Award-Winning Writer to Speak at Monmouth

Monmouth University has recently seen some unique presentations by artists on stage and on canvases, and there are some more unique performances coming up for all to enjoy.

Next week, the school will have another type of performance artist on campus, as award-winning writer Andrei Codrescu will hold poetry readings on March 22 and 23.

Codrescu will present "From Transylvania to New Orleans: A Poet's Journey" at 7 p.m. March 22 at the Pollak Theatre and "Andrei Condrescu: The Poetry Lesson" at 4:30 p.m. March 23 at Wilson Hall.

For the Tuesday evening session, Codrescu will be speaking about his memoir, “The Hole in the Flag: An Exile’s Story of Return and Revolution,” as well as his recent play, “A Guide to a Recovered Childhood.”

He is also scheduled to talk about the changes in politics, social life and literature that have changed Eastern Europe, as well as other changes in the post-communist era of Eastern Europe. Codrescu will focus primarily on talking about living between America and Eastern Europe, and the vast differences between the two lands.

For Wednesday’s session, Codrescu will be giving a reading from his newest book, "The Poetry Lesson." This book takes readers into a classroom where an unconventional teacher tries to teach students the various methods of writing poetry, as he discusses his Tools of Poetry and the Ten Muses of Poetry.

Recently, Codrescu spoke with Monmouth University faculty member Dr. Mihaela Moscaliuc and explained the type of writer that he has always strived to be.

“There are writers who are propelled by melancholy, by what they see as the tragedy of existence. I’m not one of those – I’m propelled by joy, beauty, wonder, anger and childishness,” he said.

Codrescu was born in Romania and has written a myriad of novels, essays and poems. He is also a commentator for “All Things Considered,” on National Public Radio, and is a Pushcart Prize winning writer.

These lectures are being presented as part of the school’s South Central Eastern Europe: Legacies and Identities program. Other events that have been part of this major program include the art exhibit of Bogdan Achimescu, the presentation of the Academy Award winning film, “The Lives of Others,” and the dance performance by the Tamburitzans.

The South Central Eastern Europe: Legacies and Identities events will continue in April with a performance by Eastern European-Jewish group, The Klezmatics. For more information on the Codrescu or Klezmatics event, please call 732-263-5759.