Register now for the Seventh Annual TALGS Conference! Early pre-registration deadline is January 18, 2010, and the Pre-registration deadline is February 1, 2010. The Conference features a plenary session on "Alphabetic Literacy Level and Oral Second Language Processing" and keynote speaker Dr. Elaine E. Tarone, the Director of the Center for Advanced Research on Language Acquisition (CARLA) and distinguished teaching professor in English as a Second Language at the University of Minnesota.

EGSO sponsored a Creative Reading at the Tipsy Teapot on Evans Street, Thursday, November 19 at 7pm.

Ray Bradbury's stageplay adaptation of his novel Fahrenheit 451 will be performed February 19-21 and February 25-27, 2010 at the Music Academy of Eastern Carolina, 1400 Red Banks Road, Greenville. Showtimes are 7:30 pm each performance, except for a 200 pm matinee performance on Sunday, February 21. Tickets are not yet available for purchase, but can be purchased sometime in late January by calling 1-888-622-3868 or going to www.mangoliaartscenter.com.  Bradbury adapted the book into a stageplay in 1986. Set in a world where firemen burn books and buildings rather than save them, and with a few changes compared to the novel, the play remains even more timely today with the constant evolution of technology and its impact on society. The New York Times has described the novel as "[f]rightening in its implications... Mr. Bradbury's account of this insane world, which bears many alarming resemblances to our own, is fascinating." The adaptation is under the direction of Joe Horst.

On November 13-14, the North Carolina Literary and Historical Association (an agency of the North Carolina Office of Archives and History) held its 109th annual meeting in New Bern, NC. Margaret Bauer presided as outgoing President of the Association.

A Reading Day Dinner was held for PhD students and graduate faculty on December 9 at the home of Donna Kain.

The English Club hosted an informal discussion by Kelly Hunnings on the poem "Monet Refuses the Operation" by Lisel Mueller on November 18 at 5pm in the faculty lounge. 

Lorraine Hale Robinson appeared with the Ad Hoc Players [pictured right] as part of the annual holiday open house sponsored by the Bath, NC, State Historic Site. The free-to-the-community event was held on December 13 at the Palmer Marsh House.

The Creative Writing Faculty gave a Benefit Reading on Wednesday, November 18 in 1031 Bate for the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Alex Albright, Christy Hallberg, Marc Petersen, Bob Siegel, and Liza Wieland read from their work.  The most needed items were and are: canned meals -- stews, soups, tuna, ravioli, et al., peanut butter, cereal, canned fruits & vegetables, rice, pasta, dried beans, toothpaste, feminine products, shaving items, soap, diapers, wipes, formula, infant cereal (no loose glass or plastic jars of baby food), toilet paper, paper towels, and napkins.

Following a successful Study Abroad in Ireland program last summer, Thomas Herron will lead a group again to County Wicklow this coming summer of 2010, during ECU's second summer session (late June-late July).  The program covers Irish literature and monuments, from prehistoric through modern, and takes field trips every weekend and some weekdays to Dublin and further afield (Newgrange, Kilkenny and Co. Limerick included). It is open to students outside of ECU (for a $75 transfer fee).  Application deadline Jan 31.