You Tube - Paper Art: Going West

Check out this absolutely beautiful film sponsored by the New Zealand Book Council. Literature, sculpture and film... it's inspirational.

Lover's Vows - See the Photos

Check out the photos from the recent performance of Lover's Vows by Carolyn Woodward's Jane Austen class. Congratulations to the cast on a spirited and thoroughly entertaining performance!

Alumni News - Erin Murrah-Mandril

Erin Murrah-Mandril recently had her second article accepted for publication.

Alumni News - Laura Matter

Laura Matter who graduated last year just had another essay from her dissertation taken by The Georgia Review, which is one of the best literary magazines going, and which won a National Magazine Award in 2007, beating out the likes of The New Yorker, Harpers and The Atlantic Monthly.

Alumni News - Karmen Lenz

Karmen Lenz, 2005 PhD Concentration in Medieval Studies in English, with distinction from the University of New Mexico, was awarded the Tom L. Popejoy dissertation prize in Languages and Literatures for her  dissertation on the Alfredian translation of Boethius's Consolation of Philosophy, with emphasis on Alfred's innovations to Boethius's poetry. In 2006, she was awarded a stipend to attend the National Endowment for the Humanities seminar titled "Holy Men and Holy Women of Anglo-Saxon England" through the Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse, and Celtic Studies at Cambridge University. At the present, she is completing her fifth year as an assistant professor at Macon State College in Macon Georgia. Her course offerings include Old English, Medieval Media (introduction to medieval manuscripts), History of Print, Mythology and Folklore, Early English Literature, Literature of the Renaissance.  She also teaches Early British literature and Early World Literature survey courses. She has publications in Anglo-Latin liturgy and her studies in the Old English Boethius are under consideration by Rodolphi.

Publication news - Lisa Gill in Brevity

Lisa Gill had her third essay from her dissertation manuscript taken by a good literary magazine - Brevity, which grew out of the comps she just passed last month. Brevity is probably the finest venue for short form creative nonfiction. Their recent issue, fall 09, has an essay by Sherman Alexie.

Celebrating Student Writing

Bringing Austen to Life

Carolyn Woodward's Jane Austen class did a Reader's Theatre presentation of Lover's Vows as part of their work on Austen's Mansfield Park.

“In 'Mansfield Park,' the young people get into trouble for putting on a play. Not only that, but it’s clear they should be getting into trouble. It’s not a smart thing for them to be doing,” Woodward said. The play itself, by Elizabeth Inchbald, is a very sentimental 18th century play, she said.

“I thought it would be interesting for us, while studying the novel, to put on the play. We are doing a very abridged version of the play, performing it as the characters in the book would. The students understand the sexual tensions and the problematic nature of these young people putting it on.”

Composition Across Cultures

Discussion and tutoring for non-native speakers of English

Thursday, Nov 19 2:00 - 3:00

SUB Luminaria

All non-native speakers of English enrolled in composition classes (101, 102, 219, 220) are invited to:

• Discuss your classroom experience with other non-native speakers of English
• Get help on papers from experienced English composition instructors
• Eat FREE SNACKS!

In order to better serve non-native speakers in composition classes, the English department's Office of Core Writing wants to know more about your experiences writing and taking classes in English.

In return for your valuable input, our instructor volunteers will help you to revise a paper for your composition class.

We hope to see you there!

Works in Progress Seminar: Institute for Medieval Studies

Anglo-Saxon Law: A Recently Rediscovered Manuscript
Timothy C. Graham, Director of the Institute for Medieval Studies, Professor of History

Friday, November 20, 12:00 - 1:15 PM
Mesa Vista Hall 1104 (History Department Commons)

Refreshments will be served

Margaret Atwood reading

Margaret Atwood will read from her newest work, The Year of the Flood

Woodward Hall

Monday, November 16th at 7:00 PM

Margaret Atwood was born in Ottawa and grew up in Northern Ontario, Quebec, and Toronto. She received her undergraduate degree from Victoria College at the University of Toronto and her master's degree from Radcliffe College.

Atwood has received numerous awards and honorary degrees. She is the author of more than thirty-five volumes of poetry, children's literature, fiction, and non-fiction and is perhaps best known for her novels. Ms. Atwood's work has been published in more than forty languages. In 2004 she co-invented the Long Pen (TM)

The Beggar's Opera - Remix!

English 294 presents: The Beggar's Opera, remix!

Humanities 235

Tuesday, Nov 17th 9:30 - 11:30 a.m.

Lover's Vows! Rehearsal announcement

Rehearsals will be held in Humanities 235

Thursday Nov 19 & Tues Nov 24 from 3:00 - 5:30 PM

Feroza Jussawalla and Deborah Weagel in the News

The special issue of The South Asian Review (2008 Special Topic issue: vol.29.number 1) which Deborah Weagel and Feroza Jussawalla co-edited entitled Perspecitives on South Asian Women's Writing has just been published. Its emphasis is on lesser known South Asian women's writing from across Asia and the Pacific, women such as Chandani Lokuje, Yasmine Goonaratne, Jean Arsanayagam and many others. It includes: an essay by Dr Jussawalla on South Asian Muslim women's writing, which came directly out of a class she taught for the Women's Studies program; an interview with an Indo- Australian writer, Yasmine Goonaratne by Deborah Weagel; a review by one of our grad students, Mariam Durrani; and an essay by one of Dr Jussawalla's UTEP colleagues, Maryse Jayasuriya.

The editors are grateful to David Jones for departmental support and to Deans Brenda Claiborne and Phelipe Gonzalez, and to all the staff in the departmental office, Dee Meier, Ezra Meier and Deanna Montoya who helped us with our various print jobs and other technical support.

The issue will be officially launched at the South Asian Literature Association meeting at the MLA in Philadelphia this December. Dr Jussawalla also extends special thanks to Dr. Verma and his staff for the final edits.

516 Words

516 Words Poetry Reading & Music: Borderlands

When: Saturday, December 12th, 7:30 PM

at 516 Central Avenue SW between 5th and 6th streets, Downtown Albuquerque

Cost: Free!

516 ARTS presents a reading with Albuquerque poets Demetria Martinez and Margaret Randall and Taos poet Amalion Madueno along with traditional Mexican and New Mexican music with Frank McCulloch y sus Amigos.

About the UNM English Department Blog

This blog is the place to go for information on any of our dozens of events or to catch up on the latest news from faculty, students and alumni. Comments are always welcome (and encouraged) but any personal attacks will, of course, be removed.

If you have something to post to the blog, send your edited copy to english@unm.edu.