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Pulitzer
Prize winner Edward P. Jones opened the 7th Annual Literary Festival
By Dana Imperia '05
More than 100 members of the Villanova community and
guests gathered for a reading from Edward P. Jones, author of The Known
World (2003 Amistad Press) and winner of the 2004 Pulitzer Prize for
Fiction, on Feb. 3 in the Villanova Room of the Connelly Center. Hosted by
the 7th Annual Literary Festival, Jones was the first author of
five to speak at the University.
Lisa Sewell, assistant professor of English,
 welcomed
the crowd. Dr. Crystal Lucky, assistant professor of English, introduced
Jones citing his various awards and accomplishments. “Edward Jones is a
great storyteller,” Lucky remarked. Jones read passages from two of his
short stories and one novel, followed by questions from the audience.
Jones read from his short story, Blind-sighted
and then from another story titled Devil swims across the Anacosta River.
He also read several excerpts from his renowned novel The Known World
for which he received the Pulitzer Prize. In the novel, Jones tells a story
about free African Americans who owned slaves in mid-19th century
Virginia. USA Today calls the novel a “beautifully written, [and]
morally complex” story.
Noting specific details from the novel, several
audience members questioned Jones’ motifs and details. He explained, “When I
write, I am trying to make the reader see the picture that I’m trying to
paint.” Jones also discussed his 10-year long preparation for the novel,
stating that he did not do any physical research but simply began writing
the novel in his head. “The act of writing fiction is telling lies,” Jones
said. “When you are writing a story, there are important things to say and
important things not to say.”
The author received his bachelor of arts from Holy
Cross College in 1972 and later earned his master of fine arts from the
University of Virginia in 1981. He taught several creative writing courses
at a number of universities such as Princeton and George Mason. After
winning numerous awards for The Known World, Jones published a
collection of short stories called Lost in the City (1992 Amistad
Press) in which he was received the PEN/Hemingway Award.
The Literary Festival was organized by Sewell. The
event is co-sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, Falvey
Library, Irish Studies, Africana Studies, Writing Center, Center for
Multicultural Affairs and the Honors Program. For more information on
upcoming authors featured during the festival visit the web site:
www.english.villanova.edu/LiteraryFestival/lit_fest.htm. |
