This blog is an open space where students and faculty from CSUCI, Moorpark College, HSMC, Oxnard College, Ventura College, and SBCC can communicate about the common reading selection for 2015-16, We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves, by Karen Joy Fowler.
Friday, October 30, 2015
Reaction to Karen Joy Fowler's Talk at CSUCI Oct. 29
Hello, students, faculty, and staff! My colleague Jeremy Kaye and I (both of us from MC) greatly enjoyed the author talk last night for CSUCI's Campus Reading Celebration. We loved learning the personal context and inspiration for the novel We Are Completely Beside Ourselves. What are your thoughts on the talk? Please share in the comments, and remember to indicate which school you're from so we can see a real inter-campus conversation happening!
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I thoroughly enjoyed the book and lecture, and greatly appreciate belonging to a community of readers. Rosemary reminded me a little of Scout in To Kill a Mockingbird in her innocence and precociousness as she came of age under the cloud of a brutal moral dilemma. And Fern was unforgettable in all of her heart-breaking complexity. I would have loved to hear the author talk about her writing habits more. 60 minutes for q&a flew by too fast. Pres. Sanchez, Moorpark College
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ReplyDeleteI found Fowler's talk to be interesting. When I first heard her voice I thought she was a soft spoken elder woman, totally different from Rosemary's character but then as the talk progressed that witty, funny character came out. It went quite quickly and I hoped for more on the topic of the research she found but all in all I found it enjoyable. Moorpark College student.
ReplyDeleteI thought the talk was a lot of fun. I really enjoyed hearing Karen Jow Fowler talk. The talk gave me so much insight on her thinking process and how she prepares when she writes. She is an awesome writer and a great person. Austin Logan, Moorpark College
ReplyDeleteKarent Joy Fowler was not only a witty delight but also gave some amazing insight to her novel. Talking about the various themes of the book itself Fowler gave us what inspired her in real life to write the novel. The novel, Fowler revealed, was a reflection of both her life and a real life experiment. Throughout the entire talk Fowler was very humble and answered every question in the Q and A with a humorous retort. Thank you to CSUCI and to Karent Joy Fowler for an amazing event. I enjoyed every moment.
ReplyDeleteAaron S. Jassenoff
Moorpark Student
Karent Joy Fowler was not only a witty delight but also gave some amazing insight to her novel. Talking about the various themes of the book itself Fowler gave us what inspired her in real life to write the novel. The novel, Fowler revealed, was a reflection of both her life and a real life experiment. Throughout the entire talk Fowler was very humble and answered every question in the Q and A with a humorous retort. Thank you to CSUCI and to Karent Joy Fowler for an amazing event. I enjoyed every moment.
ReplyDeleteAaron S. Jassenoff
Moorpark Student
The talk, overall, was very interesting and informative. The topics she covered and the information she researched while writing the book gave the audience a direct view into her methods. It was great to hear her perspective and how she got inspired to write the novel.
ReplyDeleteMoorpark College
I thoroughly enjoyed the talk with Karen Fowler, especially since she was able to share her past experiences with the audience. Her past gave a lot of context to where the ideas from the novel came from and really tied some things together. Not only was she open about her life but she also was able to keep the talk light and at some points funny. Moorpark College Student.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed Karen Joy Fowler's Talk and she was nothing like I expected; she was witty, humorous, and lively. I was fascinated by her life in Bloomington and how her daughter sparked the idea of the novel. However, I would have preferred if her talk was a little longer and I wanted to hear more about the development of the novel, how long it took, etc. I'm glad I had the privilege to listen to Fowler's talk. Moorpark Student
ReplyDeleteThis talk with Karen Joy Fowler was really enjoyable. She discussed some things about her own life and why she decided to write the novel that helped clear up some of my questions about the story. Fowler seemed so nice and made the experience even better by cracking a few jokes here and there. It was an awesome experience and great opportunity. (Moorpark College)
ReplyDeleteIt was immensely humbling to hear the thoughts and ideas directly from Karen Jay Fowler herself. After enjoying the book for it's many complex ideas, such as family values and animal rights, it was truly a treat to attend this event. Moorpark College student.
ReplyDeleteWhat an absolute pleasure it was to hear Karen Fowler speak about her novel! I was already enthusiastic about the novel when I arrived for the event, but I left feeling more along the lines of ecstatic! She was witty, wicked smart, and engaging with everyone who spoke to her. I thoroughly enjoyed hearing her back story and the root of inspiration for the book, it added a whole new layer of appreciation. She is definitely someone I would enjoy chatting with about matters of the heart and mind.
ReplyDeleteKate Kenney - Moorpark