Contemporary Issues Lecture Series features Latin American author Cristina Garcia Dec. 1
Released: November 25, 2008
Cristina Garcia, one of Latin America’s most influential and celebrated authors, will visit the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater to present her newest novel, “A Handbook to Luck.” Garcia’s visit is part of the College of Letters and Sciences and Young Auditorium’s Community Reading Initiative, 7 p.m., Monday Dec. 1, at the Young Auditorium. This lecture is free and open to the public.
The Community Reading Initiative is a way to get students involved both through venues like the public library and through their classes with the selection of a book. Garcia’s book had a lot of appeal in a variety of classes ranging from English to sociology and political science.
“This book appealed to many different departments,” said Political Science Department Chair Susan Johnson. “At this lecture, Garcia will talk about her book, but she will more generally discuss aspects of her life.”
“A Handbook to Luck” is a story about three teenagers from around the globe making their way in the world. This book follows them through the years, where they survive war, disillusionment and love as their lives intersect.
Garcia was born in Havana, Cuba; yet, she was raised in the melting pot of cultures, New York City. Her work showcases her own cultural background, with a unique social insight. Her novels explore where the personal and political collide in a bicultural experience, shedding light on the dual cultural identity and the immigrant experience.
“Dreaming in Cuban,” Garcia’s first novel, was nominated for a National Book Award. She was the recipient of the Guggenheim Fellowship, a Hodder Fellowship at the elite Princeton University and was honored with the Whiting Writer’s Award. Garcia also served as Time magazine’s bureau chief for Florida and the Caribbean.
If you have a disability and desire accommodations, please advise us as early as possible. Requests are confidential. UW-Whitewater provides equal opportunities in employment and programming including Title IX and ADA requirements. Please contact Susan Johnson at 262-472-4766 or johnsons@uww.edu for further information.
- Calli Buss,busscm@uww.edu
