“All of our lives are worth literature.”
Let that sink in a minute. Writer-In-Residence Wiley Cash (you know, the New York Times best-selling author who also happens to be our alum and a creative writing professor here at UNC Asheville) thinks that all of our lives—your life—is worth literature.
That’s what he and UNC Asheville’s English Department are hoping to show the campus community this year, with a line-up of “shiny national literary stars” speaking at UNC Asheville throughout the next two semesters.
“We want every single student, certainly in our department, but also on campus, to feel like, ‘I can go to these events that are put together by the creative writing department and I can see my experience represented on the stage,’” Cash said.
See the full schedule at english.unca.edu/visiting-writers.
I Don’t Fit in the Stereotypical Appalachian Story
Neither does Frank X Walker, who coined the term “Affrilachian” after he learned that he didn’t exist—he had read in Webster’s dictionary that “Appalachian” referred only to “white residents from the mountains.” Walker, an African-American from Kentucky, created a word to describe people of African descent living in the Appalachian region, and co-founded the multicultural collective known as the Affrilachian Poets.
“He’s a star,” said Cash. “He’s magnetic, smart, interesting—it’s a big deal to have him on campus.”
If you want to catch up on your Walker reading before his public reading on Sept. 25, check out his numerous poetry collections, including When Winter Come: the Ascension of York; Black Box; Buffalo Dance: the Journey of York, winner of the 35th Annual Lillian Smith Book Award; and Affrilachia, a Kentucky Public Librarians’ Choice Award nominee.
(And keep scrolling to learn about Cash’s online book club exploring vibrant and diverse voices in Southern literature that don’t fall in the typical literary canon.)
Put It on Your Calendar
7 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 25
Manheimer Room, Reuter Center
I Can’t Stop Re-Reading The Great Gatsby
1920s nostalgia is real—Midnight in Paris, anyone? And if you’ve ever dreamed of throwing multimillion-dollar Gatsby-esque masquerade balls, sauntering around your chateau and spending weekends sailing across smooth waters on your yacht, then it’s time you met Alva Vanderbilt. Alva, who married into the Vanderbilt family of Biltmore House fame, was an American socialite and prominent multi-millionaire. But she was more than just her money—she was also a major figure in the women’s suffrage movement, and formed her own Political Equity League.
Therese Anne Fowler, who brought to life the story of the tragic Jazz Age figure Zelda Fitzgerald in her novel, Z, (which was the inspiration for the Amazon original series of the same name), will visit UNC Asheville to discuss her new novel, A Well-Behaved Woman, exploring Vanderbilt’s fascinating and complex life.
She’ll be in conversation with Denise Kiernan, who wrote a New York Times bestselling book on the Biltmore House, The Last Castle: The Epic Story of Love, Loss, and American Royalty in the Nation’s Largest Home.
“These women are going to be together, and they are dynamite,” Cash said. “Fans of historical fiction and fans of the Biltmore House and palace intrigue need to come hear these two people.”
Put It on Your Calendar
7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 30
Ingles Mountain View Room, Sherrill Center
This event is sponsored by Malaprops Bookstore.
I Wish Our Society Was Kinder
So does Cris Beam, author of I Feel You: The Surprising Power of Extreme Empathy, who says that empathy has become a “gaping fault line in American culture.” Beam is the author of several books focusing on the lives of transgender teenagers, as well as a non-fiction book exploring the American foster care system. Lori Horvitz, chair and professor of English, met Beam at an artist residency in the fall of 2017.
“Cris is a great story-teller—I sat with her at dinner the first night at Virginia Center for the Creative Arts and she mesmerized the table,” Horvitz said.
Horvitz is leading a learning circle of faculty and staff who will read Beam’s book this semester before her visit to campus, and talk about how her ideas might apply to campus and classroom challenges. In addition to her campus lecture, Beam will also visit the learning circle to discuss “Millennials vs. the World: Cultivating Intergenerational Empathy.”
Put It on Your Calendar
7 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 8
Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall
My Family History Spans the Globe
Crystal Hana Kim, a young first-generation Korean American, has just published her debut novel, If You Leave Me, about two ill-fated lovers in war-torn Korea, to much critical acclaim. The story explores war, family, and forbidden love, and is among the Center for Fiction’s 2018 First Novel Prize Long List.
“Not only is Crystal a committed and talented writer, but she’s also a generous and passionate person,” Horvitz said. “She is a Teach For America alum and has taught elementary school, high school, and collegiate writing…. Crystal will be an inspiring and energizing force for UNCA students.”
Kim’s novel has been garnering a lot of praise—the Washington Post called it a stunning debut, and Star Tribune said “Kim charts personal and national turmoil with equal interest, offering exquisite scenes of marital discord as adeptly as the inner workings of a refugee village or field hospital.” In other words, if you’re dreaming of publishing that first novel, you’ll have a lot to learn from Kim.
Put It on Your Calendar
7 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 19
Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall
I’m Not Really into Novels
That’s OK, not all literature is found in novels. It can be anything from poetry to non-fiction essays, from short stories to music.
In fact, American singer-songwriter Will Johnson will be on campus in March in conversation with Cash.
“Will Johnson is the founding member of a really influential and important indie rock back called Centro-matic, out of north Texas in the ‘90s,” Cash said. “A lot of contemporary stars in the Nashville and Texas music scenes owe their careers to Will Johnson. He’s just a brilliant singer-songwriter, and he and I are going to be in conversation to talk about songwriting and fiction writing.”
Put It on Your Calendar
7 p.m. Tuesday, March 5
Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall
I’m a Creative Writing Major in Wiley Cash’s Class
Lucky you! Are you excited? So is your instructor. He really, really likes teaching UNC Asheville students.
“I was immediately just blown away by the quality of my students,” Cash said. “I mean, these are the best students I’ve ever had at any university I’ve taught at or visited. The students are exceptional. It’s absolutely crazy.”
(No pressure, though.)
I Wish I Was a Creative Writing Major in Wiley Cash’s Class
Understandable. Might we suggest joining Cash’s Open Canon Book Club? This free online book club, Cash says, highlights the voices of and portrayals of the American experience that we might otherwise miss. Cash got the idea while talking with other book clubs, when he realized most readers interested in Southern literature were mostly familiar with works by white men.
“They’re missing some valid, important literary experiences that could speak to our contemporary moment and explain something about our difficult history,” Cash said. “So I thought what’s the best way to get books in front of these people that they might not find?”
The Open Canon Book Club is Cash’s answer. The first book the club will read is Birds of Opulence by award-winning author Crystal Wilkinson—a member of Frank X. Walker’s Affrilachian Poets, by the way. Cash will post discussion questions and will host live book club discussions online and in independent bookstores.
(PS: You can always apply to be a UNC Asheville student and take one of Cash’s classes for real!)
Remember, all of our lives are worth literature—and it’s worth making a little time in our lives for some great literature, too.
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