Villanova BIPOC Writers Read Their Work

On Tuesday, November 17, students, alumni, and faculty who have participated in the BIPOC Writing Group read from their work, which included poetry, prose, and nonfiction. The BIPOC Writing Group meets every other Tuesday evening via Zoom. For details, please contact Dr. Adrienne Perry at adrienne.perry@villanova.edu.

The reading was hosted by Dr. Adrienne Perry (top left) and featured the following presenters (clockwise from top left): Dr. Yumi Lee, Lydia McFarlane, Arman Salem, Kamakshi Ranjan, and Cindy Rene.

Students in Prof. Karen Graziano's Legal Writing Class Take Part in Online Panel

On Tuesday, November 17, seven students from Professor Graziano’s “Legal Writing” seminar participated in an online panel in which they shared their experiences of conducting legal research. Students discussed the challenges and excitement of conducting legal research in a range of areas, from patent law and assisted reproduction to monetary bail. They also discussed the opportunities the course provided to network with legal experts around the country and to deepen their understanding of the legal profession. 

The panel was hosted by Professor Karen Graziano (top left), and included the following student presenters (clockwise from top left): Solange Stamatos, Karina Zakarian, Jen Lambert, Arianna Bufalino, Catherine Cook, Jacqueline Solomon, and David Izzo.

Students in Prof. Staples' Class in Stoneleigh Gardens Read Their Poetry and Prose

On Monday, November 16, the students in Prof. Cathy Staples Nature Writing Workshop read selections of their poetry and prose on Zoom to an audience of students, faculty, and community members. This event was sponsored by Stoneleigh and the Natural Lands conservation organization. Professor Staples and her students have spent the semester meeting in a safe, socially distanced manner in the Stoneleigh gardens, which are adjacent to the Villanova campus.

Pictured (clockwise from left): Prof. Cathy Staples as host, and student readers Sydney Monroe, Meg Glinka, Lyndey Gallagher, Anna Connolly, Anna Keller, Alexandra Penzi, and Gabby Isola.

Submit Your Work to WIT, Villanova's Multilingual Literary Journal

WIT, an annual multilingual literary journal for Villanova students, is inviting students to submit their work for publication in its 2021 issue. WIT, which stands for Writing in Tongues, was first published in the spring 2018 semester in the Department of Global Interdisciplinary Studies, focusing on GIS languages: Arabic, Chinese, Irish, Japanese, Russian, and Spanish. The editors accept poems or very short creative prose compositions, original or in translation, along with artwork in any medium (drawing, painting, photograph, computer graphics etc).

Copies of previous issues of WIT are available for the curious at the GIS office (Garey 36), through several faculty members teaching GIS languages; at Falvey Library, and in PDF form through Arabic Instructor Barbara Romaine, who will send you the files if you contact her at barbara.romaine@villanova.edu. Selected compositions will be published bilingually (that is, in your language of study with facing English translation). The deadline for submissions is February 19, 2021.

Villanova Faculty and Students Read Their Poetry and Stories

On Wednesday, November 11, four Villanova writers—two students and two faculty members-- read from their work to an audience of more than one hundred students, faculty, and other Villanova community members. Dr. Tsering Wangmo began the evening by reading a selection of her recent poems. Sophomore Jacqueline Carroll read next, sharing a section of one of her short stories. Dr. Alan Drew then read from his upcoming novel. The readings concluded with senior Tia Parisi, who read several of her poems. The event concluded with a Q-and-A. 

Submit your Creative Work to POLIS magazine

POLIS, a Villanova Literary Magazine, is now accepting written and visual submissions for our Fall 2020 edition! Submissions can take the form of poetry, prose, visual art, and photography and can be emailed to polislitmag@gmail.com. The deadline to submit is November 15th. Please email the editors with any questions.

Annual Luckow Family Lecture: Dr. Rob Nixon on "The Less Selfish Gene"

On Tuesday, Dr. Rob Nixon, professor in the Humanities and the Environment at Princeton University, delivered Villanova English's Annual Luckow Family Lecture: "The Less Selfish Gene: Forest Altruism, Neoliberalism, and the Tree of Life.". About 85 students and faculty attended the lecture, delivered by Zoom, which was followed by a lively Q & A. In his talk, Dr. Nixon argued that the recent surge of interest in popular science writing about forest ecosystems and plant communication reflects public curiosity in models of the natural world and modes of flourishing opposed to the egotism and individualism popularized by neoliberalism. 

Haikus from Dr. Wangmo's Introduction to Creative Writing Class

Students in Dr. Tsering Wangmo's Introduction to Creative Writing class searched online to offer reasons and remedies to a fellow writer who had a sudden nosebleed in class. Then, they decided to offer haikus instead.   

Pictured, from left to right: Andrew Crean, Elizabeth Nacion, Casey Conniff, Zachary Tipton, Garrett Whitton, James Lynn, Jacqueline Carroll, Kashae Garland and Lindsay Cook.  

Fall 2020 Pre-Registration Reception: Report and Photos

Villanova English's Fall 2020 Pre-Registration Reception took place in Driscoll Tent on Friday, November 30, bringing together more that 40 students and English Faculty members. As a tribute to Louise Gluck, the American poet who recently won the Nobel Prize for Literature, poems by Gluck were attached to the boxed lunches. During the lunch, two English majors, Mike Keeley and Meghan Edwards, shared information about their recent internships working for a political advertising agency and the staff of a congressional campaign respectively. Next, Tia Parisi, the student editor-in-chief of the literary magazine Ellipsis explained the vision of the magazine and invited student volunteers and submissions. English faculty also talked about our new English courses for the spring, and department chair Dr. Heather Hicks, reminded students about the Internship Advising that is now available, by appointment, with English Program Coordinator Mike Malloy (michael.malloy@villanova.edu). We ended with a raffle of literary prizes and the reading of a MadLib by Dr. Alice Dailey. Throughout the event, a table staffed by  Student Advisory Council members Calista Huang and Amanda Atkinson answered questions for students interested in the major or minor. 

Writing the Pandemic: A Virtual Writing Hangout -- October 22

 

Publish your Work in Ellipsis

Ellipsis, the literary magazine supported by Villanova English, is accepting student, faculty, and staff submissions for its 2021 publication. The editors welcome "submissions of any form of writing and artwork -- photography, sketches in your science notebook when you're bored in class, murals, finger paintings, poems, short stories, essays, recipes, Instagram stories, screenshots of your friends' text messages . . . you name it, we want to review it!"

To submit, send your work as an attachment to vuellipsis@gmail.com with the title of your work and your name in the subject line. Please refrain from putting your name on the submission itself to keep the review process anonymous. The editors will contact you in the spring to inform you if your work was accepted into the magazine.

If you are interested in being part of the Ellipsis staff or learning more about the submission process, email vuellipsis@gmail.com for more information.

Just Published! Dr. Megan Quigley on reading The Waste Land with the #metoo Generation

Check out Dr. Megan Quigley's brilliant introduction to the cluster of essays on "Teaching The Waste Land with the #metoo Generation" she recently edited for the journal Modernism/Modernity.

Register for Annual Luckow Family Lecture: Rob Nixon, October 27

Please join Villanova English this month for the department's annual Luckow Family Lecture. Rob Nixon, Barron Family Professor of Humanities and Environment at Princeton University, will be joining us by Zoom on Tuesday, October 27 at 5.30pm, to present a talk, "The Less Selfish Gene: Forest Altrusim, Neoliberalism, and the Tree of Life." 

Please register here to receive the Zoom link for the event.

Alum Profile: Michael DiRuggiero

A Life of Rare Finds

By Caitlyn Dittmeier

This week, I had the opportunity to connect with Michael DiRuggiero, a Villanova English alumnus and owner of The Manhattan Rare Book Company. Michael attended Villanova from 1990-94, graduating summa cum laude with a B.Ch.E and B.A. in English. As a former Villanova English and Biology undergraduate, I enjoyed hearing how Michael has been able to embrace the sciences and humanities throughout his academic and professional careers.

I asked Michael if he would share a few memories from his time at Villanova. He immediately remembered Dr. L.W. Irwin, whose teaching of English Renaissance drama was transformative to his studies. Michael initially thought he would not be able to pair writing courses with intensive engineering requirements. Thanks to AP credits, however, he was able to carve out enough room in his schedule to pursue his high-school passion for literature. Looking back on his freshmen English class, Michael expressed, “Dr. Irwin made everything seem so interesting. His passion was so contagious that I knew I had to take his Shakespeare course next.” The summer before graduation, Michael decided to pursue graduate school; in 1995, he completed his Masters in English at the University of Chicago with a thesis on Shakespeare’s Henry IV.

Through the invitation of Villanova Graduate Studies Director, Dr. Punzi, Michael worked on his second masters for the next two years, this time in Chemical Engineering. Unexpectedly, he found himself in an interview for a position at a rare book company. “It was as if my whole life had been preparing me for this moment,” Michael shared, after recalling how he and high school friends would quiz each other on author bios, book titles, and publication dates. To his disbelief, Michael really was perfect for the job, as the interviewer tested him in the exact same way. Michael then co-founded Manhattan Rare Book Company in 2000 and has been building expansive collections with clients ever since.

I learned during our discussion that there are fascinating aspects of the rare book industry. What has stayed with me most is the fact that Michael can be a student every day of his career. In a way, his job seems like a seamless continuation of graduate work that often calls us to set up shop in the archives for a while. Being a rare book company owner is research oriented, highly collaborative, and satisfyingly creative. Before working with a new client, Michael learns everything he can about the particular subject, which can be as broad as civil war history and as specific as C.S. Lewis’s personal letters. The process kickstarts new ideas for Michael to grow and diversify his inventory. He is passionate about his clients’ interests and finds the work liberating, because he can always change the boundaries of his company’s collections. Still one thing never changes: Michael remains committed to the rare and hard to find.

Over the years, Michael’s background in engineering has helped him expand his network to reach new terrains of subject matters. He’s become a specialist in scientific works. One project in this area stands out as his most rewarding experience. Michael worked with an Albert Einstein collector to located over a hundred pages of the theoretical physicist’s handwritten manuscripts for Hebrew University of Jerusalem. Einstein had bequeathed his papers to the university. When the deal was completed and the documents were on their way to Israel, Michael knew he’d never forget the archivist’s words, “Einstein is coming home.”

Michael is currently writing a book of Einstein’s life and pictures. The book features the Einstein’s earliest signed photograph as a teenager and many precious images up until the scientist’s last signed picture before his death. Michael looks forward to way this big project will invite a wide audience to peer into Einstein’s universe.

From one Irish literature enthusiast to another, Michael and I concluded our conversation by discussing his love for W.B. Yeats and his hopes to visit Ireland one day. I, of course, was ecstatic to hear that Manhattan Rare Books holds a first edition of James Joyce’s Ulysses. To check out this featured book and other rare finds in literature, history, science, art, and more, visit https://www.manhattanrarebooks.com/. 

A special thanks to Michael DiRuggiero for sharing his story with all us fellow students, researchers, theorists, archivists, and used bookshop aisle-goers.

Villanova English Alum Micaela Grassi Wins Big East Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Award

Congratulations to Villanova English alum Micaela Grassi, who was one of three Villanova student-athletes honored with BIG EAST Scholar-Athlete Sport Excellence Awards last month. Micaela, who graduated with a double major in English and Criminology last spring, won the award for women's swimming and diving.

You can read more about the awards here.

Submit Your Work to National Literary Magazine, Laurel Moon

Laurel Moon, Brandeis University's national literary magazine, is accepting submissions for its Fall 2020 issue. 

For more than twenty years, Laurel Moon has published the best fiction, creative nonfiction, poetry, and artwork produced by Brandeis students. It now also publishes the work of undergraduates enrolled at any accredited US college or university. 

The submissions deadline for the upcoming issue is October 15, 2020. For this issue, the editors will be accepting original, unpublished work written in English. They will consider up to five poems and three prose works from each author, as well as up to fifteen pages of content in another form. They will also consider up to ten pieces of artwork and photography per submission.

Additionally, Laurel Moon will be offering one-on-one feedback to writers who wish to receive guidance on any creative writing piece that they submit before October 1.

Submit Your Writing to The Foundationalist

The Foundationalist, an undergraduate literary journal based at Yale University, Bowdoin College, and the University of Iowa, is accepting submissions for its next issue. The editors are looking for fiction, creative non-fiction, poetry, and critical essays (no page limits, no themes). Work written for classes is also acceptable. If selected, the author’s writing will be published on academia.edu and in print format.

Submission guidelines and more information can be found at thefoundationalist.com. Submissions and queries should be sent to thefoundationalist@gmail.com

The deadline for submission is October 25.

Meet the Members of Villanova English's Student Advisory Council

Meet the members of this year's Student Advisory Council! Members serve as consultants for the English department faculty and as advisors for new majors. They also help promote the major to undeclared and prospective students at events throughout the academic year. Most importantly, they help make the English department the vibrant, welcoming community we all love. If you're introduced in joining or learning more, please contact Dr Joe Drury (joseph.drury@villanova.edu).

Amanda Atkinson (aatkins3@villanova.edu)

I am a current senior pursuing a double major in English and Classical Studies, as well as a minor in Gender & Women's Studies. My favorite genres include poetry and speculative fiction. I am the current president of Villanova Student Musical Theatre and am very involved with the performing arts on campus. I work as an intern with the Department of Justice and hope to pursue full-time employment with the DOJ after graduation!

Chloe Cherry (ccherry4@villanova.edu)

I am a junior English major with a Writing and Rhetoric concentration. I was previously a Neuroscience major until I switched to a Psychology (B.S.) and then decided on English, so I know a lot about both of those majors. I have a lot of experience with mentorship and teaching underrepresented students; on campus, I am the president of REACH, a mentorship program for black and brown high school students in Philadelphia. I also just created an organization called CampusConnects, which is a mentorship program for incoming first-years, who will be underrepresented on campus. Though I have naturally gravitated toward teaching for my career post-grad, I am still exploring other options for my career. Some of my favorite writers are Audre Lorde and Zora Neale Hurston, so I love reading women writers of color, and I have had a great time focusing on such writers in many of my English classes.

Catherine Cook (ccook10@villanova.edu)

I am a senior English major with a Political Science minor. I am originally from Washington, DC. In the fall of my junior year, I spent the semester studying in Galway, Ireland through Villanova’s partner program with the National University of Ireland. To say I miss it everday is an understatement! At Villanova, I am greatly involved with NOVAdance and the Pre-Law Society, and I also have enjoyed playing a variety of intramural sports with friends over the years. This past summer I was supposed to intern in the U.S. Court of Federal Claims in downtown Washington, but unfortunately due to COVID, that could not happen. Instead, I spent my summer studying for the LSAT since I plan to attend law school in the fall following graduation. 

Joe D’Antonio (jdanton2@villanova.edu)

I am a senior Political Science and English double major from Rhode Island. Some activities I am involved in on campus include being a long-snapper on Villanova's football team, a member of the athletic department's Student Advisory Council (SAAC) and the Athletics Senator in Villanova's Student Government Association (SGA). I have interests in critical analysis along with law and intend on attending law school after graduation. 

Meghan Edwards (medwar23@villanova.edu)

I’m a junior English major with a minor in Political Science. I’ve used my major to intern with congressional campaigns by helping to write press releases and other campaign information. At Villanova, I’m a member of the Villanova Dance Company and Ensemble as well as a writer for Villanova’s chapter of the Odyssey Online. I’m hoping to pursue a career in publishing after graduation.

Caroline Harding (chardin7@villanova.edu)

I am an English and Communications and plan to study in Galway, Ireland in 2021. At Villanova I write for the student newspaper, The Villanovan, and edit the student yearbook. I am a member of the Blue Key Society and give tours to prospective students. In my sophomore year, I became the PR officer of Glamour Gals, a Villanova service group that paints nails for the senior citizens. I have interned for the New Haven Department of Justice and for the legal department of Central National Gottesman. I plan to continue my education by attending law school after graduation.

Calista Huang (chuang7@villanova.edu)

I’m a junior with English and Art History majors and a Classics minor. I love travelling, especially visiting various history and art museums, and reading, especially fantasies and mysteries. For the past summer I became very passionate about reading Chinese history. I'm currently involved with the Villanova International Student Organization. I was part of the stage crew for VST my Freshman year and I wrote for The Villanovan until last semester. I'm planning to go to Oxford for a study abroad program next semester or next year. After graduation, I'm planning to apply for grad school. Last summer I went to London for the LAC summer program for two months and I did an internship at an art foundation, which was very exciting.

Mike Keeley (mkeeley2@villanova.edu)

I’m a senior Communication and English double major with a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric. I’m a huge soccer fan, which is one of the reasons I was really excited to study abroad in London the summer after my freshman year during the World Cup. This past summer I had an internship in political advertising, and I’m hoping to do something similar after graduation.

Ava Lundell (alundell@villanova.edu)

I am a sophomore English major with minors in History and Public Administration. I grew up in Washington, D.C., but most of my family lives in the Midwest (either around Michigan or in Chicago). Growing up in D.C. definitely shaped my career goals, instilling in me the importance of policy and politics in changing American lives for the better. Therefore, I plan to enter the field of public policy (more specifically, education policy). After graduating, I would like to work with Teach for America for two years and then pursue my Master’s in education policy. I hope to further promote equal access to quality education for all Americans. My extracurricular activities include Blue Key Society and InterVarsity. I am also a research assistant for two professors investigating disability discussions in K-12 education. I love to read, especially historical fiction novels! One of my current favorites is All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr.

Valentina Lopez (vlopez1@villanova.edu)

I am a senior English and Spanish double major with a minor in Latin American Studies. Upon graduating, I am seeking opportunities in a wide variety of roles, from Marketing to Communication, Tech and more! I thank the versatility of my majors for allowing me to explore various industries. Ultimately, I would love to attend law school, but I am looking to gain more professional and personal experiences prior. I am confident the analytical and critical thinking skills I have acquired through my English major will benefit me tremendously down whichever path I choose to take. On campus, I am involved in the Pre-Law Society, NovaDance, BeWellNova and the Hispanic National Honors Society, Sigma Delta Pi. I am also currently a mentor for the Community Interpreter Internship in our law school's clinic. Pre-COVID19, I was fortunate enough to spend two wonderful months studying abroad in Madrid, Spain, and although my time was cut short, I was able to make memories and friends that will last a lifetime!

Erin Neilsen (eneilsen@villanova.edu)

I am a sophomore student from Nashville, Tennessee. I am majoring in English and minoring in Business and Communication. At Villanova, I am a member of NOVAdance Committee, and I serve as the Chi Omega Philanthropy Chair. Outside of Villanova, I have started my own swim lesson business FINS and am often found outside exercising! As a member of the Student Advisory Council, I am looking forward to sharing my positive experience with the Villanova English Department with current and prospective students. 

Ashley Park (kpark13@villanova.edu)

I am a senior English major with minors in Business, Communication, and Writing & Rhetoric from North Wales, PA. My favorite book of all time is To Kill a Mockingbird, as that book started my love for books and literature. I am also a part of the Blue Key Society and Honors Program here at Villanova. As part of my honors thesis, I plan to explore the Asian American female narrative that focuses on immigration, focusing specifically in the 1920s.

Sarina Sandwell (ssandwel@villanova.edu)

I am a sophomore English major with a Chinese minor. At Villanova, I am an orientation counselor, as well as host of the radio show “altronica” on Villanova WXVU where I play indie/alternative/rock music. My favorite books are Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison and There There by Tommy Orange. I am also a huge fan of the science fiction and horror genres. After graduation, I plan to continue studying literature in the hopes of pursuing a career in teaching.

Amanda Smith (asmit151@villanova.edu)

I am a junior English major with minors in Education and Spanish from Wilton, CT. At Villanova I work as a tutor in the Villanova Writing Center, am a member of and the secretary of Club Judo, and serve as a leader in the Sophomore Service Learning Community. I have passions for service and working with kids and throughout my time at Villanova I have always made time to serve in a school in the areas surrounding our campus. After I graduate, I hope to earn my teaching certification to teach elementary education. 

Lily Switka (lswitka@villanova.edu)

I am a junior English and Peace & Justice double major, and Astrophysics minor. I’m involved in Campus Ministry, serving as a Peer Minister, retreat leader, and Service Justice Experience trip leader. I also run a small business in which I create handmade artwork and fulfill creative commissions!

Prof. Kamran Javadizadeh on His New Online Course: "Letters, Texts, Twitter"

Check out this story about Prof. Kamran Javadizadeh's new online course, "Letters, Texts, Twitter," posted recently on Villanova's Media Room web page: "The goal of this course is to study how writing allows intimacies to form across spatial and temporal distances. To examine this, Dr. Javadizadeh uses letters, as well as newer digital forms including social media, texting and instant messaging."  And check out our story about another "Captivating Course" highlighted in Villanova's Media Room:

Villanova English's new BIPOC Writing Hangouts: What You Need to Know

On Tuesday, September 1, Villanova English faculty members Tsering Wangmo, Yumi Lee, and Adrienne Perry will be starting up their new BIPOC writing hangouts for Fall 2020. Students, alumni, and faculty who identify as people of color are invited to come and write, share, and connect in an informal setting. 

You don't have to be a writer to show up. Creative prompts will be provided to get folks writing. All you need to bring is paper and a pen, or whatever you like to write with. For folks who like to share their words, there will be time for that too.

When: Every other Tuesday from 7-9 p.m. EST. Fall 20202 dates are 9/1, 9/15, 9/29, 10/13, 10/27, 11/10 - with a reading on Nov. 17th.

Where: On Zoom. Please send an email to adrienne.perry@villanova.edu for the link.

 

Why: Villanova English's faculty of color were eager for a supportive place to gather, share, write, and connect, and we figured others might be too. 

Democratic Candidate Looking for Villanova Students to Serve as Interns for State Senate Campaign

Democratic candidate John Kane is hoping to recruit politically engaged Villanova students to work as interns for his campaign for the Pennsylvania State Senate.

Candidates will have the opportunity to learn about the day-to-day operations of an electoral campaign. Staffers are looking for "candidates who are highly motivated and passionate about politics and current affairs."

Interns will have the opportunity to:

• Speak with voters, and learn how a campaign turns out voters
• Recruit volunteers and connect with other local politically engaged individuals
• Gain insight into Democratic field operations as well as campaign strategy
• Learn from a variety of speakers, staffers, and other individuals connected to the campaign about topics related to campaigns, US and Pennsylvania politics, and social issues
• Make a difference!

Interns will be expected to work 10-15 hours a week. Interns are encouraged to apply for course credit. If you're interested, email nancy@kane4senate.com, with a resume and a few lines about why you're applying.

Dr. Adrienne Perry To Read Her Work at Zoom Event

Come and hear Dr. Adrienne Perry read her work on Tuesday, August 18 at event on Zoom organized by Belladonna* Collaborative. The evening will also feature several other contributors to Matters of Feminist Practice: Frances Richard, Rachel Levitsky, Serena Chopra, and Yanara Friedland.

The reading begins at 7 p.m. EST. Belladonna* promotes the work of women and feminist writers who are adventurous, experimental, politically involved, multi-form, multicultural, multi-gendered, impossible to define, unpredictable, and dangerous with language." This event is free and open to the public.

Tickets available here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/matters-of-feminist-practice-reading-2-tickets-116502858185

Facebook event here: https://www.facebook.com/events/2619763564956231/

Sign Up for Sunrise Movement Campus Organizing Bootcamp

Sunrise Movement, a youth-led organization dedicated to addressing climate change, is offering a leadership program for students looking to develop leadership skills in climate change and racial justice.

Students who register to be part of the Sunrise Campus Corps will be taught lifelong and valuable skills, such as how to build strong relationships with community members, how to organize effective teams, and how their teams can affect real change in their community. Now that many summer internships and leadership programs were cancelled this summer because of COVID-19, Sunrise is especially eager to provide development opportunities to students.

Luis Marchese, Sunrise's campus organizing lead, said: "Climate change is the gravest threat humanity has ever faced, and our generation will be hit hardest. This is especially true for frontline communities experiencing environmental inequality. Our futures are at stake, but our government lacks the political will to act to save the planet.

"At Sunrise Movement, we know that young voices across class and race will be the change-makers of our generation. Our latest program aims to develop crucial leadership skills in college students across America, giving them the tools and the confidence to make a difference in their local communities."

Any student is welcome, regardless of experience—the trainers are all young people who want to make a difference. The Sunrise community is a place of inclusion, growth, and passion that wants to help our generation have an impact. If you successfully complete our Sunrise Campus Bootcamp, you'll be mailed a campus swag pack and be accepted into the Sunrise Campus Corps, along with hundreds of other students from across the country.

You can read more information about Sunrise and the new Campus Corps program here: smvmt.org/campus.

The deadline for signing up is Monday, August 3.

Just Published! Dr. Kamran Javadizadeh on Virginia Woolf's Letters in The New Yorker

Congratulations to Dr. Kamran Javadizadeh, whose article, "How Viriginia Woolf Kept Her Brother Alive in Letters," was recently published in The New Yorker.

Dr. Javadizadeh's article focuses on the letters Woolf wrote to her friend Violet Dickinson in the weeks following her brother Thoby's death from typhoid in 1906, in which she tells a series of lies about her brother's improving condition. Woolf's letters, he argues, express a desire to escape the threat of illness and death and imagine a different future that resonates with the anxieties and uncertainties of our current moment.

"From where I sit today and write," Dr. Javadizadeh writes, "Virginia’s desire to leave behind a climate of illness, to get up and go away, to be transported to a future one can’t quite see—and which may not exist—feels familiar and intense. I want to get in my car and drive; sometimes I catch myself thinking that if I drive far enough, for long enough, I will have found my way not only into a different place but into a different time, released from today’s grief and dread. The fantasy is interwoven with worry: in our fond talk of what we’ll do after “all this” is over, are we, like Virginia, deceiving one another, and ourselves? Or might our dreams of escape make room for other possibilities, worlds we want to live in but can’t yet describe? Can desire be a way of knowing?"