Acclaimed Author Viet Thanh Nguyen Presented by Purchase College
Purchase College-SUNY will present the highly acclaimed author Viet Thanh Nguyen in Conversation with Purchase Professor Usha Rungoo on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2021, from 6:00 – 7:00 p.m. The program, which is free and open to the public, will be held digitally via Zoom. The event launches the fall season of the Durst Distinguished Lecture Series, a premiere cultural offering featuring the literary world’s leading lights.
Viet Thanh Nguyen is the author of two novels: The Sympathizer, winner of the Pulitzer Prize and the Center for Fiction First Novel Prize, and The Committed. He has also published a bestselling short story collection, The Refugees, and two books of non-fiction, including Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War, which was a finalist for the National Book Award for Nonfiction. Mr. Nguyen has received fellowships and awards from the Guggenheim and MacArthur Foundations, the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, and the American Council of Learned Societies, among others.
“Nguyen’s literary masterpieces manage what few other books do. They walk the fine line between aesthetic and narrative elegance on the one hand, and political advocacy and social justice on the other, because for Nguyen, both are political acts,” said Usha Rungoo, assistant professor of French and Literature at Purchase College.
She added, “Not only does his work challenge and innovate with respect to Western canonical textuality, but its focus on the human catastrophes engendered by the Vietnam War has universal appeal and is as relevant as ever, in a world still reeling from the Trump presidency and right-wing fascism and where migrant and humanitarian crises are daily catalyzed by imperialism.”
Anthony Domestico, Purchase College associate professor of Literature and chair of the Literature Department, commented, “Viet Thanh Nguyen is a gifted novelist and an incisive public intellectual. In both his creative work and his criticism, Nguyen writes with style and force, wrestling with the deepest questions of morality, politics, and history. His writing helps us to better understand where we have been and where we are going.”
To register for the Viet Thanh Nguyen event, please visit: https://purchase.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJEpc-mgrTssHtBLvxAGeabr47f4Bubnnc-a
As a small public college, Purchase is proud to introduce students to the level of expertise provided by the Durst Distinguished Lectures. The roster of current and past Durst Lecturers have won an impressive array of the highest level of literary honors, including National Book Awards, MacArthur Foundation Grants, Pulitzer Prizes, Guggenheim Foundation Fellowships, and Man Booker Prizes for Fiction.
This season of Durst Distinguished Lectures will continue with Tamara Payne on Oct. 21 and Kaitlyn Greenidge on Nov. 9 in virtual programs. Lynda Barry, the leading cartoonist, painter, and writer, will be featured at an in-person and simulcast event on Oct. 28. Ms. Barry was selected as this year’s Roy and Shirley Durst Distinguished Chair in Literature.
The Durst Distinguished Lecture Series and the Roy and Shirley Durst Distinguished Chair in Literature are funded by the Roy and Shirley Durst Distinguished Chair in Literature Endowment. The mission of the Durst programs is to infuse the experience and intellect of leading writers into the Purchase community, while providing diverse opportunities for these writers to interact with students and influence campus life.
For more information, please visit: https://www.purchase.edu/academics/school-of-humanities/lectures/durst-distinguished-lectures/; call 914.251.6550, or email [email protected].
About The Purchase PAC
Experience. Something. Real. The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College The Performing Arts Center, Purchase College (The Purchase PAC) is a four-theatre complex on the campus of Purchase College, SUNY, located 30 miles north of New York City in Westchester County, NY. The Purchase PAC is the hub of a creative community that brings together internationally acclaimed artists and rising stars, academic leaders and students of all ages, and community groups and individuals who recognize the power of the performing arts to spark creativity and connection. Professional Presenting Season The Purchase PAC presents a broad range of world-class performances by professional artists, offering music, dance, theatre, family programming, comedy, and film. Music events range from classical to jazz to pop and feature the leading artists of our time as well as emerging stars. As the major regional presenter of dance, programs have included only area appearances of several important traditional, contemporary, and folkloric companies. Theatre presentations reflect a deep commitment to presenting innovative ensembles, with a special focus on theatre for young audiences. The Purchase PAC’s ongoing initiatives also encompass artist partnerships, residency activities, and commissions. We support revitalizing efforts in the community to make the arts more accessible to broad and diverse audiences. Education & Engagement Through our Education and Engagement programs, The Purchase PAC creates opportunities for local K -12 students and multi-generational learners to participate in the artistic process. Purchase College The Purchase PAC is an integral part of the Purchase College community, hosting performances for the Conservatories of Music, Dance, and Theatre Arts. Purchase College students can take advantage of master classes, on-site training, internships, job opportunities, and ticket discounts. Facility Rentals An active facility rental business focuses on providing space and support to high-quality musical recordings, technical rehearsals, and community events.