A Conversation with Jonathan Lethem

So NYU has a really awesome (and I would argue underappreciated and overlooked) Creative Writing department and they frequently hold great events for students. One of their reoccurring events is their "A Conversation with..." night where they invite an author to come to NYU, do a reading, and chat with us. We're fortunate enough to have some AMAZING, drool-worthy authors who also teach in the department (Jonathan Safran Foer and Zadie Smith, anyone?) and our most recent prof and series guest is Jonathan Lethem. His new book, Chronic City came out last year and has received a ridiculous amount of coverage - you know how there is like one huge book a year? well this one's it. And I, coincidentally, happen to be reading the book (Thanks, Mom!)



Anyways, the event was great. He did a reading from the book, which was hysterical when he read it and not so much when I hear it in my head, so that alone made the trek to the Creative Writing house in the freezing cold with the wind beating at me and no gloves worth it. Then he answered some questions from the moderator, as well as some from the audience. He is clearly an incredibly intelligent person and was throwing out all kinds of literary references that flew wayyy over my head. I kind of wish that I had taken notes and then devoted a year of my life to reading everything he mentioned, but alas, I was paperless (is it rude to take notes on your iPhone because people just think you're texting even if you're not? I think the iPhone as a notepad thing should be made socially acceptable.)

And then it concluded with wine, which is always great, because I feel like I'm really getting my $50,000's worth when NYU gives me free alcohol.

Anyways, I'm not done reading the book and probably won't be until the end of the semester, but so far, so good. The moderator called it to a modern day Great Gatsby, which I think is a loaded, but fair comparison