Chicago Event News
I have to interrupt my enforced absence from the blog in order to observe a few developments on the local events scene:
* A few days ago I received the surprising news that there were still tickets left for Victoria Lautman’s interview with Jonathan Safron Foer at the Lookingglass Theatre on Sunday. How can this be, I thought? Maybe I’m not understanding the English language. Today I learn, courtesy of Chicago Magazine’s Marquee newsletter, that the event is now sold out. That’s more like it. Happily, you can still hear it live on WFMT if you missed out on tickets. Not to rub it in, but it has been on my events list for four freakin’ months. There are two more events in the series, including local favorite Sue Miller and Michael “The Hours” Cunningham.
* Two words: Kazuo Ishiguro. Try and tell me you didn’t notice he’s going to be reading down in Hyde Park tomorrow at the Oriental Institute. As the Lit Saloon notes, reviews for the latest book have been all over the map. I’ll bet that means it’s pretty good.
* Finally next week is French-American Poetry Week. What does that mean? Well, it means that the Cultural Services Department of the French Embassy in Chicago is marking National Poetry Month by “joining with several Midwestern institutions (University of Chicago, Northwestern University, Guild Complex, University of Wisconsin-Madison, International Writing Program of the University of Iowa) to present a week of encounters, cross-cultural readings, lectures and translation seminars dedicated to contemporary poetry.” The events take place in three cities: Chicago, Madison, Iowa City. Here’s the lowdown on Monday’s event in Chicago:
French-American Poetry Week
A Celebration of Contemporary Poetry Across the Midwest
MONDAY, APRIL 25TH
Classics 10, 1010 E. 59th Street
FEATURED PARTICIPANTS
Cole Swensen, Nicolas Pesquès, David St. John & Jean-Patrice Courtois
SCHEDULE
1:00-3:00pm – Panel Discussion on French and American Poetry
3:00-4:00pm – Reception
4:00-5:00pm – Readings
The idea of bringing together French poets and American poets for National Poetry Month is very cool. I especially like the idea that Cole Swenson is appearing, since her translation of Pierre Alferi’s OXO was one of the more entertaining poetry titles from last year. Check out the recent review in RainTaxi.
