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Writer Deborah Eisenberg Wins PEN/Faulkner Fiction Award | Arts and Entertainment | Learning English/*
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RSS FeedWriter Deborah Eisenberg Wins PEN/Faulkner Fiction Award??17 March 2011
Photo: APDeborah Eisenberg Share ThisDiggYahoo! BuzzFacebookdel.icio.usStumbleUponTO DOWNLOAD the MP3 of this story, click on the MP3 link in the upper right corner of the page. Double-click any word to find the definition in the Merriam-Webster Learner's Dictionary
DOUG JOHNSON: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC in VOA Special English.
(MUSIC)
I'm Doug Johnson.
This week, we play R.E.M.’s new album, “Collapse Into Now,” and read a few comments about some of our recent shows.
But first, we tell about writer Deborah Eisenberg, the winner of the 2011 PEN/Faulkner award for fiction.
(MUSIC)
Deborah Eisenberg
DOUG JOHNSON: The writer Mary Lee Settle established the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction in nineteen eighty. She wanted to create a national prize that was judged by writers and was free of commercial interests.
Mary Lee Settle died in two thousand five. But the yearly award she founded continues to support American writers. Faith Lapidus tells about this year’s winner.
FAITH LAPIDUS: Short story writer Deborah Eisenberg says there is always a terrifying moment as she nears completion of a story. She told a reporter that when she is almost done she will say to herself, is this story going to work or is it going to fall apart?
She also said that after she writes the last word, she goes back later, re-reads the story and then writes a new version.
That writing process created a book that just won the 2011 PEN/Faulkner Award. “The Collected Stories of Deborah Eisenberg” includes stories from all four of the writer’s books.? Judge and fellow writer Laura Furman praised Eisenberg’s writing for its sharp intelligence and inventiveness. She said the author shows an understanding of the connectedness of human beings as it exists in isolation.
Deborah Eisenberg did not begin writing until she was thirty. She says she started writing because she had quit smoking.? Her first story, “Days,” was the result.
Now sixty-five, Deborah Eisenberg also teaches at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville.? She lives with actor and writer Wallace Shawn in New York City.
In two thousand nine Deborah Eisenberg won a MacArthur Fellowship and a Guggenheim Fellowship for her work. On May seventh, the PEN/Faulkner Foundation will honor her with its award for fiction and a fifteen thousand dollar prize.
The ceremony will also honor the other four finalists. They are Jennifer Egan for her book, “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” and Brad Watson for “Aliens in the Prime of their Lives.” The other two finalists are Jaimy Gordon, author of “Lord of Misrule” and Eric Puchner for “Model Home.” Each finalist will receive five thousand dollars.
Comments
DOUG JOHNSON: This week we take a look at some of your comments about recent programs. We will return to listener questions next week.
Many of you wrote to us about the tragic Triangle Factory fire in New York City. Hadi from Senegal is a technical director of a factory. He said the Triangle history influenced him greatly in his work.
Robert in Brazil had a similar message:
“I’m a Safety Technician working on Petrobras Brazil. [The] message [was] very interesting. Safety must be a personal treasure in our life.”
Seiko of Japan was shocked by the blocked doors, and lack of fire safety equipment in the Triangle Factory. Seiko wrote there was a similar fire in Kabukicho, Japan in two thousand one:
“The building had a fire alarm apparatus but the switch was turned off because of poor maintenance. Forty-four people died in the fire.”
Jean wrote in honor of the memory of the one hundred forty six factory workers who died in the Triangle Factory:
“I give my greatest respects and appreciations to people who sacrificed in the fire. Because of them we have a safer workplace and a better world.”
Esperanza Spalding accepting the Grammy Award for best new artist
Our story about the Grammy Awards also received a lot of comments. Many of you enjoyed the music of jazz artist Esperanza Spalding who won the Grammy for best new artist. Nataly of Russia sent this message:
“Esperanza Spalding is brilliant! I’m happy to learn that her talent is appreciated with the award. Her performance is definitely a piece of Art.”
Many wrote in to praise Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga also. But not everyone liked the music in the story. Louis of China had this to say:
“Maybe it is that I was old, I don’t like to listen [to] the songs of nowadays. I think [they] are not as perfect as those traditional popular songs.”
Erika of Indonesia agreed:
“The music and the songs can not reach my feelings to listen to it more and more.”
Finally, we had an interesting note from Japan about our program last week about International Women’s Day. Maki wrote to say she was mostly happy for the changes for women but…
“Thanks to our ancestors, I'm glad that women's status has been improved than before. But in my country we have some customs left for women. From now on, I hope men also share more household chores [like] raising our children.”
Please keep sharing your opinions and questions at our website voaspecialenglish.com or on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English.
R.E.M. “Collapse Into Now”
DOUG JOHNSON: The rock band R.E.M. has been making music for thirty years. The band recently released its fifteenth record, “Collapse Into Now.” Many critics have praised it as R.E.M.’s best album in the past ten years. Others say the songs are too similar to the band’s past hits. R.E.M. says it is their best album in twenty years. Shirley Griffith helps us decide for ourselves.
(MUSIC)
SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: That was the song “Discoverer.” Like many R.E.M. songs, this one is poetic with a meaning that is not always clear.
Lead singer Michael Stipe has said this song is influenced by an experience he had in New York City, where he lives. He said he was walking on Houston Street and was suddenly very moved by the energy of the city and its people.
Michael Stipe is known for his interest in many subjects outside of music. He is also a movie producer, activist, photographer and artist. Here is the song “Oh My Heart.”
(MUSIC)
The album “Collapse Into Now” contains songs with many different styles, from energetic rock to moving slow songs. One critic noted that it celebrates both the band’s past and its present. We leave you with üBerlin.
(MUSIC)
DOUG JOHNSON: I’m Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Dana Demange and Caty Weaver who was also the producer.
You can get transcripts, MP3s and podcasts of our shows at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. If you have a question about American life, write to mosaic@voanews.com. We might answer your question on this show. So please include your name and country.
Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA’s radio magazine in Special English.
Listen? Email? Print? Comments?Comments (15)18-03-2011Maki(Japan)I was glad and exited to listen to this week's program, hearing my name Maki. At the same time, I'm happy to think that our comments have been read by you editors. Thank you! I also agree that songs long time ago have been listened still now, but only a trickle of songs, which are easy to download, will be succeed to a next generation. I hope musicians including from my country produce songs lasting long in our mind.
18-03-2011Edgar Guariguata Gil(Venezuela)Hi, can you help me with a list of presidets of USA and their parties (democrat, republicans, or other one) thanks
18-03-2011Sulaiman mahmud warki(Nigeria)Pls Barrack Obama try to request libya to reduce the crisis, or their become dependent from sulaiman mahmud warki
19-03-2011Violet(China)I like this program because it covers the different aspect of American life.It's very cool! Thanks!
19-03-2011Kamil(Russia)Thanks you for R.E.M. I never hear of them/ it's discovering for me/ Also thanks for attention of ours comments
20-03-2011Yusuf(Turkey)Thanks to VOA,because I have improved my English with.But I think to have some song's world will be better.You can write some world news in shortly as special English.Thank you
20-03-2011afshin(IRAN)I;m so glad I can access to your program, you are wonderful.I 'm pleased with introducing Esperanza Spalding,
20-03-2011trung(viet nam)This collecting program is very interesting. Many great songs is insert in the comment. I like it. Thanks
21-03-2011sassy(china)it's the first time i get intoamerican life part.it's really very good.and thanks very much for your attention paid on our comments.
21-03-2011anil k. shrestha(nepal)i am very happy by many information and specially for historical information where we found many new things for us.
21-03-2011I like this report. There is really useful information for me. I would also like to listen to some other reports about application for different internships or job in the USA.
22-03-2011Waseem(Saudi Arabia)this is what I was looking for.. really it's very an usuful program to learn a different ideas, culture and values of life. Thank you very muchbest wishes
23-03-2011drac(China)I know voa early for nearly 6 or 7 more years, but not untill recently did i realises i should go to the original voa website for the real input. cuz before i only took exercises in the Chinese English learning forum for small paragraphs. btw, the REM's songs sounds really cool, i like it. thanks voa.
28-03-2011Fish(China)This program is really cool. It can help to correct my prounciation.Thanks for your sharing R.E.M's songs. The are really amazing and I can not help myself to dancing to it.
28-03-2011M .Niazi(Afghanistan)Thanks VOA publisher but me heartbreaking and painful I can not like former download music I have limit time use for Internet previously download by media player but now not access ?
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