737 ratings | 5 reviews | avg rating:3.85

Kristen’s Year In Books

Kristen’s 2022 Year in Books

Take a look at Kristen’s Year in Books. The long, the short—it’s all here.

Go to Kristen’s 2022 Year in Books

Kristen Roupenian’s Followers (556)

Kristen’s Bookshelves

read (686)
currently-reading (14)
to-read (1151)
best-of-the-best (0)

Kristen’s Friends (124)

Jac

2,204 books | 817 friends

Ardi

1,957 books | 360 friends

S.M.

2,336 books | 248 friends

Karen Kao

179 books | 25 friends

Alice Dark

58 books | 119 friends

Ria

1,262 books | 109 friends

Sierra

1,902 books | 112 friends

Karina

1,090 books | 93 friends

More friends…

Kristen Roupenian

Goodreads Author

Twitter

KRoupenian

Member Since

December 2011

edit data

I graduated from Barnard College in May of 2003. A few weeks later, I left for Kenya with the Peace Corps, where I spent two years teaching Public Health and HIV education at a small orphans' center a few hours from the Ugandan border. During that time, I began learning Swahili and first encountered the literary magazine that later became the focus of my dissertation. Once I returned home, I worked as a teacher's aide, a cashier at a bookstore, a freelance reporter, a nanny, and a research coordinator at Mass General Hospital before enrolling in the PhD program in English at Harvard in the fall of 2007.

My primary field of study is postcolonial and transnational literatures, with an emphasis on contemporary African fiction. My dissertation, I graduated from Barnard College in May of 2003. A few weeks later, I left for Kenya with the Peace Corps, where I spent two years teaching Public Health and HIV education at a small orphans' center a few hours from the Ugandan border. During that time, I began learning Swahili and first encountered the literary magazine that later became the focus of my dissertation. Once I returned home, I worked as a teacher's aide, a cashier at a bookstore, a freelance reporter, a nanny, and a research coordinator at Mass General Hospital before enrolling in the PhD program in English at Harvard in the fall of 2007.

My primary field of study is postcolonial and transnational literatures, with an emphasis on contemporary African fiction. My dissertation, "Dodging the Language Question: English, Politics, and the Life of a Kenyan Literary Magazine," investigates the artistic and linguistic strategies employed by the literary magazine Kwani? during a period of intense social and political upheaval. Since I've been at Harvard, I've been lucky enough not only to be able to return to Nairobi to continue my research, but to invite the editor of Kwani? to campus to speak before an enthusiastic gathering of undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. Last summer, I also received a grant to travel to the Democratic Republic of Congo, where I volunteered at the Salaam Kivu International Film Festival and met a wide range of talented artists from from all over eastern and central Africa. One of the most rewarding opportunities I've had during my time here has been working as a research assistant for Caroline Elkins when she served as an expert witness on behalf of Mau Mau veterans who are suing the British government because of atrocities committed during the colonial period. You can read more about that fascinating subject here and here.

My teaching philosophy, which emphasizes clarity, cultural sensitivity, and ethical engagement, stems directly from my time as an educator with the Peace Corps. In addition to my two junior tutorials for English majors ("How to Write About Africa" and "The New Global Novel") I've worked as a TF in a variety of departments and programs at Harvard, including English, African and African American Studies, and Gen Ed. I am currently a tutor in History and Literature, advising junior and senior theses in the postcolonial field. I also teach in the wider Boston community in my role as a Community Awareness and Prevention volunteer with the Boston Area Rape Crisis Center. ...more

Combine Editions
Kristen Roupenian’s books

Average rating: 3.65 · 13,866 ratings · 2,157 reviews · 8 distinct works • Similar authors

	Bad Behavior. Schlechter Umgang: Storys by Mary Gaitskill, Nikolaus Hansen (Translator), Kristen Roupenian (Goodreads Author) (Afterword) 3.88 avg rating — 9,918 ratings — published 1988 — 32 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	You Know You Want This 3.64 avg rating — 10,486 ratings — published 2019 — 63 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Cat Person 3.68 avg rating — 2,898 ratings — published 2018 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	The Best American Nonrequired Reading 2018 by Sheila Heti (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Quim Monzó, Qiu Miaojin 3.75 avg rating — 381 ratings — published 2018 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Afternoon in Linen by Shirley Jackson, Kristen Roupenian (Goodreads Author) (Narrator), Deborah Treisman (Editor) 3.21 avg rating — 142 ratings — published 1943 — 2 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Milkwishes by Kristen Roupenian (Goodreads Author), Nella Beljan (Translator) 3.52 avg rating — 91 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	An Invite to Eternity: Tales of Nature Disrupted by Gary Budden (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Marian Womack (Goodreads Author) (Editor ), Leena Likitalo (Goodreads Author) (Translator) 4.05 avg rating — 21 ratings — published 2019	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Clowns: The Unlikely Coulrophobia Remix by Bernie Mojzes (Goodreads Author) (Editor), Mari Ness, James Arias 3.85 avg rating — 13 ratings — published 2016 — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Kristen Roupenian…

Diverse voices and sparkling debuts dominate today's contemporary short story collections. For this roundup, we took a look at the...

Kristen is Currently Reading

Kristen is currently reading

The Labyrinth of the Scriptorium

by Hitoshi Goto

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jun 09, 2020 07:03AM

Kristen is currently reading

Raw Deal: The Untold Story Of NYPD's "Cannibal Cop"

by Gil Valle (Goodreads Author)

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Jun 06, 2020 08:51AM

Kristen is currently reading

Let's Go Play at the Adams'

by Mendal W. Johnson

bookshelves: currently-reading

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

May 29, 2020 07:39AM

rss
Kristen’s Recent Updates

Kristen rated a book liked it Invisible Child: Poverty, Survival & Hope in an American City by Andrea Elliott	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 23, 2023 08:23AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Invisible Child by Andrea Elliott. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Invisible Child by Andrea Elliott <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kristen finished reading The Trouble with Being Born by Emil M. Cioran	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 23, 2023 08:21AM · like
Kristen wants to read The Henry Root Letters by Henry Root	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 18, 2023 07:49PM · like
Kristen wants to read For Thy Great Pain Have Mercy on My Little Pain by Victoria Mackenzie	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 14, 2023 08:17AM · like
Kristen wants to read Super-Infinite: The Transformations of John Donne by Katherine Rundell	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 22, 2022 06:56PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kristen wants to read Raising Raffi: The First Five Years by Keith Gessen (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Dec 22, 2022 06:50PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Raising Raffi by Keith Gessen. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Raising Raffi by Keith Gessen <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kristen wants to read The Egyptian Hermes: A Historical Approach to the Late Pagan Mind by Garth Fowden	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 28, 2022 12:47PM · 1 like · like
Kristen wants to read The Hermetica by Tim Freke	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 28, 2022 12:46PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Hermetica by Tim Freke. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Hermetica by Tim Freke <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kristen wants to read The Quest for Hermes Trismegistus: From Ancient Egypt to the Modern World by Gary Lachman (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Nov 28, 2022 12:45PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Quest for Hermes Trismegistus by Gary Lachman. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Quest for Hermes Trismegistus by Gary Lachman <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Kristen rated a book it was amazing The Trouble with Being Born by Emil M. Cioran	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Oct 23, 2022 01:37PM · 2 likes · like

More of Kristen's books…

Quotes by Kristen Roupenian (?)

“I wish I could change everything about myself but it's just—it's too late to do anything, that's the problem. It's all so fucked up, and I just don't who I am anymore, you know? Like, who is this person who made all these choices that I just have to live with? I look back at that person and I hate her, I hate her so much for what she did to me, that person is like my nemesis, my worst enemy, but the problem is, that person is me.”
― Kristen Roupenian, You Know You Want This

tags: change, identity, kristen-roupenian, own-worst-enemy, regret, sad, self-loathing, self-sabotage, you-know-you-want-this

11 likes

“But I guess that was the whole problem, at that point, my inability to deal with normal human interaction.”
― Kristen Roupenian, You Know You Want This

tags: antisocial, kristen-roupenian, social-anxiety, social-interaction, you-know-you-want-this

10 likes

“Perhaps the problem with adulthood was that you weighed the consequences of your actions too carefully, in a way that left you with a life you despised.”
― Kristen Roupenian, You Know You Want This

tags: life-lessons

8 likes

See all Kristen Roupenian's quotes »

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Reading For P...: Samanta's 2017 Readathon Thread	297	177	Jan 01, 2018 04:04AM
Around the World: 2018 - Where in the world have you been? (Book finished and review linked)	274	87	Dec 30, 2018 02:34AM
Horror Aficionados : Track the short fiction you read in 2018	36	150	Jan 05, 2019 12:44PM
Ultimate Popsugar...: Week 11: 3/7 - 3/14	265	261	Mar 22, 2019 07:06PM
500 Great Books B...: Carol's 2018 Reading Women Challenge	45	96	May 16, 2019 03:29PM
Aussie Readers: Your mid-year top 5-10 INTERNATIONAL books 2019	24	97	Jul 20, 2019 10:55PM
The Seasonal Read...: * Completed Tasks: PLEASE DO NOT DELETE ANY POST IN THIS THREAD	3648	377	Aug 31, 2019 09:01PM
Horror Aficionados : HA 2019 A-Z Challenge!	177	286	Dec 31, 2019 04:32PM

More…

Kristen’s Quotes

“So when people say, Why aren’t your games more positive? I think it’s funny, because niceness doesn’t have to happen in a game. You should be nice in real life. You don’t have to play at niceness. You can just do it. Fighting is something to be minimized in real life. A good way to know that you’re playing is if you’re doing something you would never do in real life—like having a ridiculous fight.”
― Misha Glouberman, The Chairs Are Where the People Go: How to Live, Work, and Play in the City

1 likes

Kristen’s Year In Books

Kristen Roupenian’s Followers (556)

Kristen’s Bookshelves

Kristen’s Friends (124)

Kristen Roupenian

Goodreads Author

Combine Editions
Kristen Roupenian’s books

Related News

Kristen is Currently Reading

rss
Kristen’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Invisible Child by Andrea Elliott

See a Problem?

Preview — Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell

See a Problem?

Preview — Raising Raffi by Keith Gessen

See a Problem?

Preview — The Hermetica by Tim Freke

See a Problem?

Preview — The Quest for Hermes Trismegistus by Gary Lachman

Topics Mentioning This Author

Kristen’s Quotes

recent posts
Kristen’s Groups

Kristen’s Friend Comments

Kristen Roupenian’s Followers (556)

Kristen Roupenian

Goodreads Author

Related News

rssKristen’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Invisible Child by Andrea Elliott

See a Problem?

Preview — Super-Infinite by Katherine Rundell

See a Problem?

Preview — Raising Raffi by Keith Gessen

See a Problem?

Preview — The Hermetica by Tim Freke

See a Problem?

Preview — The Quest for Hermes Trismegistus by Gary Lachman

Topics Mentioning This Author

rss
Kristen’s Recent Updates