Georgetown University welcomes Sebastian Barry
Man Booker Prize students treated to guest lecture
Professor Father Alvaro Ribeiro SJ, of the Georgetown Department of English Literature has taught a course on the Man Booker Prize fiction at Georgetown University (Washington DC) since 1995. In November 2008, the Man Booker Prize for Fiction and Georgetown University formed a new collaborative partnership as part of the prize's 40th anniversary celebrations.
Derek Johns is a UK based literary agent who represents Sebastian Barry. Sebastian Barry was twice shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize with A Long, Long Way in 2005 and The Secret Scripture in 2008.
In September 2009, Derek Johns and Sebastian Barry were welcomed by Georgetown University. Derek Johns reports on their visit to Georgetown University.
"I visited Georgetown University last week, at the invitation of Father Alvaro Ribeiro, Associate Professor in the English Department, and with assistance from the Booker Foundation. My client Sebastian Barry joined me after a couple of days. Our invitations came about through Georgetown's connection with the Man Booker Prize. Father Ribeiro has for some years now taught a class in the Booker/Man Booker. Junior (third-year) and Senior (fourth-year) students read at least some of the longlisted books, and all the shortlisted books. Since the shortlist is announced just a week or two after the fall semester commences, the timing of this works well.
This year's class comprises twenty students. I gave a talk to them. Father Ribeiro had encouraged me to focus on my experience as literary agent to authors who have been shortlisted (and in one case - Yann Martel's - have won), and to give a sense of the origins and history of the prize. Given that Father Ribeiro is steeped in the Booker, however, I'm not sure I was able to add anything about the prize in general that he cannot provide himself. He had xeroxed a copy of Martyn Goff's 1979 book about the prize, and various other documents relating to it, for distribution among the students. And Dotti Irving had provided him with copies of the wall-chart listing the authors and judges since the beginning.
In the question and answer session afterwards it became clear to me that these students have a lively awareness of the prize and a close engagement with the shortlisted books and authors. We discussed the fact that the leading American literary prizes, the Pulitzer and the National Book Awards, do not have the same influence with readers as does the Man Booker. I was very impressed by the students (four of whom will be accompanying Father Ribeiro to the prize ceremony on the 6th of October).
Sebastian Barry spoke to about 1600 Freshmen (first-year) students. All of these students had been provided with a copy of Sebastian's THE SECRET SCRIPTURE, and had read it by the time of his talk. In fact there were two sessions, since the hall accommodates only about 800, and consequently he was onstage for over three hours. He signed copies of the book afterwards, for more than an hour. The students were then assigned to groups of about twenty for discussion of the book with mentors (mostly alumni of the university).
We were welcomed warmly by Father Ribeiro and his colleagues, including the president of the college, and given excellent hospitality. Altogether it was an enjoyable and rewarding visit."
