January 3, 2005
Award-winning author Jonathan Franzen to
present lecture at Santa Cruz Public Library
By Scott Rappaport
The Friends of the UCSC Library and the Friends of the Santa
Cruz Public Libraries will present a lecture by renowned author
Jonathan Franzen on Thursday, January 13, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.
at the Main Branch of the Santa Cruz Public Library (224 Church
Street). Admission is free.
Jonathan Franzen
Photo: Greg Martin
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Franzen won the National Book Award for The Corrections,
perhaps the most-written-about novel of 2001. He is also the
author of two other works of fictionThe Twenty-Seventh
City (1988) and Strong Motion (1992), as well as
a collection of essays titled How to Be Alone (2002)
that includes an account of his brief tenure as an author for
Oprah Winfreys book club.
Franzens honors include the American Academys
Berlin Prize in 2000 and a Whiting Writers Award in 1988.
He was also named one of Twenty Writers for the 21st Century
by The New Yorker and one of the Best Young American
Novelists by Granta. Franzen will speak about contemporary
fiction writing in his talk, entitled "What Makes You Think
You're Not the Evil One Himself?"
The UCSC and Santa Cruz library support groups have been sponsoring
a joint author/artist series for the past decade. Previous guest
speakers have included Janet Fitch, author of White Oleander,
Santa Cruz mystery writer Laurie R. King, and William Rubel,
local food expert and publisher of the childrens magazine
Stone Soup.
We find the speakers and produce posters, and they provide
the community room at the Main Branch downtown and refreshments,
explained Liz Sandoval, staff liaison for Friends of the UCSC
Library.
"This collaboration allows us to bring our program into
the community in a convenient downtown location.
Our Friends programming budget has always necessarily
supported programs just for children and young adults,
added Pat Sandidge, managing director of Friends of the Santa
Cruz Public Libraries. We are very grateful for the collaboration
with the UCSC Friends because it has allowed us to expand program
support to include very successful, entertaining, and stimulating
adult programming.
The two groups usually present two free lectures at the downtown
library during the winter months. Book artists Peter and Donna
Thomas will speak about fine printing and the literary book
as a work of art on Thursday, February 17, at 7 p.m. Their lecture
is billed as The Artist Book: Four Dimensional Art.
"We are thrilled to have such an internationally recognized,
award-winning author as Jonathan Franzen participate,
Sandoval noted. He has personal connections in Santa Cruz
and has generously agreed to take time to speak for our Friends
groups this year."
For more information, contact Liz Sandoval of Friends of the
UCSC Library at (831) 459-5870, lsand@ucsc.edu,
or visit: http://library.ucsc.edu/friends.
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