Vo l u m e I I I , N u m b e r X I X
Celebrating The Precious Human Tapestry
F e b r ua ry 2 7 , 2 0 0 9
A brief and wondrous reading by Junot Díaz BY MAXWELL PRICE Editor
You could tell just by looking at the audience that something exciting was about to go down. Caribbean American college students, old ladies, and a Boston high school English class all mingled together, atwitter with the prospect of meeting the person behind the words they’d cherished, that starkly original, inventive spinner of tales about the immigrant experience. Junot Díaz, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of “The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” spoke at Back Pages Books on Moody Street this Sunday, and as a result, you may never find a copy of the author’s books on the shelves in Waltham again. Mr. Díaz speaks with a rare mixture of streetwise humor, intellectual insight, and genuine human sincerity that shines through in his writing. The event took place in Boston University’s film school, across the street from the bookstore to accommodate the large, diverse crowd. He spent more time answering questions than he did reading, but his delivery provided clues to interpretation for the careful listener. He began by reading excerpts from a short story entitled, “The Sun, the Moon, and the Stars,” which chronicles a young Dominican couple who decide to travel to Santo Domingo on vacation despite their impending breakup. His elocution was part kindergarten teacher, part Dominican Tony Soprano, adding emphasis to mark off his phrases like a poet. There was irony and dramatic perspective in his voice, bringing out colorful Hispanic phrases with relish. His candid, sometimes foul-mouthed commentaries on his texts ranged from hilarious asides to philosophical proc-
lamations. One of the comments that seemed to hit home with audiences was a timely prophecy, especially to students at Brandeis. “As these hard times get harder,” he offered, “We will rediscover the importance of the arts. Although in response to hard times, the arts get jettisoned first.” Mr. Díaz, who is currently a professor at M.I.T., remained humble and downto-earth despite his recent high profile accolades. He prefaced his reading with a simple, “So, uh, let’s just do this, yeah? You don’t gotta know much about this.” And indeed you don’t need to be familiar with Mr. Díaz’s subject matter, the inner lives of Hispanic immigrants, to appreciate his artistry. The prose leaps off the page (or in this case, the tongue) with lively descriptions, taut dialogue, and clever bilingual turns of a phrase. But beneath the narrative sparkle, there lurks a wry emotional poignance that uncovers the tensions underlying the immigrant experience. It’s not surprising that an author whose work evokes influences as disparate as Sandra Cisneros, J.R.R. Tolkien, and David Foster Wallace draws such a diverse readership. The range of questions from the audience was also a testament to the varying levels of interpretation in his work. A young Jamaican man wanted to know about the author’s portrayal of Caribbean unity. A middle aged white gentleman commented on the novel’s playful treatment of history. A high school English teacher inquired about bilingual communication. Díaz offered a window into his worldview, but he refrained from taking the work of interpretation away from his readers. “You’re a writer because you think you’re able to see something no one else can,” he explained. Seeing the man in person was only further proof that his vision cuts to the heart of the unexplored territory of American life.
Images of Pakistan reveal a land of beauty BY MYRA CHAUDHARY Special to Diverse City
This was written on a blog series about US-Pakistan Relations called Hope Within Pakistan for Senator John Kerry. It is incredibly important for Brandeis students to know not only about Pakistan, but about the entire world. When we look closely and try to learn and understand other cultures, we find how similar we all are and how similar our basic desires and emotions are. You can learn from the most surprising and unexpected places. As the next generation, it is up to us to be a beacon of hope to the entire world. In the inspiration of this I have started a blog called A Forum of Hope about global issues. Please see aforumofhope.blogspot.com. Remember any idea can make a difference: Ever since I was a child I have always been captivated by the immense beauty in Pakistan. I would eagerly collect and treasure any pictures or memory that I could
IN THIS ISSUE:
find. These are my very special memories of my travels to Pakistan. How can anyone honestly not fall in love with these enchanting images? Pakistan was founded just about 60 years ago but this land is rich with culture and traditions which go back thousands of years. It is home to some of the most ancient civilizations in the world, the Indus Valley Civilizations: Harrappa dating back to 3300 BC with an estimated 40,000 residents, which was very large at that time. Taxila dating back to the 5th century BC and Moenjodaro dating back to 2600 BC. Evidence in these ruins points to the fact that these places had been the earliest villages and cities, with proper cen-
Mardi Gras takes New Orleans by storm Chorus, page 10
ters of learning, writing, industries, dance, art, sculpting, and also with established social, economic and agricultural systems. These are all there waiting for everyone to witness. And so are the Sish Mahal (Mirror Palace) in Lahore Fort and the lovely Shalimar
Antony displays haunting voice in New York Chorus, page 10
Gardens with its 410 marble fountains and waterfalls built by the Mogul King Shah Jahan, the one who also built the majestic Taj Mahal in honor of his beloved wife. Pakistan is home to K2, the second highest mountain in the world. The Karakoram Highway, the highest paved international road in the world is a modern and sturdy highway on top of the highest mountains, the Himalayas. Remarkable! Words cannot begin to describe the true splendor of all of the things that I have seen there. Scenes of breathtaking mountains, valleys, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, spectacular and richly detailed ornate architecture, parks, splendid gardens, natural life, peacocks with their magnificent displays of turquoise, green and gold feathers, ancient artifacts, and modern scenes of shopping centers, highways, and buildings. What I miss most, though, are my walks around my grandmother’s garden. Enjoying the beautiful colorful and fragrant roses, jas-
DID YOU KNOW?
See PAKISTAN, p. 10
Bono and the Edge of U2 are teaming up with director Julie Taymor (“The Lion King”) to create a Spiderman musical.