Monday, May 13, 2024

May 13, 2024: Spring 2024 Stand-Outs: Salvatore in Sci Fi/Fantasy

[Another semester comes to a close this week, and this time for my usual end-of-semester reflections series I wanted to highlight stand-out days from my classes. Leading up to a weekend off for a very stand-out reason!]

I’ve had the chance to connect my students with folks on our syllabus a few times: when Kevin Gannon Zoomed into my English Studies Capstone after we read Radical Hope; and when Monique Truong and Eric Nguyen generously answered questions about their books The Sweetest Fruits and Things We Lost to the Water for other sections of that same course. Each and every one of those experiences was exceptional, but this semester featured a next level moment: when hugely prolific and popular author (and Fitchburg State alum!) R.A. Salvatore visited my Intro to Science Fiction & Fantasy course. Whether he was thoughtfully considering the similarities and differences between sci fi and fantasy worldbuilding, sharing advice from his own four decades in the field, or just casually discussing the day he visited Skywalker Ranch to talk with George Lucas about writing Star Wars novels, Salvatore not only engrossed us all from start to finish, but really brought the course’s texts, ideas, and conversations to vivid life. That’s a stand-out day for sure!

Next stand-out tomorrow

Ben

PS. What do you think? Semester reflections or other work you’d share?

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