David Rakoff Takes on the World
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Sigma Tau Delta Eastern Region: Fall 2006 Newsletter Contents: Fall Greetings from the Regent Page 2: chapter attend, they are likely to come back— Continued: as they say, “once is not enough”! Fall Greetings from the Regent If you have questions about the convention or Hello, from Rindge, NH where the logistics of bringing a chapter, please don’t Eastern Region the hills have turned to a combination of colors, just past hesitate to contact me; I can also offer some help with ideas for fundraising to defer the Book Corner the peak of foliage season, that Donald Hall called “tweed.” As I look out on Pearly Pond and towards cost of the trip. Mount Monadnock, I’m reminded of how quickly time Page 3: moves along—and as the new Eastern Regent, I’m And don’t forget about the Regents’ Common Reader Award for up to four chapters in the finding out how quickly deadlines for conference paper Greetings from the submissions, Regents’ awards and such sneak up on me! Eastern Region. Details are at http://www.english.org/pdf/awards/awd_com ASR I do hope you are all considering submitting papers and mRdr.pdf . original works for the upcoming convention in Pittsburgh. 2007 Sigma Tau For those of you whom I have not yet had the Chapter sponsors, we’d love to have you attend and chair Delta Convention: a session or two! Since this year’s event is in our own pleasure of meeting, I’m Dr. Sarah Pittsburgh, PA region, I’m hopeful that it will be easier, both financially Dangelantonio, a Professor of English at Franklin Pierce College in Rindge, NH. I’ve and logistically, for more chapters to attend. If your chapter hasn’t yet had the pleasure of attending a been here at FPC since 1990, and I’m Page 4: convention, I encourage you to give it a go this year. presently serving as Humanities Division Even if only one person is able to attend, he or she will be Chair. I’ve been involved with ΣΤ∆ since I Conference Recap: a wonderful representative of your institution and was inducted as an undergraduate in 1983; Snapshots of chapter—my experience has been that once a single (Continued on page 2) Portland member or a group of members from a Page 5: Fall Student Representative Report Guest Speaker – Good day, Eastern members of Sigma Tau great literary sights as Mark Twain’s house; Delta! This is an exciting year for the society. however, the location is only tentative Sharon Olds With the assets of Sigma Tau Delta growing This year also makes the little hairs on my every year and the board members in good neck stand to attention for another reason— Page 6: standing, the society should be going through the annual international convention held in some significant growth in the next few years, Eastern Region’s own city, Pittsburgh, PA. Guest Speaker – including a new website with merchandise The program is star-studded with such literary David Rakoff ordering capabilities, and the high school- giants as poet Sharon Olds and essayist David based National English Honor Society (NEHS) Rakoff (look further in the newsletter for more gaining a significant number of members. on them). Moreover, there are many events set Quick Reminder: Many other wonderful ideas are being realized up for members such as the Bad Poetry and Big Money! by new members of the board. Dry T-shirt Contests which are sure to bring the laughs. Looking forward to seeing you Page 7: As for regional excitement, Dr. Sarah come spring, Dangelantonio has filled the role for Eastern Region Regent and has great plans. One thing Dodge Poetry we are working on together is a regional Festival caucus. This will be a type of miniature conference where members of Sigma Tau Page 8: Delta in the Eastern Region can meet and share their work in a nice informal setting. Award Winners -Keith Leonard, Eastern Student Rep. Right now we are looking into Hartford, CT as [email protected] it is central to the Region and has such Page 2 Quotable Quotes: (Continued from page 1: Fall Greetings from “Did you know that it is possible if you read a the Regent) poem enough times, if you read it over and over without stopping, that you can make the “When I am... I’ve been a chapter sponsor since 1992; and author begin to spin gently, even completely now I am delighted to serve as your Regent affectionately, in his grave?” for the next 3 years. myself… or -from Billy Collins, “The Norton Anthology during the night I hope some of you will email and introduce of English Literature” when I cannot yourselves and let me know how I can be of help to you and your chapter. Keep me posted about upcoming induction ceremonies and the sleep, it is on such occasions like—who knows, I might be able to come and participate! Email me at that my ideas [email protected]; let me know about your flow best and chapter’s activities—if you want to write up an article for inclusion in the next regional most newsletter, we’d be pleased to include it. abundantly. Enjoy the remaining days of autumn When and how weather—rumor has it that a nor’easter may be approaching this weekend—makes me these come I shiver just thinking about it. Cheers to you know not, nor all. can I force them.” -Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart “Poetry begins in delight and Eastern Region Book Corner: ends in wisdom.” Tracy Kidder’s Home Town -Robert Frost “The one thing The Student Advisors to Sigma Tau Delta have by such literary greats as Dickens and Henry that does not asked the regional student representatives to James, and boasts Sylvia Plath’s alma mater, abide by include a section for regional authors in the Smith College. Kidder says of the town, "It's newsletter. This issue’s selection is Tracy one of the few civilized parts of America. I majority’s rule Kidder’s Home Town for its vivid portrayal of like the way it looks, the sense that history is a person’s small town New England. surrounds you in a constructed landscape. It's picturesque, authentic. It's where people grew conscience.” In Home Town (1999), Pulitzer Prize winner up or wish they had grown up." -Harper Lee Tracy Kidder digs beneath small town of Northampton through the lives of a tycoon, a Tracy Kidder has also won a number of other criminal, a college professor, a judge, and at awards other than the Pulitzer Prize including the center a home town police officer, to the National Book Award, and the Robert F. uncover the quintessential New England Kennedy Award, among others. He is also the landscape. Northampton itself is a scene of author of The Soul of a New Machine, House, considerable literary interest. It holds a rich Among Schoolchildren, Old Friends, and most history dating back to the 17th century, is recently Mountain Beyond Mountains. Kidder home to Mount Holyoke, which was climbed lives in Massachusetts and Maine. Page 3 Quotable Quotes: Greetin gs from the ASR “Tell me and I’ll forget; show me Greetings, Eastern Region! As I write this, and I may warming my chilled bones with cappuccino remember; from the café, I look around my room and notice my fish, Heraclitus, whom I have involve me and forgotten to feed for the past two days, stacks I’ll understand.” of books begging for my attention and stacks Chinese Proverb of notebooks awaiting my careful study of them. I hope everyone else is suffering less from the procrastination syndrome than I am in the middle of this highly chaotic part of the “My best semester. I can’t believe Halloween is almost thoughts always here. I hope everyone enjoys the tricks and come a little too treats of the day. I look forward to seeing -Janine Surmick everyone in Pittsburgh in the spring. late.” Hopefully, my fish will be well fed and my Eastern Region, ASR Nathaniel work will be completed by then. Hawthorne Cheers! “Keep away from the people who try to belittle your 2007 Convention: Pittsburgh, PA ambitions. Small people alway s do I imagine by the time anyone may read this This year the convention will be in Pittsburgh, that, but the the beginning of October will have passed. Pennsylvania, and it will be held at the Hilton That means the November deadline is really great Hotel. The theme will be “confluence.” My dictionary tells me that means “a meeting or approaching for submissions. So let’s all get make you feel to sending in our submissions (check on the gathering of two or more things.” Seems that you, too, are fitting for the city of bridges, (English people website for details) and be “confluent” (sorry, are so clever aren’t they?). And don’t think I had to) at Pittsburgh. great.” that just because you’re from the same region -Mark Twain you’ve seen all there is to see. Pittsburgh The following articles were written with the holds many interesting sights for the intension to make your mouth water a bit and intellectual mind including the Heinz History encourage you to join us at the convention this spring. Museum, Henry Clay Frick Art & Historical Center, Carnegie Museum of Natural History (Here is a nice little picture of what will greet and Art, and Heinz Hall (home of the you when you get there.) Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra).