World-famous chateaux are only a part of the glorious Loire Valley, which also includes privately-owned chateaux owned for generations by some of France's oldest and most prestigious families. Lynda Kelly and her husband are dedicated Francophiles, and over the years, have immersed themselves in the history, architecture, and culture of France. In Kelly's latest class, "The Other Loire Valley", she exposes us to the world of privately-owned mansions that are available to the public. We asked Kelly to tell us more about her upcoming class.
WIH Reporter: What is important for us to know about your class?
Kelly: The Loire Valley is, after Paris and the Ile-de-France, the most important region of France from a historical perspective. Many of the finest 15th and 16th century chateaux were built by financiers and other wealthy bourgeois who held important positions at court. In my class last spring, I discussed the famous chateaux of Blois, Chambord, and Chenonceau. In this upcoming class, I will present some equally grand, but less well-known chateaux. Most of them are privately-owned and open to the public.
WIH Reporter: What were the most interesting events occurring in that region that still reverberate today?
Kelly: In 1429, Joan of Arc liberated Orleans and other towns on the Loire, which began the process of booting the English out of France. If she hadn't come along, English might have become the official language of France.
In 1519, Francois I persuaded Leonardo da Vinci to come to live in France. After Leonardo's death, the king acquired several paintings that Leonardo had brought with him to France, including the Mona Lisa and the Virgin and Child with St. Anne, which are now in the Louvre.
WIH Reporter: What are some of the most interesting tidbits about this area?
Kelly: The old quarter of LeMans is popular with film makers because it has over 100 half-timbered houses and many beautiful stone Renaissance mansions. Among the films made in Le Man are "Cyrano de Bergerac" with Gerard Depardieu and "Les Trois Mousquetaires" with Emmanuelle Beart.
WIH Reporter: It sounds like your class offers a lot more than history and architecture, and includes films, photos, culture, and more.
Kelly: In my lectures, I tend to focus on history and architecture, but I also talk about culture, cuisine, places to stay and restaurants. The lectures are illustrated with hundreds of photos taken by my husband, architect Frank Kelly. He contributes immensely to my courses with his superb photographs.
In 1966-67, we spent a year living in Paris and travelling around France. That experience fostered a life-long interest in the country's rich history and architectural heritage. We marvel at the diversity and sheer beauty of the French landscape. We are fascinated by the French food culture and love to visit and photograph markets. To experience the pleasures of the table in France, one doesn't have to spend a fortune at a three-star restaurant. We have had outstanding meals produced in less-renowned kitchens. In short, Frank and I are unabashedly Francoholic. I try to communicate this enthusiasm for France to the students in my classes.
Lynda Harper Kelly received her B.A., M.A., and Ph.D. degrees in French from Rice University. In 1974, her doctoral dissertation received Rice's Gardner Award given to the graduate student doing the best piece of research and writing in the humanities and social sciences. Her romance with France began in 1961 when she spent a summer in Paris studying at the Alliance Francaise School and she later returned to Paris for a year to study at the Sorbonne. She and her husband, architect Frank Kelly, return to France almost every year to explore and photograph different regions. They have given many lectures on their travels at the Alliance Francaise de Houston. Dr. Kelly has taught French at Southern Methodist University, Houston Community College, and Rice University. In 1995, she organized and conducted a six-week travel/study program in Burgundy for Rice University. She also loves French cuisine and has studied at both the Cordon Bleu and the Ecole Ritz in Paris.
Her course, L'Autre Val de Loire: The "Other Loire Valley: begins on March 13, 2013.
Monday, November 26, 2012
How Much Do You Know About Mark Twain?
1. What was Mark Twain's real name?
2. Where did he get the name "Mark Twain" and what is it related to?
3. What part did Halley's comet play in his life?
4. What did he name his three dogs?
5. From which prestigious university did he receive his doctorate in letters in 1907?
Answers:
1. Twain's birth name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens.
2. The pseudonym Mark Twain, meant “two fathoms deep” on the Mississippi, and was called out on the steamboat to indicate the boat was in sufficiently deep water. Clemens first used the name in a publication on February 3, 1863, in a piece he contributed to the Virginia City Territorial Enterprise.
3. Twain was born (1835) and died (1910) in years in which Halley's Comet passed by earth. In "Mark Twain: A Biography", he is quoted as saying, “I came in with Halley's comet in 1835. It's coming again next year (1910), and I expect to go out with it." Clemens died on April 21, 1910, the day after the comet's orbit came closest to the Earth.
4. He named his dogs "I Know" ,"You Know" and "Don't Know".
5. Twain received a Doctorate in Letters from Oxford University in 1907.
Mark Twain: New Perspectives on America's Quintessential Writer
Mark Twain was described by William Faulkner as the "father of American literature", and his work continues to resonate with us more than 100 years later. Abby Goode's Spring class, "The Literary Legacy of Mark Twain" explores the life and work of Mark Twain. We visited with her recently to find out more.
WIH Reporter: What is Mark Twain's literary legacy?
Goode: Mark Twain tends to be characterized as one of the quintessential granddaddies of American literature. In this class, we will explore his literary legacy, and determine what it is about Mark Twain and his work that continues to reverberate in contemporary culture. We'll read and discuss a range of his works, from his regional writings, to his humorist sketches, to his historical romances, to his travel writings, from his most famous to his lesser-known, from his most serious to his most satirical. We'll explore the complexity of his style, intellect, and wit, and talk about why figures like Huck Finn and stories like Connecticut Yankee are still relevant in national and public life.
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| The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, 1st Edition |
WIH Reporter: Is it a fair question to ask, who was Mark Twain, really? His opinions, as expressed in his work, changed significantly over time.
Goode: Twain had changing and evolving views, whether it was on education, civil rights, labor, nationalism, and imperialism. Literary scholarship has recently taken up his essay "The German Chicago" and the newly-reprinted "The Treaty with China." By the end of the course, we will evaluate whether the Mark Twain we've explored corresponds with the Mark Twain that exists in popular consciousness, or if there are multiple Mark Twains.
Goode: Twain had changing and evolving views, whether it was on education, civil rights, labor, nationalism, and imperialism. Literary scholarship has recently taken up his essay "The German Chicago" and the newly-reprinted "The Treaty with China." By the end of the course, we will evaluate whether the Mark Twain we've explored corresponds with the Mark Twain that exists in popular consciousness, or if there are multiple Mark Twains.
WIH Reporter: In what ways has Mark Twain influenced writers of modern literature?
Goode: There seems to be some scholarly debate around this subject, since it seems far from accurate, but the general belief is that Mark Twain really solidified the emergence of literary realism in the U.S. The first half of the century is generally characterized as "American Romanticism", culminating in the half-decade of 1850-1855 called the "American Renaissance" (which, as some scholars have argued, saw the production of the best works by Thoreau, Emerson, Hawthorne, Melville, and Whitman). This is perhaps a generalization.But Twain's work deeply expanded the possibilities for American literature by introducing realist writing which interweaves romance, satire, and regionalism. His realist style is also characteristic of other writers producing work in the later half of the century such as William Dean Howells, Sarah Orne Jewett, and Rebecca Harding Davis. To speak extremely broadly, Mark Twain's work marks a distinct shift in American literature from romantic to realist. But he was also constantly satirizing the literary style of others in his novels, or just plain making fun of them, as he did to James Fenimore Cooper, something we'll talk about in class.
WIH Reporter: Will you be utilizing other media in this class?
Goode: The fun thing about this class is that we'll be able to explore other media besides the written word. This is because Mark Twain's literary legacy has extended beyond literature to other media and material cultures. We will watch film adaptations of Twain's work, and, if there's time, read some dramatic interpretations or even listen to some musical versions of his major works. Some of his works have even been animated or made into childrens' shows! We'll explore the promotion of this famous author's house in Hartford, CT, and the many Mark Twain museums throughout the country. We can then ask: How is Mark Twain commemorated today and how does that memory connect with his living, breathing written work. How is he portrayed in the digital world?
Goode: The fun thing about this class is that we'll be able to explore other media besides the written word. This is because Mark Twain's literary legacy has extended beyond literature to other media and material cultures. We will watch film adaptations of Twain's work, and, if there's time, read some dramatic interpretations or even listen to some musical versions of his major works. Some of his works have even been animated or made into childrens' shows! We'll explore the promotion of this famous author's house in Hartford, CT, and the many Mark Twain museums throughout the country. We can then ask: How is Mark Twain commemorated today and how does that memory connect with his living, breathing written work. How is he portrayed in the digital world?
WIH Reporter: What fueled your interest in Mark Twain?
Goode: As a literary critic in training, I'm always trying to "outsmart", so to speak, these authors, but Twain always seems to outsmart me. He needs his own intensive study because he's such a multi-faceted, hard-to-pin-down figure, even though he has become so iconic. I think in this class, we can try to master this crazy Twain character together. Or we may find that he is much more complex than we anticipated.
WIH Reporter: Which well-known writers were extremely influenced by Mark Twain?
Goode: Twain worked closely with William Dean Howells in the latter half of the nineteenth century, a writer who was also a champion of Henry James. The three figures were central to the production of literature in the late nineteenth century. Twain's popularity soared because he was not only a compelling writer, but a gifted public speaker. Along with James and Howells, Twain set the course of American literature in the years after he came on the scene, probably influencing such other realist writers like naturalist novelist Stephen Crane, or regionalist short story writer Hamlin Garland. Modernist writers acknowledged his incredible impact on the literary landscape also. Ernest Hemingway wrote in 1935 that "all modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called "Huckleberry Finn." And William Faulkner referred to Twain as "the father of American literature."
WIH Reporter: Are there parallels in Twain's time to modern times? The wit and wisdom of his writing - how does in serve us in these times?
Goode: Most scholars of Twain see him as imperialist and nationalist in his early writing career, particularly during the production of Huckleberry Finn, and mark 1900 as the year that Twain began to critique American imperialism. Yet the recent printing of his "Treaty with China," originally published in 1868, has complicated that reading of Twain's politics. Twain was both nationalist and critical of his nation. And Twain's political critique forms part of a larger conversation still going on today. His observations of racial and international tensions in particular continue to be relevant. We will talk about his views on religion, race, and imperialism in detail in the class, and explore how his words might impact our current world.
WIH Reporter: What books would we find on your night table?
Goode: I read so many things at once. Currently I am reading Willa Cather's O Pioneers (1913), Edith Wharton's Ethan Frome (1911), and excerpts of Walt Whitman's Leaves of Grass (1855). I have just recently finished Catharine Sedgwick's Hope Leslie (1827), which takes place in seventeenth-century Massachusetts. I tend to focus my energies on American literature and also literary criticism. Right now I'm reading Robert S. Levine's Dislocating Race and Nation: Episodes in Nineteenth-Century American Literary Nationalism (2008) and Stephanie LeMenager's Manifest and Other Destinies: Territorial Fictions of the Nineteenth-Century United States (2004).
Abby Goode earned her B.A. in English and Spanish from the University of Vermont, where she received the Samuel N. Bogorad Award from the Department of English and the Hannah Howard Prize for Outstanding Achievement in the College of Arts and Sciences. She also completed an M.A. in Education from Pace University in New York, NY. Before coming to Houston, Abby taught Spanish Language and Latin American Literature at the Urban Assembly School of Music and Art in Brooklyn, NY. It was there that she spearheaded and developed the curriculum for an original college preparatory program for eleventh graders, led an instructional development team of eleventh-grade teachers at her school, and conducted teaching workshops for ATLAS Learning Communities and The Urban Assembly. Currently, she is working towards her Ph.D. in English at Rice University, where she is studying a range of topics related to early American and 19th century American literature.
"The Literary Legacy of Mark Twain" begins March 19, 2013.
Art and Barbarism: Opera's Lost Boys
In some ideologies, the ends justify the means. Centuries ago, the barbaric mutilation of young boys was deemed necessary to retain their soprano, mezzo-soprano, or contralto voices and create the careers of opera's famous (and not so famous) castratis. Ann Thompson has a lot to say on this most controversial aspect of opera in her Spring class, titled "Boys Will Be Boys: Except In Opera Where They May Be Girls". We recently caught up with Ann Thompson to find out more.
WIH Reporter: What is most important for us to know about your class?
Thompson: Opera is first and foremost entertainment, meant to distract, engage, delight, provoke, and otherwise break routine.
WIH Reporter: But opera has a dark side, which is the topic of your class. How did you become interested in the subject of the castrati?
Thompson: It piqued my curiosity because it is so barbaric and it goes to show what high regard people must have had for music/singing that they would go to such lengths.
WIH Reporter: What is important for us to know about the castrati?
Thompson: The impact on the boys was tremendous, especially if they did not become singing stars which was unfortunately the case most of the time.
WIH Reporter: What are some of the misconceptions that we have?
Thompson: It should be remembered that they could have sex, just not impregnate a woman.
WIH Reporter: In what ways have the castrati affected our view of sex roles?
Thompson: The castrati have not made any difference in sex roles in the past or in modern times inasmuch as humanity has always enjoyed gender bending, cross dressing, sexual role playing, make believe, experimentation of every kind - transgendering is the latest wrinkle in sexual adventurousness about which no opera has been written as of yet.
WIH Reporter: What can we learn about this issue that mirrors ourselves and the opera culture?
Thompson: What we learn from all this is: chacun a son gout- to each his own, there is no accounting for tastes and trends and preferences AND tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis - times change and we change with them, and finally: ars gratia artis - art for the sake of art - never mind if it's cruel, unfair, inhumane, ineffective or even lethal (think of the infections), if it promotes beauty (in the eye of the beholder or the creator) it's no holds barred.
WIH Reporter: What books would we find on your night table?
Thompson: Books on my night table would be related to the opera at hand - whether it was opera that I was going to or the one I was/am working on. Some of those books could be risque, some heavy going, some hilarious - all pertain to the Human Comedy.
Ann Thompson is a part of the Houston Grand Opera Guild's volunteer docent program. She discovered an affinity for sharing her interest in the performing arts and has been speaking on opera and related subjects for over 30 years. She gives the pre-curtain lectures before the HGO performances and lectures for the West University Senior Center and at Lone Star College, The Woodlands.
Her class, "Boys Will Be Boys: Except In Opera Where They May Be Girls" begins February 13, 2013.
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| Farinelli, the most famous castrato |
WIH Reporter: What is most important for us to know about your class?
Thompson: Opera is first and foremost entertainment, meant to distract, engage, delight, provoke, and otherwise break routine.
WIH Reporter: But opera has a dark side, which is the topic of your class. How did you become interested in the subject of the castrati?
Thompson: It piqued my curiosity because it is so barbaric and it goes to show what high regard people must have had for music/singing that they would go to such lengths.
WIH Reporter: What is important for us to know about the castrati?
Thompson: The impact on the boys was tremendous, especially if they did not become singing stars which was unfortunately the case most of the time.
WIH Reporter: What are some of the misconceptions that we have?
Thompson: It should be remembered that they could have sex, just not impregnate a woman.
WIH Reporter: In what ways have the castrati affected our view of sex roles?
Thompson: The castrati have not made any difference in sex roles in the past or in modern times inasmuch as humanity has always enjoyed gender bending, cross dressing, sexual role playing, make believe, experimentation of every kind - transgendering is the latest wrinkle in sexual adventurousness about which no opera has been written as of yet.
WIH Reporter: What can we learn about this issue that mirrors ourselves and the opera culture?
Thompson: What we learn from all this is: chacun a son gout- to each his own, there is no accounting for tastes and trends and preferences AND tempora mutantur nos et mutamur in illis - times change and we change with them, and finally: ars gratia artis - art for the sake of art - never mind if it's cruel, unfair, inhumane, ineffective or even lethal (think of the infections), if it promotes beauty (in the eye of the beholder or the creator) it's no holds barred.
WIH Reporter: What books would we find on your night table?
Thompson: Books on my night table would be related to the opera at hand - whether it was opera that I was going to or the one I was/am working on. Some of those books could be risque, some heavy going, some hilarious - all pertain to the Human Comedy.
Ann Thompson is a part of the Houston Grand Opera Guild's volunteer docent program. She discovered an affinity for sharing her interest in the performing arts and has been speaking on opera and related subjects for over 30 years. She gives the pre-curtain lectures before the HGO performances and lectures for the West University Senior Center and at Lone Star College, The Woodlands.
Her class, "Boys Will Be Boys: Except In Opera Where They May Be Girls" begins February 13, 2013.
10 Outstanding Apps
The following is a list of 10 apps we like this month for smartphones and tablets for health, fitness, lifestyle, entertainment and more.
Entertainment
Holiday
Gifts HD - This new app was created to help you track, budget, and compare prices for your holiday shopping. You can shop within the app while comparing products, and this app has a multi-user functions for others in the family, who have their own password. Also featured are summary reports, to-do lists, and a calculator. $4.99
Lifestyle
Cloth - This app makes it easy to save and categorize your outfits and more. Has a weather feature that uses real-time weather conditions to make it easy to find the perfect outfit. FREE
Health/Fitness
Ambiance - Environment enhancer that creates the perfect ambient atmosphere to relax or to experience new environments aurally. Sounds range from Moscow thunderstorms to Desert winds to Scottish evenings. Not all the sounds are meant for relaxing...Munich Train station and NYC Subway Rush may be best used to combat lethargy. $2.99
iTriage - Created by two ER doctors. Not only can you check your symptoms, but you can start with any symptom, understand the causes, get medical help, and book your appointment all in one app. There are long lists of medications and their side effects, conditions, procedures, along with the latest health news. FREE
Fitness Buddy -The ultimate fitness journal, with 1000+ exercises, 45+ tailored workouts, images and animations. It lets you track your fitness progress all on one page, and select exercises to fit your daily workout plan. $0.99.
Wednesday, April 11, 2012
Our Special Treasure: Jimmie Lou Lyons' 50 Years at WIH
Jimmie Lyons celebrates her 50th anniversary at the Women's Institute of Houston. We spoke with her recently about her thoughts and experiences here through the years.
WIH Reporter: Tell us about how you came to the Women's Institute?
Lyons: It was 1961 when I came to The Women's Institute, when Miss Ruth Sterling was here. My brother worked here, and told me that the the lady that was working here had to leave, so I came to work here. I have always been well pleased working here. They have treated me so well.
WIH Reporter: You've seen a lot of changes. What was it like in the early years?
Lyons: It was a little house on Westgate. We had classes downstairs in the home of Dean Richardson. After Mr. Richardson passed away, the Women's Institute bought the home and we had classes upstairs also.
WIH Reporter: It appears to us that people don't know all you do behind the scenes here.
Lyons: There was a lady who brought some cookies from home. She asked Mrs. Webb about adding these cookies for classes at the Women's Institute. Mrs. Webb said, "Go ask Jimmie, she's the one who makes these decisions."
I order all the cookies. I order all the soda and the coffee. One time, when I put one type of cookie on one end, and another kind on the other end, a lady came to me and said, "Jimmie, you are hiding my favorite cookies. You like the other class better. I'm going to have to have to join the other class to get these cookies."
I'm a jack of all trades. If they need anything, I am here to help. I help in the office. I've helped with brochures, answered phones, stapled handouts, and my son Cornell and daughter Lisa have come in to help also. It's all in the family!
WIH Reporter: Tell us about Sunday classes.
Lyons: Sunday classes are great! We all a have a wonderful time. I have worked Sundays for many years. The only time I was absent was when I had a stroke in 1997. I came back 2 months later, and started working half days. They were so kind to me.
WIH Reporter: We all feel very lucky to have had you here at the Women's Institute for 50 years.
Lyons: I've spent so much of my life in this wonderful place. I am the mother of 11 children. Three of them were born during my time at the Women's Institute. With one of my babies, Mr. Richardson joked that he would probably be the one to drive me to the hospital but it turned out that this baby was born on the weekend. I used to ride the bus to work and I could always leave in time to be there for my kids after school. It has been really a pleasure working with Mrs. Webb and I feel very blessed to be here.
Please join us for a coffee and cake to celebrate Jimmie's 50 years on April 11th. The invitation is below.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
An Intimate Look at Houston's Art Scene
WIH Reporter: What is important for us to know about your upcoming class and your art series in general?
Anders: This course is unique because the majority of the classes will take place outside of the classroom. For this first course in the series, we will be visiting artists' studios. I find it exciting to interact with the artist and to view his or her work in person. The Art Connection series is also unique because we will explore Houston's art scene and visit places off the beaten path. For example, we will visit collections that few participants have access to outside of our class.
WIH Reporter: We understand that your upcoming classes will be focusing on the business side of art. Can you tell us, for instance, the biggest misconceptions that people have about auction houses?
Anders: A lot of people are intimidated by the larger auction houses. As long as you are able to navigate the auction house websites, determine the appropriate specialist department to call for the property you wish to buy or sell, and know the right questions to ask, it can be a quite fun and exciting process.
WIH Reporter: What are some common misconceptions about framing?
Anders: Sometimes people don't realize how important framing and conservation is to a work of art. If you have spent a bit of money on the artwork, it makes sense to spend a bit of money on the framing in order to protect the artwork and to extend the life of the art. You wouldn't want a valuable print or watercolor to fade or deteriorate because you didn't use glass or Plexiglas with the proper UV protection.
WIH Reporter: Will every class be a field trip?
Anders: No, not every class. I plan to begin each course with the first class meeting at the Women's Institute, which will be an introduction to the course.
WIH Reporter: What books would we find on your night table?
Anders: Right now the following is on my night table: "An Object of Beauty" by Steve Martin, "Elizabeth Street" by Laurie Fabiano, Art Forum magazine and Art and Auction magazine.
WIH Reporter: Although your April class is filled, we understand you plan to offer courses on the multifaceted aspects of the art world in future semesters.
Anders: I hope to offer the course each semester.
The first of an ongoing series, Liz Anders' current course is intended for art enthusiasts and those who are interested in the inner workings of Houston’s extensive fine arts scene. Her “Art Connection: Behind the Scenes” series will focus on the basic components of viewing and collecting art such as private and corporate collection tours, navigating art galleries, visiting non-profit and museum exhibition spaces, demystifying auction houses and learning about caring for your collection through framing, conservation and appraisals.
Can you name 10 Women Writers Who Changed Literature?
(List by Encyclopedia
Britannica in celebration
of Women's History Month)
1. Russian poet - Died in 1966, considered the greatest women poet of Russian literature.
2. English writer - Born in 1882 who wrote novels known for non-linear approaches to narrative. Also wrote essays about the politics of power.
3. English writer - presented a comedy of manners in 18th century middle-class life showing ordinary people.
4. This French writer’s best novels are remarkable for vividly evoking the sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and colors of her world. She died in 1954.
5. Identify this leading American 19th century female poet who lived in seclusion but commanded a brilliance of style and an integrity of vision.
6. Identify the famous ancient Greek lyric poet who has been greatly admired for the beauty of her writing style.
7. The American writer, winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature, the Pulitzer prize, and other awards, is known for her examination of the black female experience.
8. Can you name the Canadian short-story writer gained who international recognition with her exquisitely drawn stories, usually set in southwestern Ontario, peopled by characters of Scotch-Irish stock?
9. Do you know this American folklorist and writer, whose work celebrated the African American culture of the rural South.
10. She wrote the Tale of Genji, which is generally considered to be greatest work of Japanese literature and thought to be the world’s oldest full novel.
Answers:
1. Anna Akhmatova (1889-1966) At her death, the Russian poet was considered the greatest woman poet in the history of Russian literature.A land not mine, still
forever memorable,
the waters of its ocean
chill and fresh.
Sand on the bottom whiter than chalk,
and the air drunk, like wine,
late sun lays bare
the rosy limbs of the pinetrees.
Sunset in the ethereal waves:
I cannot tell if the day
is ending, or the world, or if
the secret of secrets is inside me again
A land not mine 1964 (Translated by Jane Kenyon)
2. Virginia Woolf - (1882-1941): The English writer’s novels, through their non-linear approaches to narrative, exerted a major influence on the genre. While she is best known for her novels, especially Mrs. Dalloway (1925) and To the Lighthouse (1927), Woolf also wrote pioneering essays on artistic theory, literary history, women’s writing, and the politics of power.
3. Jane Austen - Who hasn't heard of Sense and Sensibility or Pride and Prejudice? The English writer first gave the novel its distinctly modern character through her treatment of ordinary people in everyday life, creating the comedy of manners of middle-class life in the England of her time in her novels. 
4. Colette (1873-1954): The French writer’s best novels are remarkable for their command of sensual description. Her greatest strength as a writer is an exact sensory evocation of sounds, smells, tastes, textures, and colors of her world.
6. Sappho (610-570 BCE): The Greek lyric poet has been greatly admired in all ages for the beauty of her writing style. She ranks with Archilochus and Alcaeus, among Greek poets, for her ability to impress readers with a lively sense of her personality.
7. Toni Morrison (born 1931): The American writer, winner of the 1993 Nobel Prize for Literature, is noted for her examination of black experience (particularly black female experience) within the black community. Her Beloved (1987), based on the true story of a runaway slave who, at the point of recapture, kills her infant daughter in order to spare her a life of slavery, won a Pulitzer.8. Alice Munro (born 1931): The Canadian short-story writer gained international recognition with her exquisitely drawn stories, usually set in southwestern Ontario, peopled by characters of Scotch-Irish stock. Munro’s work is noted for its precise imagery and narrative style, which is at once lyrical, compelling, economical, and intense, revealing the depth and complexities in the emotional lives of ordinary individuals.
9. Zora Neale Hurston (1891-1960): The American folklorist and writer, whose work celebrated the African American culture of the rural South, was associated with the Harlem Renaissance.
10. Murasaki Shikibu (978-1014): The Japanese writer’s Genji monogatari (The Tale of Genji) is generally considered the greatest work of Japanese literature and thought to be the world’s oldest full novel.
Hot off the Presses! WIH Writers' Roundtable (Part 1)
Just-published authors Susan Wright, Madelyn Kamen, Pam Daniels, Martha "Marty" Braniff, and Dr. Robert Stobaugh tell us about their writing and publishing processes. Mentors for these writers have included our own WIH professors such as Chris Woods, Susan Wright, and Chris Rogers.
WIH Reporter: Can you tell us about your books that are hot off the presses?
Wright: My book is Coping With Transition: Men, Motherhood, Money, and Magic-Memoirs from the Lives of Professional Women. Our stories recall individual journeys and insights that enabled us to follow our own paths in love and work. We found challenges and complexities along the way, some tragedies and disappointments; some serendipities.
Braniff: My novel, Step Over Rio, is about a teenage boy, a hard-nosed female reporter, and a federal agent who unite to bring down the kingpins of a child trafficking ring. The adventure begins in the fall of 2011, when Alex Sifuentes, an orphan, steps from the back of a human trafficker's truck onto U.S. soil after fleeing Guatemala City where he was a witness to a death squad murder.
Daniels: Finding Home is the story of my family life as a child and as a adult. We were what Fernando Casas (who teaches art and philosophy at the Women's Institute of Houston) calls a "nomadic" American family.
Kamen: My book, Crazy Lady in the Mirror, is a series of vignettes about my life and about the lives of my friends. The working title was "Slices of Life", and maybe that explains it a little better. At some point in time, I realized that a lot of the world out there, maybe all, is my perception of it. And there are times that my take is distorted. Thus, my title.
Stobaugh: My children and grandchildren were really interested to learn more about my life before Harvard Business School. First, there was the small town and the two-room schoolhouse. But it's not the typical Depression-era story. My father was a relatively prosperous businessman and my eccentric mother would take me out of school whenever she wanted company on a long trip or a shopping venture. My book, Starting from Arkansas, ends when we leave for Harvard.
WIH Reporter: Did you take off from your normal schedule to write the book? If not, can you tell us how you fit writing into your schedule?
Wright: What schedule? It destroyed much of my normal schedule, but I knew that would be the case, and I loved doing it.
Daniels: I have been writing stories about my life for years. Finally, with the impetus of Susan Wright's writing course, I sat down, put them together and finished the book.
Kamen: I never had to take special time. Getting ready for class assignments was part of my regular schedule. But, I am retired. It might be more difficult for some people who work full-time. I believe you have to write when the "Muse" visits you.
Braniff: I recommend the six “P’s” of publishing. One of them - perseverance - is to show up in front of your computer or writing tablet every day-regardless of whether you know what words you are going to put down on the page. If nothing comes, start writing a conversation with one of you characters or visit an actual site that appears in the book either in person or via the Internet. Something will happen, trust me.
WIH Reporter: What surprised you about the process or about anything associated with the endeavor?
WIH Reporter: Did you use longhand, typewriter, and/or the computer? Was there a routine in writing the book?
Our writers continue this roundtable in Part 2 of Hot off the Presses, in which they discuss such topics as writer's block, publishing methods, marketing, mentors, and more. Stay tuned for the next installment, to be included in the next newsletter and blog.
WIH Reporter: Can you tell us about your books that are hot off the presses?
Wright: My book is Coping With Transition: Men, Motherhood, Money, and Magic-Memoirs from the Lives of Professional Women. Our stories recall individual journeys and insights that enabled us to follow our own paths in love and work. We found challenges and complexities along the way, some tragedies and disappointments; some serendipities.
Braniff: My novel, Step Over Rio, is about a teenage boy, a hard-nosed female reporter, and a federal agent who unite to bring down the kingpins of a child trafficking ring. The adventure begins in the fall of 2011, when Alex Sifuentes, an orphan, steps from the back of a human trafficker's truck onto U.S. soil after fleeing Guatemala City where he was a witness to a death squad murder.
Daniels: Finding Home is the story of my family life as a child and as a adult. We were what Fernando Casas (who teaches art and philosophy at the Women's Institute of Houston) calls a "nomadic" American family.
Kamen: My book, Crazy Lady in the Mirror, is a series of vignettes about my life and about the lives of my friends. The working title was "Slices of Life", and maybe that explains it a little better. At some point in time, I realized that a lot of the world out there, maybe all, is my perception of it. And there are times that my take is distorted. Thus, my title.
Stobaugh: My children and grandchildren were really interested to learn more about my life before Harvard Business School. First, there was the small town and the two-room schoolhouse. But it's not the typical Depression-era story. My father was a relatively prosperous businessman and my eccentric mother would take me out of school whenever she wanted company on a long trip or a shopping venture. My book, Starting from Arkansas, ends when we leave for Harvard.
WIH Reporter: Did you take off from your normal schedule to write the book? If not, can you tell us how you fit writing into your schedule?
Wright: What schedule? It destroyed much of my normal schedule, but I knew that would be the case, and I loved doing it.
Daniels: I have been writing stories about my life for years. Finally, with the impetus of Susan Wright's writing course, I sat down, put them together and finished the book.
Kamen: I never had to take special time. Getting ready for class assignments was part of my regular schedule. But, I am retired. It might be more difficult for some people who work full-time. I believe you have to write when the "Muse" visits you.
Braniff: I recommend the six “P’s” of publishing. One of them - perseverance - is to show up in front of your computer or writing tablet every day-regardless of whether you know what words you are going to put down on the page. If nothing comes, start writing a conversation with one of you characters or visit an actual site that appears in the book either in person or via the Internet. Something will happen, trust me.
WIH Reporter: What surprised you about the process or about anything associated with the endeavor?
Braniff: In answering this question, I will describe three of the many surprises I encountered while writing my novel. First of all, I originally crafted the story as a screenplay, and when I decided to write it as novel, I was amazed at how fluid the process became. I wrote another unpublished novel that was much more difficult since I did not have a screenplay for an outline.
Secondly, the State Department agents and local gang experts were more than willing to assist me, and I was surprised at their interest and enthusiasm for this project. But my biggest surprise of all was when I found a publisher after five years of rejection letters from both agents and publishers.
Stobaugh: This was the first time I've written a personal story. It was more enjoyable than I expected, and it took longer. But I've written many books in my areas of expertise and not a one of them took less time than I thought!
Daniels: The writing came easily, but finding the appropriate photos in my boxes of photos seemed to take forever.
Wright: We were surprised by such positive reactions from men! We were so focused on women as our target audience that the obvious never occurred to us.
Kamen: What has been most surprising is that the writing is only part of the process. There is editing, and working with others. There are the whole notions of selling and talking up the book and then, the business end of it. And there are blog and internet responsibilities. Did I say that you don't take off your regular work schedule? Maybe not so much.
WIH Reporter: What attracted you to the genre and to the subject?
Braniff: I was attracted to this subject because through my professional experience, I have worked with kids who are victims of human traffickers, and I chose the mystery/suspense genre because it is the most popular literary form. Additionally, I want to create awareness about human trafficking, the second largest and most profitable crime in the world only surpassed by drug trafficking.
Daniels: I have stories that I wanted to tell and I wanted to bear witness to the people I have known and loved, the places I have been and the experiences I have had.
Wright: I recall being moved by Diary of Anne Frank, and I was fascinated by my great-grandmother’s description of sailing from Norway Houston
Kamen: The assignments we were given in Chris Woods' class over time kind of clumped together. That was for me and not necessarily for my colleagues. I wrote about (1) getting old, (2) family stuff, (2) how we see the awesome and (or awful) world, (4) special people-some not in a good way. But almost everything is in fun.
Kamen: Not the typewriter, but otherwise any place, any machine, any time. I had notes on paper napkins, junk mail that I would eventually toss after putting the thoughts on my computer.
Wright: I created a project plan for the various phases of the work. However each of us got individually started, everybody ultimately had to work with computer and e-mail. We had deadlines, not only for writing, but for providing feedback to each other.
Daniels: Often I lay in bed in the morning and composed in my head what I was going to write. Then I went to the computer and wrote it down. I prefer the computer because it is so easy to edit later.
Stobaugh: After taking Susan Briggs Wright’s class, Legacy and Heritage, I engaged her as a writing partner. We have regularly scheduled meetings, and that keeps me focused and on track.
Our writers continue this roundtable in Part 2 of Hot off the Presses, in which they discuss such topics as writer's block, publishing methods, marketing, mentors, and more. Stay tuned for the next installment, to be included in the next newsletter and blog.
Wednesday, February 22, 2012
New Faculty Course Material page
At the top of our blog, you will see a new link that leads to a Faculty Course Material page. Here you can find course materials that our professors have made available to download. We will continually update this page as new materials are given to us.
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
How Much Do You Know About Shakespeare's Life?
1. Shakespeare's father John rose to the highest elective position in Stratford. What was his position?
2. When Anne Hathaway married Shakespeare, what was her physical condition?
3. Elizabethan theatergoers could purchase apples and pears to eat during the performances. What other function did these fruits serve?
4. What kind of scenery and set design was typical during Shakespeare's time?
5. In 1613, the Globe theater burned to the ground. What caused the fire?
6. Shakespeare revised his will the year he died. Who received the bulk of his real estate? Who received only his "second best bed" with the bedclothing?
7. Half of his plays would have been lost forever after he died but for one occurrence. What was this occurrence?
Answers:
1. Shakespeare's father John rose to the highest elective position in Stratford. What was his position?
Shakespeare's father, John, was a glover and leather-worker who rose through a series of positions of authority until, in 1568, he became high bailiff, the highest elective office in Stratford. In the 1570s, John Shakespeare was prosecuted (or threatened with prosecution) four times for the illegal activities of trading in wool and money-lending.
2. When Anne Hathaway married Shakespeare, what was her physical condition?
In November 1582, Shakespeare applied for a license to marry Anne Hathaway, whom he married on or about November 30. She was three months pregnant at the time.
3. Elizabethan theatergoers could purchase apples and pears to eat during the performances. What other function did these fruits serve?
These snacks were often thrown at the actors by dissatisfied members of the audience.
4. What kind of scenery was typically used onstage during plays?
In Shakespeare's time, theaters had no curtain and used little or no scenery. Playwrights described the setting within the text of the performance.
5. In 1613, the Globe theater burned to the ground. What caused the fire?
The Globe burned to the ground on June 29, 1613, set fire by a cannon shot during a performance of Shakespeare's Henry VIII.
6. He revised his will the year he died? Who received the bulk of his real estate? Who received his "second best bed" with the bedclothing?
In his will, he left most of his real estate to his daughter Susanna. A statement was inserted between the lines in the will, which said: "I gyve unto my wief my second best bed with the furniture." The "furniture" was the bedclothes for the bed. This is all he left his wife in his will, and the only time she was mentioned.
7. Half of his plays would have been lost forever after he died but for one occurence. What happened?
His dear friends John Hemings and Henry Condell published his plays seven years after his death. They said they had gathered his works "only to keep the memory of so worthy a friend, and fellow alive, as was our Shakespeare."
Had they not done this, according to Kate Pogue, half the plays Shakespeare wrote would have been lost forever.
Kate Pogue's class begins on Thursday mornings at 10:00-12:00 starting February 2, 2012.
Bracing for the "New" Middle East
WIH Reporter: What is crucial for us to know about the new Middle East?
Hatchett: The events transpiring there must be viewed in the context of the culture and history of the peoples of that region, and not by American or European values. For example, we may see the process underway in Syria as a struggle between lovers of democracy and those trying to preserve authoritarianism, but the Syrian turmoil is heavily influenced by the centuries-old struggle between Sunni and Shia branches of Islam. In a broader sense, what we see as a democratic movement sweeping through the region is actually more of a trend to replace secular, western-friendly regimes with more traditional Islamic-based governments.
WIH Reporter: What effect does this have on Israel's position?
Hatchett: Israel is following the trends in the region with a sober eye. They see the rise of more fundamentalist, less western-friendly regimes as a threat to their security. This is why you don't see Israeli officials or media showering praise on the "Arab spring." Relations with Egypt will definitely change, despite the public assurances of the Egyptian military government that Egypt will honor its treaty obligations with Israel. Israeli military commanders openly talk about the need to beef up Israel's capability to fight a two-front war again.
WIH Reporter: What effect does this have on the Palestinian position?
Hatchett: The new regimes coming to power in the Arab world will most likely step up their support for "Palestinian rights." Even the so-called moderate Islamist government of Turkey (whose ruling Justice and Development Party has roots in the Muslim Brotherhood movement currently dominating the political scene in Egypt) has evoked this trend, threatening to send Turkish warships to escort aid ships to Palestinians in Gaza to prevent Israeli interception. This coincides with more vocal support for the "Palestinian cause" internationally, especially in Europe. The result is that Israel and the United States may become more and more isolated on the issue of Palestine and face not only political pressure, but perhaps military challenges as well in the near future. Palestine is the one issue that is capable of forging cooperation between Shia-dominated Iran and its Sunni Arab neighbors.
WIH Reporter: Is there hope for real change?
Hatchett: Despite the trends now underway, there is hope that real change is possible in this critical part of the world. As interaction between the world's peoples intensifies via globalization, the under-30 generation in the Middle East (which makes up nearly 50% of the population in many countries of the area) may embrace values more compatible with ours. So in the long run - two or three years from now - the type of democratic movement we hope for may begin to sweep the region. But in the near term, the big winners of the change now underway are those promoting a return to "traditionally Islamic values" and advocating less cooperation with the West, especially the United States.
WIH Reporter: What about the U.S. reaction?
Hatchett: How the U.S. reacts to the trends underway will be a critical factor in the stability of the region. We obviously encourage the spread of democracy and self-determination, even if in the near term this could cause problems for our foreign policy. But we are making clear that our country too has interests in this region that are vital: the security of Israel and uninterrupted access to the region's energy supplies. Leaders of both the Democratic Party and the Republican Party have made clear that if either of these vital interests is threatened, we will act, including using military force. We can only hope that the leaders of all factions in the Middle East take heed.
Ron Hatchett's class takes place on Wednesday afternoons from 1:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m . starting February 1, 2012. For more information on this class, click here.
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