Schedule of Events, 2011-2012 Season
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Unless otherwise noted, tickets to and reservations for these events are not required.
September 2011
Monday and Tuesday, September 26-27 -- LITERATURA DE CORDEL: CONTINUITY AND CHANGE IN BRAZILIAN POPULAR LITERATURE
This two-day symposium will examine the artistry, narrative, and iconography of cordel, a form of popular literature from northeastern Brazil. Noted scholars of cordel will be featured, as will the artistry of cordel poets, singers, and woodcut artists. This event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. For a complete schedule, visit: http://www.loc.gov/folklife/Symposia/litcordel. Sponsored by the American Folklife Center at the Library of Congress is collaboration with the Library’s Hispanic Division, the Library’s overseas office in Rio de Janeiro, and the Embassy of Brazil in Washington, DC.
Location: LJ-119, Thomas Jefferson Building (first floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Friday, September 30, 4:00 PM
PRESENTATION OF GABRIELA MISTRAL Y LOS ESTADOS UNIDOS
Gerardo Piña Rosales, editor and president of the Academy of Spanish Language in the United States, joins poet Louis Alberto Ambroggio and writer Emilio Bernal Labrada in a discussion of the new biography. This event is free and open to the public, and will be in Spanish. Co-sponsored by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: Mary Pickford Theater, James Madison Building (third floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-6404
Friday, September 30, 7:30 PM (Providence, Rhode Island)
POETRY ON THE PAGE: A READING BY FORREST GANDER
Forrest Gander, recipient of the Library of Congress’s 14th annual Witter Bynner Poetry Fellowship, reads his poetry. This event is free and open to the public. Co-sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book.
Location: Fleet Library, Rhode Island School of Design, 15 Westminster Street
Contact: (202) 707-5394
October 2011
Tuesday, October 4, 7:00 PM
PANEL DISCUSSSION: FRONTERA SIN FRONTERA
A panel discussing the poetry traditions of the United States and Mexico, and the ways they interrelate and reflect upon each other. Featuring translator Jeannette Clariond, translator and poet Mónica de la Torre, scholar Rafael Pérez-Torres, and poet Pedro Serrano, and moderated by poet Luis Alberto Ambroggio. This event is free and open to the public. Book sales and a signing will follow. Co-sponsored by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress and presented in partnership with the Mexican Cultural Institute.
Location: Mumford Room, James Madison Building (sixth floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Friday, October 7, Noon
POST-INDEPENDENCE AFRICAN LITERATURE: ALI MAZRUI
Noted scholar and political writer Ali Mazrui discusses the state of contemporary African culture, including poetry and literature. This event is free and open to the public. Book sales and a signing will follow. Co-sponsored by the African and Middle Eastern Division of the Library of Congress and the Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa.
Location: African/Middle Eastern Reading Room, Thomas Jefferson Building (2nd Floor)
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Wednesday, October 12, 7:00 PM
CONTEMPORARY POETRY FROM CHINA: A READING AND DISCUSSION
Chinese poets Xi Chuan and Zhou Zan join Michael Wiegers, executive editor of Copper Canyon Press and special guest Carolyn Forché, for a reading and discussion on the forthcoming anthology Push Open the Window: Contemporary Poetry from China. This event is free and open to the public. Book sales and a signing will follow. Co-sponsored by the Asian Division of the Library of Congress and presented in partnership with Copper Canyon Press and the National Endowment for the Arts.
Location: Mumford Room, James Madison Building (sixth floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Monday, October 17, 7:00 PM
POET LAUREATE READING
Philip Levine, the 18th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, will kick off the Library’s literary season with a reading. This event is free and open to the public. A reception and book signing will follow.
Location: Coolidge Auditorium, Thomas Jefferson Building (ground floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707- 5394
Monday, October 24, Noon
ASIAN-AMERICAN POETRY TODAY: EILEEN TABIOS
Filipino-American poet Eileen Tabios reads from her work, followed by a moderated discussion. This event is free and open to the public. Book sales and a signing will follow. Co-sponsored by the Asian Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: Mary Pickford Theater, James Madison Building (third floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Tuesday, October 25, Noon
LITERARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: JOHN BERRYMAN
Poets Mary Jo Bang and Michael Collier celebrate the birthday of American poet John Berryman by reading selections from his work and discussing his influence on their own writing. This event is free and open to the public, and will feature a display from the Library’s collections. Co-sponsored by the Rare Books and Special Collections Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building (ground floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
November 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 7:00 PM (Seattle, Washington)
ROBERT BRINGHURST READING
Robert Bringhurst, recipient of the Library of Congress’s 14th annual Witter Bynner Poetry Fellowship, reads his poetry. This event is free and open to the public. Book sales and a signing will follow. Co-sponsored by the Library of Congress Center for the Book.
Location: Microsoft Auditorium, Central Library, Seattle Public Library, 1000 4th Ave.
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Wednesday, November 16, 6:00 PM
CONVERSATIONS WITH AFRICAN POETS AND WRITERS: SUSAN KIGULI
To celebrate the African Studies Association Annual meeting, Ugandan poet and ASA Presidential Fellow Susan Kiguli reads her own work, with a moderated discussion to follow. This event is free and open to the public. A reception will precede the program. Co-sponsored by the African and Middle Eastern Division and the John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress, and the Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa, and with the generous support of Chevron.
Location: Mumford Room, James Madison Building (sixth floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Tuesday, November 29, Noon
LITERARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: LOUISA MAY ALCOTT
Authors Jo Ann Beard and Maud Casey celebrate the birthday of American author Louisa May Alcott by reading selections from her work and discussing her influence on their own writing. This event is free and open to the public, and will feature a display from the Library’s collections. Co-sponsored by the Rare Books and Special Collections Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building (ground floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
December 2011
Thursday, December 15, Noon
KLUGE CENTER RESIDENT SCHOLAR LECTURE
Bavarian Fellow Sascha Pöhlmann will present a talk on “Walt Whitman’s Future-Founding Poetry.” Sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building (ground floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-3302
Tuesday, December 20, Noon
KLUGE CENTER RESIDENT SCHOLAR LECTURE
Black Mountain Fellow Kelle Groom will present a talk on “The Quiet People (Hiljainen Kansa): A Memoir.” Sponsored by the John W. Kluge Center of the Library of Congress.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building (ground floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-3302
January 2012
Friday, January 27, 6:30 PM
INTERNATIONAL LITERATURE: ODYSSEAS ELYTIS AND THE HISPANIC WORLD
Pedro Serrano, Mexican translator, poet, and critic, joins Dominican poet and critic Rei Berroa in a discussion of the influence of Nobel Laureate Odysseas Elytis on Hispanic poetry and culture. This event is free and open to the public. Book sales and a signing will follow. Co-sponsored by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: West Dining Room, James Madison Building (sixth floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
February 2012
Wednesday, February 1, Noon
LITERARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: LANGSTON HUGHES
Poets Dolores Kendrick and Evie Shockley celebrate the birthday of American poet Langston Hughes by reading selections from his work and discussing his influence on their own writing. This event is free and open to the public, and will feature a display from the Library’s collections. Co-sponsored by the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building (ground floor) <view map>
Contact:(202) 707-5394
Friday, February 3, 12:30 PM (Andrews Base Library, Maryland)
PIZZA AND POETRY
Jehanne Dubrow reads and discusses Stateside, which lyrically details the experiences of a military wife. This event is free and open to military and civilian DoD personnel. It is suggested, but not required that guests RSVP at (301) 981-6454. Lunch will be provided and a book signing will follow. Co sponsored by Andrews Air Force Base and the Federal Library and Information Central Committee at the Library of Congress.
Location: Andrews Base Library, Building 1642 Brookley Ave. & D Street
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Thursday, February 23, 7 PM (Los Angeles, California)
POET LAUREATE READING
Philip Levine, the 18th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, will read a selection from his poetry. This event is free and open to the public. A reception and book signing will follow. Co-sponsored by the ALOUD Series and the Library of Congress Center for the Book.
Location: Los Angeles Central Library, 630 W. 5th Street
Contact: (202) 707-5394
March 2012
Thursday, March 1, Noon
LITERARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: RALPH ELLISON
Writers Danielle Evans and Jabari Asim celebrate the birthday of American author Ralph Ellison by reading selections from his work and discussing his influence on their own writing. This event is free and open to the public, and will feature a display from the Library’s collections. Co-sponsored by the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: Whittall Pavilion, Thomas Jefferson Building (ground floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
Tuesday, March 20, 2012, 8 PM (Georgetown University)
LATINO/A POETRY NOW: William Archila and Ruth Irupé Sanabria
As part of a national tour celebrating emerging Latina/o poets, this event will feature the first and second place winners of the 2010 International Latino Book Awards. Co-sponsored by the Hispanic Division of the Library of Congress and presented in partnership with Letras Latinas, Lannan Center for Poetics and Social Practice at Georgetown University, and the Poetry Society of America.
Location: Copley Formal Lounge, Georgetown University, 37th and O Streets, NW
Contact: (202) 687-6294
Monday, March 26, 6:30 PM
LITERARY BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION: TENNESSEE WILLIAMS
William Jay Smith, former Consultant in Poetry at the Library of Congress, reads from his memoir My Friend Tom about American playwright Tennessee Williams, on Williams’ birthday. This event is free and open to the public, and will feature a display from the Library’s collections. Co-sponsored by the Manuscript Division of the Library of Congress.
Location: Montpelier Room, James Madison Building (sixth floor) <view map>
Contact: (202) 707-5394
