Today at the Humanities Symposium

Tuesday's schedule at the Humanities Symposium includes lectures by BU English professors Dr. Doug Murray ("Landscape and National Identities") and Dr. Annette Sisson ("Nature and Conscience and Consciousness: The Pastoral Hero and the Sympathetic Imagination"). For a full schedule of Symposium events, click here.

Humanities Symposium Kickoff Lecture Named for Monteverde

The School of Humanities has named the inaugural Humanities Symposium lecture for Dr. Maggie Monteverde, BU English professor and outgoing Associate Dean. Dr. Monteverde was presented a plaque commemorating the designation by this year's Symposium organizers, Professors Annette Sisson and Andrea Stover, on Monday morning in the Massey Board Room.

Dr. Monteverde then kicked off the Symposium with her lecture, "Reverdie: The Eternal Rebirth of the Human Spirit in Nature." It's been a big year for Dr. Monteverde, who was recently named Assistant Provost for International Education. Earlier in 2009, Dr. Monteverde was named Executive Director of the Cooperative Center for Study Abroad (which is moving its offices to Belmont's campus) and won the Presidential Faculty Achievement Award. Congrats, Dr. Monteverde!

Today at the Humanities Symposium

Monday's Humanities Symposium Events include the kickoff lecture by Dr. Maggie Monteverde ("Reverdie: the eternal rebirth of the human spirit in nature") at 10:00 in the Massey Board Room. Other BU English speakers today include Dr. Robbie Pinter (noon in the Massey Board Room), Dr. Danielle Alexander (4:00 LCVA 117) and a panel featuring Dr. Bonnie Smith (2:00 Massey Board Room). Come out and enjoy the "local" flavor of today's speakers!

Jordan Christy Packs 'em In

Jordan Christy, BU English alum and author of How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World (purchase here), packed Beaman A&B on Friday. Jordan read from her book, talked about how it came about, and answered questions from the audience.


Friday afternoon, she met with several English majors and faculty to talk about the nuts and bolts of publishing the book, including developing a readership and hiring agents and publicists, among other things.


Jordan emphasized 'starting small,' which I'll use to remind you that BU English is looking for people to write up Symposium events, Southern Festival of Books events, etc. It's a great place to get your 'clip' portfolio started!

Deadline Extended for Blackfriars Trip

Dr. Wells is still looking for a few people to round out the bus going to Staunton, Virginia, on October 9-11. Participants will get to see Henry IV (Part one), Much Ado about Nothing and George Villiers’ The Rehearsal using practices approximating those original to Shakespeare’s theatre. The theatrical space itself is an attempt to recreate Blackfriars, Shakespeare’s private, indoor theatre (with some welcome modern allowances, such as seat cushions) where his company began performing plays in 1608. This is high quality theatre in a beautiful historical setting.

Price: $180 (CHEAP!) includes bus transportation, a double room (shared with one other person), reserved seat tickets for all three plays, a tour of the facilities. Meals are not included, but food is reasonable in town (a list and map will be included)

Make checks to Belmont University and turn them in to Dr. James Wells, Wheeler 200i, along with the application.

See the following URL for more details on Blackfriars and the plays:
http://www.americanshakespearecenter.com/

Jordan Christy Convo, English Club Event This Friday

This Friday, September 11, at 10:00 in Beaman A&B, recent Belmont graduate Jordan Christy reads from and discusses her new book, How to be a Hepburn in a Hilton World, published in August by Hatchette Press. (There is PG Convo credit for this event!) At 2:00 on Friday in Wheeler 101, Jordan will talk to English Clubbers and other interested folks about how she took this idea from Dr. Hutchins' class to a published book with a tour and Today Show appearance!

Handbook Makes Debut at English Major Meeting

On Friday, August 28, over 100 English majors packed LCVA 117 and heard about the following upcoming opportunities:

Carly Escue spoke about English Club/Sigma Tau Delta events and sponsored speakers for the fall, including Jordan Christy (Friday, Sept. 11) and Samantha Morgan-Curtis (October 30 in the second installment of what is now the Twilight Lecture Series!). The English Club will be discussing Toni Morrison's a mercy and Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping. Chris Pliny previewed Family Literacy Day for next Spring, which has taken on some exciting songwriting-inflected twists.

Professors Sisson and Stover previewed the upcoming Humanities Symposium September 13-21), and Professor Sisson read Mary Oliver's lovely poem "The Summer Day."

Several "road trips" were mentioned, including Professor Hutchins' study abroad trip to England over winter break, "Dickens and the Idea of Christmas"; Professor Wells' closer-to-home Blackfriars Theatre Trip, October 9-11; and also the Stratford Ontario trip in May (more details to come).

Professor Danielle Alexander, the new faculty sponsor for the Belmont Literary Journal sent out a call for editors and contributors.

Finally, Professor Curtis closed the meeting by handing out the first edition of the BU English Major Handbook (or "the Green book" as it quickly came to be called). A more detailed online version of the Handbook will be available soon, but the Green book has contact information and a who's who of who can help you in the English Department.

Have a great semester, English majors!