Author and poet, Lydia Davis, came to the College of New Jersey on Wednesday, November 4th for a reading and book signing. The reading was held in the Library’s auditorium and filled just about the whole auditorium. Lydia Davis read samples of her work followed by a book signing where those interested had the chance to purchase her some of her books and have it signed by the author herself. Also following the reading and book signing, there were cookies and water served for the attendees.
The award-winning writer is known for her short stories. Davis writes not only poetry but is also a novelist and essayist and translates different works in different languages. Davis is currently a creative writing Professor at the University at Albany, SUNY.
Before Lydia Davis started her reading, she was introduced by the president of ink who gave a short introduction about the writer. A quote by fellow novelist and essayist, Jonathan Franzen, printed in a pamphlet handed out in the beginning of the event, says, “Davis is a magician of self-consciousness. Few writers now working make the words on the page matter more.” After the introduction, Lydia Davis read a sample of her different works. Davis started off with her book, Can’t and Won’t which she introduced as having, “more stories than normal”. Some of the favorites amongst the group are her humorous letters of complaints, there are five total in her book Can’t and Won’t. Two letters of complaints that she read were “Letter to a Frozen Peas Manufacturer” and “Letter to a Peppermint Candy Company”. Both of which had the audience laughing with joy.
Davis continued on with other pieces of her work including, “The Visit to the Dentist”, “The Coachmen and the Worm” and “A Note from the Paper Boy”. Lydia Davis explained the inspiration behind her writing by telling the audience, “You write to get rid of things.” Davis then continued on by reading a sample of “Dream Stories” she wrote which she said were about dreams, waking experiences and also about her friends’ dreams and waking experiences. The dream stories she read were, “At the Bank”, “Awake in the night”, “At the Bank 2”, “Dinner” and “The Grandmother”. All of the works she presented were very well received by the audience attentively listening to every word Lydia Davis said.
Along with some of her older work, Lydia Davis also read from some of the new writing samples she has written over the winter. Some of those include, “When we are dead and gone”, “Unhappy Christmas Tree”, “Helen’s Father and his teeth” and “Conversation before Dinner.” Lydia Davis also presented what she calls her short, short stories which can be anywhere from a couple of words to a couple of sentences. Examples of these are, “Contingency (vs. Necessity)”, “Ph.D.”, “her Birthday” and “Can’t And Won’t”.
Lydia Davis ended the event with a question and answer session that allowed the audience to ask questions about one of their favorite writers. Some of the questions asked by the students included topics of how Lydia got started and what inspired her. After the question and answer session was over, the audience was invited to join Lydia Davis in the auditorium’s lobby for light refreshments and an opportunity to purchase one of Davis’ books and get them signed.
Hannah Fakhrzadeh 