Through Other Lenses: American Robotnik Readings for November 2012

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Nov 172012
 
Through Other Lenses: American Robotnik Readings for November 2012

From the RSS Feed “My American Lemonade,” kottke.org, November 15, 2012 – A Bulgarian writes about his immigration struggles. “Last Call” by Tim Heffernan, Washington Monthly, November/December 2012 – America is about to start drinking more. “Can’t a guy just make some friends around here? Maybe.” by Matt Pearce, Kansas City Pitch, November 6, 2012 – If you’ve had a hard time finding and making friends in your new homeland, be comforted in knowing the natives have the same problem, Craigslist notwithstanding. “How Millennials Leaving Their Parents’ Basements Could […] Continue reading >

When the Birds Confer to Tell the Tale

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Nov 222011
 
When the Birds Confer to Tell the Tale

Whether it’s a testimony to my cultural isolation or Penguin Press’s marketing prowess, I learned about “The Conference of the Birds”, the new book by Petr Sís (Peter Sis), on All Things Considered during last Wednesday’s evening commute. By a stroke of luck, I met Petr, a Czech émigré living in the U.S. since 1982, only five days later during his book-tour stop here in Portland, Oregon. In his presentation Monday at Powell’s City of Books, Peter gave a whirlwind tour of the book’s origins and story, of his life/career […] Continue reading >

Writing Across Cultures

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Oct 082011
 
Writing Across Cultures

Portland’s book and literary festival Wordstock is taking place this weekend. This year’s theme: “America Is a Story That Never Ends”. In the event brochure, Wordstock Executive Director Greg Netzer wrote, “America is a biography of who we are, and a dream of who we want to be. This year’s festival is devoted to such stories of American experience.” How apt for American Robotnik! I am attending both days, to hear writers, foreign-born and natural-born alike, talk about their own (and their characters’) challenges in the new country. The […] Continue reading >