Links

What a rich literary week it has been in Northern Colorado, one full of remarkable links of a different kind than the many included in this brief review. 

On Tuesday, Emeritus CSU English professor John Calderazzo interviewed CSU alum Rebecca Skloot who has written an award-winning science history about a woman who, unwittingly, as the victim of tissue theft, enabled most of the cellular biological research in the last half century.  Skloot began working on the book in Dr. Calderazzo’s undergraduate creative nonfiction workshop and also wrote some essays then that she’s drawing on for her next book, one about animal-human relationships. 

The human/animal bond surfaced again on Thursday when CSU’s  Debby Thompson read from her new collection of essays Pretzel, Houdini & Olive: Essays On the Dogs of My Life. The excerpt she read suggests that the book is not a light treatment of the funny antics of canines, but a deeper reflection their healing influence be they street dogs or beloved pets.  Thompson dedicated her reading to the late Gerry Callahan who, in a link with Skloot, had deep roots at CSU and also artfully brought the complex world of science into the reach of the public.   

The deep observation facilitated by writing surfaced again with fellow CSU Creative Writing professor Dan Beachy-Quick  who joined Thompson in the evening’s reading. Beachy-Quick read from two collections, both recently published, Arrows (in July) and Stone Garland, a reflection on six Greek poets (in September). Included was a piece that etymologically linked entomological drones, prayer and bodiless military strike.    

The three writers linked again through their reflection on the hard work of writing.  Skloot lifted the veil on the persistence needed to arrange interviews with key players in the history who were skeptical of her motives.  Thompson said that she revels in the art of revision that comes after what she finds as the drudgery of the initial draft.  And Beachy-Quick admitted that writing is often not a pleasure even though ‘there is no happiness akin to being at work.’

These linked voices continue into next week when the Loveland Poet Laureate Reading Series brings two of these writers before us again:  Thompson and Calderazzo (Skloot’s mentor) come together virtually on Thursday, at 7:00 p.m. to read from their work. 

Follow this link for the required pre-registration for Thursday’s event: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../tZUoceuoqzkpGt1ccxmm3yMH33Ckn...