92nd Street Y

Women’s Health: What We Know Now (1/31/2011)

mandy — Thu, 10 Mar 2011 10:00:00 +0000

New York, New York

Blueberry myths and spicy food hot flashes were but two of the multitude of topics covered at an informative lecture on Women’s Health at the 92nd Street Y. Aimed at the middle aged uptowner, Women’s Health: What We Know served as a forum for the educated health consumer to raise their concerns with health professionals not waiting on their next appointment. Both Dr. Susan Love and Dr. Alice Domar were patient and honest, even occasionally funny. Exactly the type of woman you'd hope to find on the other end of the stethoscope.

The need for such a lecture is slightly disheartening in that it is clear even those who care and have financial means cannot find a fair answer between their providers, the media, and other sources. Time and again the speakers went back to studies in the media and the need to maintain absolute critical vigilance in deciphering who paid for the study, who got the results into the paper, and why.

Going into this event I thought I would learn nothing. Utterly false in my assumption, I learned many new tidbits, which may or may not be true, but they all have some evidence behind them. These include:

Buying organic produce is worth it if you are buying fruits or vegetables you don’t peel (e.g., strawberries and tomatoes); otherwise, it’s not (e.g., banana).
Think of menopause as backwards puberty. It’s natural. It’s bizarre. It's uncomfortable. You will get through it.
Fitness and exercise do not necessarily go hand in hand. If you are under fifty, you need to be fit, which may or may not imply that you need to exercise. If you are over fifty though, you need to exercise regularly to remain fit no matter what.
Vitamins and supplements, on the whole, have not been shown to be effective. But New York City does have a vitamin rich sewage system.
The existence and insistence of girls obtaining the Human Papillomavirus Virus vaccine may exist thanks to the fact that HPV studies needed to be conducted on people not rats.
There are women who still believe hormone therapy is the answer to their hot flashes. IT'S NOT!
Even breast cancer advocates are sick of the pink ribbon craze. Donate to breast cancer research, not awareness raising.

But my absolute favorite tidbit was Dr. Domar’s three cardinal rules: don’t smoke, wear a seatbelt, and have safe sex. These apparently are the only things science knows for sure.

Written by: Nicole Levitz, March 10th 2011

Literary Readings: Salman Rushdie (11/22/2010)

mandy — Sat, 05 Feb 2011 14:00:00 +0000

92nd Street Y

New York, New York

Everywhere you go in India, you see bootlegged copies of Salman Rushdie's groundbreaking Midnight's Children being sold by hawkers along the footpaths to tourists who've come to see if the romanticized country is as mythical a place as the then-copywriter delightfully described in his make-me-or-break-me novel. The fantastical worlds created in Rushdie's mind closely resemble our reality, but their magical element—at times more prevalent than others—has the ability to transport the uninitiated from a place of sensory overload to one of simple beauty. And it was with great pleasure that I attended the literary reading with Rushdie, and subsequent jocular verbal sparring with fellow Mumbaite, and Maximum City author, Suketu Mehta at the 92nd Street Y.

After Mehta's endearing introduction of Rushdie, in which he comically described being rebuffed at the authors' first encounter, the senior writer took the stage to read excerpts from his recently published young adult adventure novel, Luka and the Fire of Life. I had read the book a few days prior to the event while stuck on the 2 train from Prospect Heights to West Harlem. Crushed on all sides in the crowded train, Luka's quest allowed me some reprieve from claustrophobia during the snail's pace journey. And I much preferred experiencing Rushdie's linguistic acrobatics and smarty pants humor in the comfortable seats at the Y.

The audience seemed pleasantly amused at the children's story, crafted at the request of Rushdie's own adolescent son. They tittered at all appropriate parts and chuckled at Rushdie's added commentary between excerpts. Luka and the Fire of Life is clearly a rumination on mortality and fatherhood, a point Rushdie freely admitted. As an aging father of a teenage son, the desire to leave a personal legacy influenced the timing of this book, which Rushdie said was vetted by his son before he turned it over to the publisher.

After the reading, Mehta returned to the stage to facilitate a conversation that ran the gamut of nonlinear literature, so-called cultureless Americans, the inevitability of the novel's survival, and Rushdie's addiction to Angry Birds. Rushdie's natural charisma outshone his interviewer, but he was gracious enough to dim the light from time to time. The evening came to a close with a more serious consideration of present day tyrannical regimes and Rushdie's having the "misfortune of acquiring an interesting life."

He told Mehta, "[Writers] look aghast at the world as it is...When times are bad, it's great for writers [because] the worse it is, the better it is [for us]." To which Mehta fondly responded, in an effort at comical flattery, "Then let's hope it gets worse."

Written by: Mandy Van Deven, February 5th 2011

Literary Readings: Jonathan Franzen and Lorrie Moore (11/13/2010)

mandy — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0000

92nd Street Y

New York, New York

In the deeply downtrodden, recession smashed state that the publishing industry is in, and in a culture in which few people seem to have the attention span to read an entire novel (much less one nearly 600 pages long), it seemed unlikely that America would ever crown yet another Great American Novelist. However, Jonathan Franzen has been given such a title by many media outlets, some of which showed a photo of President Obama carrying Franzen's latest work, Freedom. Franzen’s readings across the country have lead to lines around the block, giving life to a dying industry. But all of the fawning and attention directed at Franzen has lead some writers, like Jodi Picoult and Jennifer Weiner, to wonder if writing by men is automatically taken more seriously than writing by women, who are often written off as "chick lit" or left to play second fiddle.

This question seemed to be in the air at the opening of the 92nd Street Y’s talk with Lorrie Moore and Jonathan Franzen. Despite being a well known and prolific writer, Moore was the first to read, and functioned much like the opening act at a concert, warming up the crowd for the headliner. She even made a joke out of the situation, choosing to begin by reciting the lines: “Opening acts,/opening acts/I’m not a girl complaining,/I’m just facing facts.” Moore then launched into singing part of the song “We Shall Overcome,” poking fun at her underdog status.

While the majority of the attendees seemed to be there for Franzen, Moore managed to solicit more laughs in the end with her warm, laid back nature as she read from her novel A Gate at the Stairs. Franzen’s reading of his recent, critically lauded Freedom was, by comparison, a bit hurried and self-conscious. He did not stop to pause over the language and coy jokes the way Moore did as she languidly hovered over the lines in her story that drew the most laughter. This caused her work to come across as more humorous than Frazen’s, though they both implanted plenty of wry observation into their respective works.

Both authors chose to read passages that depicted women naively giving all of themselves to men who do not love them quite as much as they assume, with Moore’s being from the woman’s point of view and Franzen from the man’s. The similarity of their two plots made it seem as though they were reading two sides of the same story.

Following the reading, a moderator took questions from the audience. One audience member questioned whether there was a connection between being from the Midwest and writing humorously. Moore responded that perhaps it is the result of the terrible weather in the Midwest, and that they have to find ways to amuse themselves. Franzed added that “those who can leave the Midwest must have mastered one coping skill, such as flight,” and Moore noted that perhaps humor is another of those coping skills.

During the course of the evening, Moore’s warmth and Franzen’s self-consciousness showed that, unlike stars of other artistic mediums, those of the literary realm are much more grounded, even when endless lines of fans wait in rapt anticipation for them to autograph their newly purchased books.

Written by: Adrienne Urbanski, November 25th 2010

Literary Readings: Nicole Krauss and Cynthia Ozick (11/8/2010)

brittany — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 08:00:00 +0000

92nd Street Y

New York, New York

During a recent reading of their works at the 92nd Street Y, Nicole Krauss and Cynthia Ozick proved as charming and witty in person as their words are on the page. Stepping up to the podium to read from their latest works, the authors were self-effacing, deferential, and clever. The event, which featured brief introductions to the authors, readings of excerpts from their latest works, and a short Q&A segment, proved an insightful examination of the writing process. The event programs featured reproductions of the authors’ manuscript pages, allowing the audience a gaze into the editing process. It was a thoughtful touch that added to the richness of the event.

Ozick and Krauss were introduced before each read from her latest work. Professor Nathan Englander delivered a thoughtful introduction to Krauss’s work, referencing her “radiant thoughtfulness” and the success of her second novel The History of Love. Krauss stepped up to the podium, seemingly overwhelmed by Englander’s heady praise. As she prepared to read an excerpt from her novel Great House, Krauss reached for a glass of water, quipping: “My water has my name on it. I drank from Cynthia’s.” As she began to read aloud, however, Krauss’s humor was replaced by her evocative prose, rich language, and lilting voice. The excerpt she read concerned a father’s estranged son, the nature of mortality, and the acceptance of death. As Krauss’s voice filled the auditorium, her words mesmerized the audience into a quiet stillness.

Krauss’s reading was followed by a brief introduction to Ozick’s work, provided by writer Lore Segal. Ozick, a bespectacled white-haired woman, stepped up to the podium and promptly disappeared behind it. Her head barely visible behind her totem, she remarked on its size. Smilingly wryly, she suggested that she and the thirty-something Krauss represented a “May/December romance,” though she wished she were a bit less December. Reading a portion of her latest work, the novel Foreign Bodies, Ozick was in her element, relishing the cleverness of her words, emphasizing the humor in her work. Based on the Henry James novel The Ambassadors, Ozick’s work was sharp and quick, a rich examination of what it means to be American, and to feel alienated from one’s own nation.

A short and insightful Q&A segment followed the readings and allowed the authors to speak about the nature of the writing process. Krauss and Ozick, who both began as poets, spoke especially eloquently on the difference between the poetic and novel forms. As Krauss noted, “Poetry, which seems so small and yet is something that can contain infinity [has this] sense of seeming perfection, while a novel is inherently flawed.” Krauss finds this imperfection satisfying, suggesting artfully, “poetry is as a room,” while novels are “houses you can live in.” Ozick noted that she finds most contemporary poetry dissatisfying because it is too casual, and does not seek the “transcendence” inherent in the works of classical poets like Robert Frost.

Though Krauss suggests the novel is inherently flawed, it is hard to find fault in either her and Ozick’s novels. Throughout their works, their use of language is particular, evocative, and compelling. If novels are houses, then clearly Krauss and Ozick are skilled architects—the houses they design are well worth a visit.

Written by: Joanna Chlebus, November 13th 2010

An Evening of Madame Bovary with Lydia Davis (10/4/2010)

mandy — Fri, 15 Oct 2010 16:00:00 +0000

92nd Street Y

Following a glowing introduction by translator and essayist Richard Sieburth, the acclaimed author Lydia Davis read several passages from her recent translation of Gustave Flaubert’s classic novel, as well as selections of her own work, at the 92nd Street Y’s An Evening of Madame Bovary. The poetic flow of the writing lends incredibly well to a live reading and the audience was spellbound. As a fan of the novel, I could have listened to Davis read from Madame Bovary for hours, and the event left me eager to purchase her translation so I could compare it to the one I had at home.

Davis told the audience that while working on her translation she read letters Flaubert wrote during the time he wrote the book. She was so taken by the letters that she wrote a collection of ten short stories based on them when she was finished. The collection, Ten Stories from Flaubert, was published by the Paris Review. Those of us in attendance had the wonderful privilege of hearing Davis read an excerpt from the collection. It was a wonderful treat for both fans of the timeless novel, as well as Davis herself.

An Evening of Madame Bovary did not end with the readings. Sieburth joined Davis on stage to engage in a conversation with the audience during a question and answer session. The discussion meandered through various aspects of the translation process, a topic that was of much interest to the crowd, but left me wishing more time had been allotted for questions about the novel itself.

On the whole, this event was great for those who are fans of the novel, and an eyeopening experience for those unfamiliar with Davis’ work. And as always, the 92nd Street Y provided ticket holders with a wonderful experience that was both educational and stimulating.

Written by: Janice Formichella, October 15th 2010

Literary Readings: Margaret Atwood (9/20/2010)

mandy — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:00:00 +0000

92nd Street Y

New York, New York

Have you ever overheard such a riveting, witty conversation that you simply had to eavesdrop? Listening to Margaret Atwood and Valerie Martin quibble over every possible tangent to Atwood’s latest paperback The Year of the Flood felt much like playing the part of an enchanted voyeur. The incredible chemistry of these two old friends was stunning unto itself; the subject matter was a combination of defining dystopia and rabbit starvation, elucidating the mythology of bees, and examining city lights and migratory bird patterns. Even still, they were hilarious.

As Martin introduced her friend of thirty years, she joked that the impossibility of Atwood having been so prolific with her writing and appearances could only mean that she must have a secret “Saskatchewan double” typing away for her in the tundra. Later on during the Q&A, as one writer tried to outdo the other, there were many gems.

The story of The Year of the Flood is meant to examine the path of those with lesser means in a dystopian world of privilege set in the future. Centered on a utopia thrust into a dying world, three narrators tell the story of the God’s Gardeners, a fictional cult that operates in slums and praises Mother Earth on rooftop gardens. This is a future where Al Gore is canonized and characters wait out the annihilation of the planet in spas while persisting on avocado masks. A waterless flood, in the form of a man-made virus, has essentially eliminated humanity.

Atwood reading from the podium felt much more like a traditional reading, with a bits of scene setting and three excerpted selections (one for each narrator in the novel). That is, until Margaret Atwood sang a hymn called "We Praise The Tiny Perfect Moles" for Mole day, a children’s festival of the God’s Gardeners. As Atwood has become a sort of a modern day patron saint of the dystopia genre, perhaps all this is her way of giving back.

I went into this event an enormous fan of Atwood, and left even more in love. If you have yet to read Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, stop reading this drivel I have penned and go find that book. It will change your life.

Written by: Nicole Levitz, September 21st 2010