Arts & Entertainment

Junot Diaz to Visit Lake Forest Academy

The Pulitzer Prize winning author will give a reading tonight and will conduct a master class with Lake Forest Academy students on Tuesday.

Junot Diaz, the Pulitzer Prize winning author for the novel "The Brief and Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao," will give a public reading on Monday at 7 p.m. in the Cressey Center for the Arts at Lake Forest Academy.

Immediately following the reading, Díaz will conduct a question and answer session as well as a book signing. 

"Adolescents always like novels that refuse to patronize adolescents," said Jon Freeman, the former Chair of the English Department, English Instructor and Assistant Dean of Students at Lake Forest Academy. He was describing the appeal of Diaz's novel, "Oscar Wao," which focuses on an overweight, nerdy boy struggling to find his place.

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"Is Oscar Wao an American archetype?" Freeman said. "My gosh, absolutely."

Díaz, who was born in the Dominican Republic and raised in New Jersey, often uses those settings in his fiction, which frequently centers around the immigrant experience. In addition to his novel, he has written two short story collections, one of which recently came out to resounding critical praise.

Find out what's happening in Lake Forest-Lake Bluffwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Freeman, who booked the author, called him a "rockstar," and said that his writing and his popularity should help make him accessible to high school students.

"He has  been on 'The Colbert Report,'" Freeman joked. "That speaks volumes to this generation."

Though this event is free and open to the public, seating is limited and preference will be given to LFA students.


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