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

[Another semestercomes to a close this week, and this time for my usual end-of-semesterreflections 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 hadthe chance to connect my students with folks on our syllabus a few times: whenKevin Gannon Zoomed into myEnglish Studies Capstone after we read Radical Hope; and when MoniqueTruong and EricNguyen generously answered questions about their books TheSweetest Fruits and ThingsWe Lost to the Water for other sections of that same course. Each andevery one of those experiences was exceptional, but this semester featured anext level moment: when hugely prolific and popular author (and FitchburgState alum!) R.A. Salvatore visited my Intro to Science Fiction &Fantasy course. Whether he was thoughtfully considering the similarities anddifferences between sci fi and fantasy worldbuilding, sharing advice from hisown four decades in the field, or just casually discussing the day he visitedSkywalker Ranch to talk with George Lucas about writing Star Wars novels, Salvatore not onlyengrossed 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!

Nextstand-out tomorrow

Ben

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