Claudia Rankin Reading / March 25, 2009
Event Report
On March 25, 2009, in an event co-sponsored by the Honors College, poet, editor, and anthologist Claudia Rankine read to an audience of more than 145 people in Little Hall 130. Steve Evans introduced the event, which was the fifth of the Spring 2009 New Writing Series schedule. After the nearly hour-long video screening and reading, Rankine took questions from the audience.
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Set List (compiled by Katie Lattari)
Introduction by Steve Evans
Four clips from the film “Provenance,” a John Lucas and Claudia Rankine collaboration
Excerpts from a play currently in progress
“Understanding that there is no understanding…”
“I tell you all this because…”
Excerpts from Don’t Let Me Be Lonely
“Cornel West…
“The Museum of Emotions in London…”
“I would have to drink five more cups of coffee a day…”
Questions
How do you approach fame? Why do you think people care especially about some people but don’t care at all about others?
Earlier in the reading, you attributed uselessness to the sense of loneliness—how did you arrive at this idea in your writing?
How does the use of the word “or” operate structurally as a transitional device in your writing?
Do you think that as a contemporary writer you are able to write pieces like the first one you read tonight and still keep an audience’s attention?
What is the formatting of your book in terms of how the pieces work on the page?
Do you think that it is possible to live outside the human condition? Is it possible to have true “outsiders” and “insiders”?
Can you talk about the idea of a common or collective imagery?