professornana (professornana) wrote,
professornana
professornana
  • Mood: exhausted

inexorable inexcusable

Still in Pittsburgh for National Council of Teachers of English conference. Thursday evening was spent listening to Janet Allen who always amazes me with her wit and insight. Friday began with our session on response with Chris Crutcher, lunch with speaker Kate DiCamillo, and then another session with Michael Cart and others talking about YA that crosses up for older readers. Today began at 7 am with Yann Martel as the breakfast speaker, a session on PB biographies with Kathi Appelt, Anne Bustard, and Tobin Anderson. Took some time off this afternoon for a stretch and read Chris Lynch's INEXCUSABLE. Wow, it made my tired old bones snap straight up and keep on reading. The voice is clear, disturbingly clear, as it relates in an offhand, not-my-fault manner the story of Keir's senior year, one that ends badly. I do not want to talk too much about this book yet as I need to absorb and process it more. It has major Printz written all over it (do not want to jinx the book by saying this but dang...). Lynch is a master of the craft. Remember FREEWILL? He manages to create a haunting reflection of the thoughtlessness and self deception that permits a young man to rape someone and not see the event as rape. Too much running through my mind right now. Perhaps after dinner with a publisher and a good night's sleep, I will think of what more to say.

More from the Steel City later...................................
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