Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Hemingway Symposium bridges writers to author

Free event is an intellectual journey


By SABINA DANA PLASSE
Express Staff Writer

The Hemingway Memorial in Sun Valley is a tribute to the Nobel Prize-winning author, who spent time at Sun Valley Resort and owned a house in Ketchum. Photo by Willy Cook

Sun Valley is an Ernest Hemingway mecca, attracting more than 200 visitors a year who make pilgrimages to visit the valley and the Community Library to pay homage to the writer. This year, the Community Library in Ketchum has joined with Boise State University to host the sixth annual celebration of Hemingway's literary heritage.

"We wanted to stop having a perpetual eulogy to Hemingway and make it pertinent to people today," said Community Library regional history librarian Sandra Hofferber. "People need a perspective on who Hemingway was as a person and what does it mean to write like Hemingway or look like Hemingway."

The Ernest Hemingway Symposium is free and will take place at the library from Wednesday, Sept. 29, through Saturday, Oct. 2, with five speakers. This year the symposium will focus on Hemingway's influence and how the Pulitzer- and Nobel-prize winner continues to affect authors, journalists and readers 50 years after his death.

The keynote speaker for the symposium will be author Walter Kirn. Kirn has penned several books including "Up In the Air," which was made into a major motion picture that received six Academy Award nominations.

His keynote talk will take place Thursday at 6 p.m. Kirn will have a book signing following his talk, which will include live music by Ben Burdick's Trio Les Bois. The trio will perform 1930s Paris jazz influenced by Django Reinhardt.

"The fact that Walter Kirn is coming here is a huge deal," said Community Library Executive Director Colleen Daly. "The symposium this year is a step up and a move toward a more intellectually oriented event as opposed to a festival."

Daly said many people don't understand Hemingway's relevance and his influence on writers.

"This event will be interesting to people who are curious about Hemingway and how his writing affects writers who are writing today," Daly said. "It is a community event, and we want people to embrace the idea. So much of what the library does is focused toward locals. We are interested in upping the ante of intellectual resources in the community."

Along with Kirn's talk there will be readings, discussions, a movie screening and book signings with distinguished faculty members at Boise State University, including Clyde Moneyhun, Mitch Wieland, Clay Morgan and Edward Test. Also at the symposium, Ketchum resident Jim Jaquet will lead a Hemingway Haunts Tour and Hofferber will present a lecture titled "Hemingway in Idaho."

All events are free and open to the public. The Community Library is able to host the symposium with a grant from the Idaho Humanities Council, the creative talents of BSU Director of Initiatives Clay Morgan and funding from various departments at Boise State University.

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Wednesday, Sept. 29

- 6.p.m. Idaho Hall of Fame with John and Judy Sanford to present "Hemingway, Painting and Writing, Ernest and Grace and Omissions and Connections." Hemingway will be inducted into the Idaho Hall of Fame prior to presentation.

Thursday, Sept. 30

- 4 p.m. Screening of 1976 television movie "The Hemingway Play" by Frederick Hunter.

- 6 p.m. Keynote talk by Walter Kirn, author of "Up in the Air."

Friday, Oct. 1

- 9-10:30a.m. Symposium roundtable, "The Hemingway Touch."

- 11-11:45 a.m. Edward Test discusses Hemingway and "The Old Man and the Sea."

- 1:30-2:15 p.m. Reading and Discussion with Mitch Wieland.

- 2:30 p.m. Hemingway Haunts Tour in Sun Valley.

- 4 p.m. Reading and Discussion with Clay Morgan.

- 5 p.m. Walter Kirnin in conversation with Clay Morgan.

- 6 p.m. Book signing with Walter Kirn, Clay Morgan and Mitch Wieland.

- 7 p.m. Informal socializing at Cornerstone Bar and Grill in Ketchum.

Saturday, Oct. 2

- 9-9:45 a.m. Regional history librarian Sandra Hofferber will present "Hemingway in Idaho."

- 10 a.m. Second screening of "The Hemingway Play."

Ernest Hemingway Symposium free talks and presentations will take place at the Community Library in Ketchum. For details call 726-3493.

Sabina Dana Plasse: splasse@mtexpress.com




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