to show how language heals.”
Additional speakers confirmed to appear include: Alan Alda, Garry Trudeau, Alice McDermott, Paul Muldoon, Natalie Diaz, Paul Auster, Carlos Fonseca, Grace Schulman, Major Jackson, Vijay Seshadri, Russell Banks, Juan Felipe Herrera, Tyehimba Jess, and many more.
The series will also feature several writers who are part of the Stony Brook faculty, including Collins, Paul Harding, Amy Hempel, Molly Gaudry, Patricia Marx, Julie Sheehan, and Patricia McCormick.
“Write America is an organization of writers concerned about the divisions in our country that have evidenced themselves and deepened over the past few years,” said Rosenblatt. “We see a torn America these days, jeopardizing basic principles of justice, freedom, fair play, and equality.”
“The nation is injured. We hope to contribute to its healing.”
Roger Rosenblatt’s work has been published in 14 languages. He is the author of five New York Times Notable Books of the Year, and three Times bestsellers, including the memoirs Kayak Morning, The Boy Detective, and Making Toast. He has also written seven off-Broadway plays, notably the one-person Free Speech in America, that he performed at the American Place Theater, named one of the Times’ “Ten Best Plays of 1991.” He also wrote the screenplay for his bestselling novel, Lapham Rising. In 2015, he won the Kenyon Review Award for Lifetime Literary Achievement.
Book Revue is Long Island’s largest independent bookstore, located in Huntington Village. Its renowned author events program has drawn thousands of notable authors to Long Island over the years.
All events in the series are free, but registration is required.
Enjoying the series so much, and looking forward to future readings. Not only does Rosenblatt pair exciting readers, but he allows them and the audience to interact, sparking interesting conversation. Making use of the technology available he brings something special to those of us suffering under the isolation of pandemic who are beginning to tire of only being viewers. Bravo Roger!
I would like to talk to you about the Dictionary Project. Hopefully we can work together to ensure that students where you live will be able to enjoy the benefits of owning a dictionary. It will help them become better writers and creative thinkers. Please contact me to discuss how we can collaborate to improve literacy and writing throughout our country. Thank you for your consideration.
[…] a former News Hour correspondent, said when the series launched in February that it would “try and show how language heals.” After 29 episodes — featuring writers such […]
Trying to reach Roger, whom I got to know at Harvard 50 years ago. Spoke with him for “Coming Apart” and want to report on the 50th anniversary of those days. Could you connect us, please?
roger.rosenblatt@stonybrook.edu