It is not often that a Zen Buddhist priest and famed author visits campus, but on April 6, renowned author and filmmaker Ruth Ozeki will arrive at Butler. This will include a Q&A on April 6 in the Efroymson Creative Writing Center and on April 7 for a lecture in Shelton Auditorium at 7:30 p.m., as part of the Visiting Writers Series (VWS).
The VWS has recently brought a diverse and talented range of authors to campus, including Clint Smith, Morgan Parker and Michael Farris Smith. Ozeki, one of the most anticipated writers of the year and one largely celebrated for her thoughtful, cross-cultural storytelling, now joins the distinguished lineup of visiting authors.
Brooke Capper, a sophomore English and philosophy double major, believes the VWS provides a unique opportunity to students, English and non-English majors alike.
“I had this idea that you had to be really familiar with the author to go [to the VWS event],” Capper said. “They were such good experiences, even though I wasn’t familiar with their books, [and] I learned a lot … People should take the advantage. Come meet the author!”
Approximately one year before these events, the planning process occurs. Events are organized and scheduled by a committee of full-time English faculty, who meet to recommend and discuss potential visiting writers.
In addition to faculty input, student perspectives are actively encouraged. A suggestion box, located within the English department, allows students to propose writers they would like to see and hear speak. Recent suggestions include prominent contemporary authors such as Ada Limón and Ocean Vuong.
Dr. Ania Spyra, an English professor and the creative coordinator of the VWS, spoke about their process of selecting writers.
“We want to have representation in terms of genre,” Spyra said. “We want to have some poets, non-fiction writers, fiction writers, maybe a visual graphic novelist … I hope for diversity according to language, ethnicity and other forms of bringing [representation] to campus.”
Spyra will teach a course in the fall centered on the writers visiting campus during the term. For both English and non-English majors, the class offers a unique and structured opportunity to engage with literary works and then hear directly from their authors.
Spyra hopes for the continued engagement and inspiration born from the VWS, and is especially enthusiastic about the upcoming visit from Ozeki.
“Ruth Ozeki is one of my favorite writers,” Spyra said. “I have been reading her for years, and I think I have read everything apart from ‘The Face’. I really connect with her philosophy. My two favorite novels of hers are ‘A Tale For the Time Being’ and ‘The Book of Form and Emptiness’ because they’re most Buddhist in their outlook.”
Ozeki has earned major literary accolades, including a Booker Prize shortlist and the Los Angeles Times Book Prize for Fiction. In terms of contemporary fiction, Ozeki has become a deeply admired, landmark writer.
Senior psychology major Emily Farkas is a longtime reader and fan of Ozeki’s spiritual nature and lyrical writing.
“She’s one of those authors where I can read one of her books and then think about my life differently,” Farkas said. “I think she’s a wonderful author, and I’m excited for the opportunity to hear her speak.”
Ozeki’s April 7 visit will be in Shelton Auditorium at 7:30 p.m. This event counts toward students’ BCR credit, and is free and open to the public.