Publishing Clearinghouse: Carlos Aquilera; ‘Black Is’; Ron Donoughe; ‘Beyond Hillbilly Elegy’

Book events

Carlos A. Aguilera: Live Reading
3 p.m. April 11

The Department of Hispanic Languages and Literatures and City of Asylum for a reading and conversation with Cuban poet Carlos A. Aguilera. A former ICORN exiled writer resident, Aguilera was banned from Cuba after joining the 2003 protests against the imprisonment of 75 authors and intellectuals. He’ll talk with Pitt’s Daniel Balderston and Ricardo Vazquez Diaz about his activism, the cultural and political divide in Cuba, and his life abroad. He also reads from recently published collections of poetry and short stories. The conversation is pre-recorded in Spanish with English subtitles. Aguilera will tune in live from his home in Prague to conclude the program with a live, English audience Q&A. Register here

 

“Black Is...Black Ain't”  series

Of Sounds and Re-sounds: 6 p.m. April 14. Join poet Lillian-Yvonne Bertram, poet Natalie Diaz, and poet and performance artist lê thị diễm thúy — moderated by Diana Khoi Nguyen — in a reading and conversation about sound and boundary. Register here.

A Black Is...Black Ain’t Salon Finale: 6 p.m. April 21. A live broadcast of an in-person salon featuring poet Terrance Hayes, Dawn Lundy Martin and Angie Cruz in conversation. Register here.

 

My Whole Life Becoming: A Reading and Conversation with poet Aaron Smith

7-8 p.m. April 15

Aaron Smith is the author of four books of poetry published by the Pitt Poetry Series. His collections include “Blue on Blue Ground” (2005), winner of the Agnes Lynch Starrett Prize; “Appetite” (2012), an NPR Great Read and finalist for the Paterson Poetry Prize; “Primer” (2016), a Poetry Must Read for the Massachusetts Center for the Book; and “The Book of Daniel” (2019). He has taught at West Virginia Wesleyan and is currently associate professor in Creative Writing at Lesley University in Cambridge, Mass. This program is made possible through a grant by the Year of Engagement.

 

“Authors and Anecdotes” Book Club, featuring Ron Donoughe
Noon, April 22

Ron Donoughe, who has been painting and documenting Western Pennsylvania for the past 30 years, will discuss his book, “Brownsville to Braddock.” The book documents the small towns in this region, one painting at a time. These towns face many significant challenges, yet there is still beauty to be found. The people he meets share their stories of family joy and sorrows, along with a genuine love for the area they call the “Mon Valley.” Register here.

 

Voices: Celebrating the Beauty and Diversity of America's Literary Landscape: “Beyond Hillbilly Elegy”
8 p.m. April 22

The last in this Pitt–Greensburg series will feature voices from Appalachia: Damian Dressick, novelist; Greg Clary, author/storyteller/photographer and Byron Hoot, poet. This free virtual event will feature a group of accomplished authors and poets from diverse backgrounds that celebrate the richness of human lives and stories. Pitt-Greensburg student-writers will share their work, too. This event is funded in part by Pitt's Year of Engagement, as well as the Pitt-Greensburg Academic Village, Office of Student Life, and Student Government Association. Register here.

New books

“The Failure of Latin America” (2019, University of Pittsburgh Press), by John Beverley, professor emeritus of Hispanic Languages and Literatures

A group of essays on the present and near future of Latin America in the face of new challenges posed by the waning of the leftist governments of the so-called Pink Tide or marea rosada. Topics include the legacy of dependency theory, the current situation of Cuba, torture and the decline of the American Empire, the role of equality and difference in cultural theory, subaltern autobiographies from Latin America, and a series of broad reflections on the title, contrasting Latin America to the rise of China since the World War II.

SEND US YOUR INFORMATION

The University Times welcomes information about new books, journals, plays and musical compositions written or edited by faculty and staff.

Newly published works can be submitted through this link. Please keep the book descriptions short and accessible to a general audience.

Journals should be peer-reviewed. Self-published works will not be accepted. The listings also are restricted to complete works, because individual chapters, articles, works of art and poems would be too numerous.

We’ll also be highlighting some books and book talks with connections to Pitt.

If you have any questions, please contact editor Susan Jones at suejones@pitt.edu or 412-244-4042.