NAM LE, THE BOAT: READING & DISCUSSION
Held on Mon, Sept. 14, 2009 at the WYEP Community Broadcast Center67 Bedford Square, Pittsburgh, PA 15203 (South Side)
The American Shorts @ WYEP season finale featured emerging Australian writer Nam Le, reading from his debut short story collection, The Boat. Born in Vietnam and raised in Australia, Nam Le has received critical acclaim and numerous awards for his celebrated collection, which explores the universal power and fragility of human hopes and dreams.
Described by New York Times’ book critic Michiko Kakutani as “a haunting marvel,” The Boat takes readers from Colombia to Tehran, from New York City to Iowa City, and back to Le's birthplace of Vietnam. The collection was named Best Debut of 2008 by New York Magazine and was a 2008 New York Times’ Notable Book.
A long-time subscriber and supporter of The Drue Heinz Lectures, short-fiction enthusiast Don Friedman welcomed Nam Le to the stage for an intimate reading. Following the reading, Le took questions about his work from the audience. Copies of The Boat were provided for purchase by Penguin Bookshop, Sewickley, and Le was happy to sign books for all.
The evening closed with a screening of Steph Green's Oscar-nominated short film, New Boy. Written by acclaimed Irish screenwriter and novelist Roddy Doyle, New Boy is adapted from Doyle's short story of the same name, orginally published in McSweeney's. This work tells the story of Joseph, a nine-year-old Rwandan refugee who faces his first day of elementary school in Ireland. Both stirring and funny, New Boy depicts the complexities of the immigrant experience and the universal trials of childhood.
Refreshments, music, and socializing rounded out the night. Deejayed music was provided by Justin Hopper. A founder and resident of internationally regarded events in Pittsburgh, including Pandemic, Vipers Soul Club, and the highly influential Soulcialism nights, Justin Hopper selected an eclectic mix of sounds ranging from contemporary world music to dub reggae, classic soul, and everything in between.
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