by Manuelita Beck
Daily Lobo
A long line of people snaked along the length of Woodward Hall to have books signed by award-winning authors, but one UNM class gets those authors all to itself.
Tony Hillerman and N. Scott Momaday read from their works Tuesday to a near-capacity crowd. The writers appeared as part of Voices of the Southwest, a lecture series that also doubles as a part of a Southwest contemporary literature class.
The 32 members of the class not only attend the book readings, which are open to the public, but also get to interact with the authors in a later private class session. Selected students attend courtesy dinners with the authors the day after the public readings for an even more intimate connection.
Cynthia Torrez, a grants coordinator with the Cancer Research Facility and a student in the class, said it is a different exposure to literature.
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"It really gives us a chance to be up close and personal with the author," she said.
Senior Matthew Ruybal said the course doesn't compare to any other literature class he has taken.
"You don't usually get a chance to hear the authors speak of their work," he said. "You usually speak more about it yourself and what you think."
Ruybal said the authors, in addition to offering a new perspective on their work, also offer a lot of advice to writers.
The Voices of the Southwest series has three more authors to go. Rudolfo Anaya and Marc Simmons previously appeared this summer.
All of the writers are UNM Press authors, including Dr. David Stuart, the class professor and associate provost for academic affairs.
Stuart said he wanted the series to include a variety of voices from numerous cultural points of view.
"The theme is really voice and identity here in the Southwest," he said.
Stuart said he created the class's two-track format to benefit both students and authors.
"I know authors rarely get a large audience," he said. "Authors love students. Students love to meet authors for face time and rarely get to."
The readings, which are open to the public, are broadcast live on the radio by KUNM. A book signing and question-and-answer session follow.
Junior Rose Ebaugh attended Tuesday as well as the previous week's reading. She said she thought the lectures were educational for people not in the class.
"I wish I had brought my son," she said.
Archival CDs of the public broadcasts will be created at the end of the summer. Copies will be available at Zimmerman Library and Albuquerque Public Libraries.
David Carrasco is the next speaker. Stuart will follow the week after that, and Ursula K. Le Guin will be the last author in this summer's series.
Stuart said he plans to keep teaching the summer class, which is in its second year, "until somebody says 'you can't do it anymore.'"
"We will not run out of UNM Press authors anytime soon," he said.
Who: Voices of the Southwest Lecture Series
When:Tuesdays at 6:30 p.m.
Where:Woodward Hall 101
Info: Free, but space is limited. 277-4854
