The turbulent year of 2018 is finally coming to a close! As we journey into winter break, the English Department wants to offer a few book recommendations for you to peruse on the plane and curl up with on the couch. Get ready to update your Goodreads page! The Incendiaries by R.O. Kwon The Education of British-Protected Child by Chinua Achebe The Female Persuasion by Meg Wollitzer (x2) Educated by Tara Westover (x2) The Bedlam Stacks by Natasha Pulley Play It As It Lays by Joan Didion M. Butterfly by David Henry … [Read More...] about Favorite Reads of 2018
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Literary Fun Fact!
On December 3rd, 1926: Agatha Christie disappeared from her car a few miles outside of her home in Surrey, England. She was missing for around ten days before she was recognized in a hotel in Harrogate. It was reported that she was experiencing amnesia, following a suicide attempt in her car caused by a quarrel with her husband. Her disappearance became a nationwide event, with over a thousand people joining in on the search to find her. Christie is is best known for her detective novels, with main characters such as Detective Poirot. One of … [Read More...] about Literary Fun Fact!
NUCL Submission Deadline Announced
Finals week is just around the corner, which means English majors are swamped with (more) essays (than usual). And while this might seem daunting, a reminder: anything that you are working on right now – be it an analysis of plants in Shakespeare or psychological realism in Pamela – has the potential to be submitted to this year’s NUCL conference! This year, your opportunity to submit a favorite paper (or two!) extends until January 11th – almost a full week sooner than previous years. So if you’re waist-deep in essays now and think you might se … [Read More...] about NUCL Submission Deadline Announced
Humans of the English Department – Alum
By Wes Cruse Happy Tuesday, my friends! If you're a senior English major (like me) who's eyeing graduation with more than a pinch of anxiety surrounding that dreaded 'what's next?' question, this post is especially for you. For the third profile of the Humans of the English Department series, I caught up with Laura Misch, an alum who recently graduated with a BA in both English and Psychology this past May. Laura is a UP English success story; stories like hers quell my fretful thoughts of graduating college only to take up residence in a … [Read More...] about Humans of the English Department – Alum
Leisure Reading Series: Fantasy with Tayler Bradley
Hey blog browsers! It’s Tayler, back with another installment of my Fantasy Leisure Reading series. Last month, I chose a title that walked the line between fantasy and realism in an attempt to ease in new fantasy readers, but this month I’m going all in. Full on fantasy. The Fifth Season by N. K. Jemisin, the first installment of the Broken Earth trilogy, was published in 2015 and won the Hugo Award for Best Novel the following year. In short, my praise means little compared to the honors this title has already been given, but I still want to g … [Read More...] about Leisure Reading Series: Fantasy with Tayler Bradley
Literary Fun Fact!
On November 25, 1952: Agatha Christie’s murder-mystery play The Mousetrap opened at the Ambassadors Theatre, London. Over sixty years later, it is still running – making it the longest-running theatrical production in history. It’s twist ending came as a shock to most viewers, and show attendees were asked to keep the twist a secret after leaving the theatre. Christie is known as one of the best sellers of all time, writing over 60 mystery novels in her lifetime. Powell’s downtown has a whole section dedicated to her writing … [Read More...] about Literary Fun Fact!
Literary Fun Fact of the Day
On November 18, 1865: The New York Saturday Press published “Jim Smiley and His Jumping Frog,” by Mark Twain. This story is considered to be Twain’s first great success as a writer, bringing him attention nationwide. Following the mission of the narrator to learn about a man named Jim Smiley, the reader is taken through several tall tales told by a bartender he encounters. If you like anticlimactic writing, this is one for you. Twain had a knack for writing without any satisfying conclusions, which is both incredibly frustrating and in … [Read More...] about Literary Fun Fact of the Day
Q&A with Resident Poet Matthew Minicucci
Mark your calendars: this Wednesday evening, November 14th, at 7:30 pm in the UP bookstore, Portland poet and Adjunct Instructor Matthew Minicucci will treat us to a selection of his prize-winning poetry. Minicucci is the third and final visiting author of our Fall Reading and Lecture series here on the Bluff, and you won't want to miss him! His most recent collection, Small Gods, was a finalist for the 2016 Green Rose Prize from New Issues Press. Minicucci has been the recipient of many awards and fellowships, testaments to the … [Read More...] about Q&A with Resident Poet Matthew Minicucci
Literary Fun Fact of the Day!
On November 11, 1807: Washington Irving’s periodical, “Salmagundi” was published. He was the first to associate the name “Gotham” with New York City. The periodical itself was based in satire, and its subtitle read: “The Whim-whams and Opinions of Launcelot Langstaff, Esq. & Others”. The authors all wrote under pseudonyms, and used their writing to mock the culture and politics in New York at the time. Irving himself is the author of “The Legend of Sleepy Hollow” and “Rip Van Winkle”; both short stories are definitely worth a read. … [Read More...] about Literary Fun Fact of the Day!
Literary Fun Fact of the Day!
On November 4th, 2001; The first Harry Potter movie, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” premiered! In the United States, it premiered as "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone", to set a more magical and supernatural tone to the series. This first book of a seven book series written by JK Rowling has sold over 5 million copies since its publishing. The movie grossed $974.8 million at the box office worldwide! If you haven’t read the series, you should; it really is magical. (Photo courtesy of Bloomsbury Publishing) … [Read More...] about Literary Fun Fact of the Day!