WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:02.080 align:middle line:90% - Good evening, everyone. 00:00:02.080 --> 00:00:04.912 align:middle line:90% We're going to get started here. 00:00:04.912 --> 00:00:06.120 align:middle line:90% Most of you probably know me. 00:00:06.120 --> 00:00:08.460 align:middle line:90% I'm Jason Brown. 00:00:08.460 --> 00:00:12.180 align:middle line:84% I've been running the Prose Series for a couple of years. 00:00:12.180 --> 00:00:16.050 align:middle line:84% And tonight, we're very excited to have Junot Díaz with us. 00:00:16.050 --> 00:00:20.130 align:middle line:84% He's graciously agreed to come halfway across the world 00:00:20.130 --> 00:00:21.930 align:middle line:90% just to speak to you guys. 00:00:21.930 --> 00:00:25.760 align:middle line:84% And Junot, it's great for me to see him. 00:00:25.760 --> 00:00:27.510 align:middle line:84% He and I went to graduate school together, 00:00:27.510 --> 00:00:31.860 align:middle line:84% and I haven't got a chance to talk to him in quite a while. 00:00:31.860 --> 00:00:35.700 align:middle line:84% And it's really great to have him here. 00:00:35.700 --> 00:00:39.090 align:middle line:84% However, I'm going to have one of his biggest fans 00:00:39.090 --> 00:00:42.990 align:middle line:84% here in the writing program, PR, do his introduction 00:00:42.990 --> 00:00:45.300 align:middle line:84% in a moment, because PR has been working 00:00:45.300 --> 00:00:49.900 align:middle line:84% on this thing for many weeks now. 00:00:49.900 --> 00:00:52.060 align:middle line:84% I want to say a few thanks, as always, 00:00:52.060 --> 00:00:55.450 align:middle line:84% to the English department, the dean's office, the Poetry 00:00:55.450 --> 00:00:58.360 align:middle line:84% Center, of course, for allowing us to have our readings here 00:00:58.360 --> 00:01:01.270 align:middle line:90% and supporting us so generously. 00:01:01.270 --> 00:01:04.840 align:middle line:84% And I want to mention that Marilynne Robinson will 00:01:04.840 --> 00:01:07.090 align:middle line:84% be coming next September, mid-September. 00:01:07.090 --> 00:01:10.690 align:middle line:90% So put that on your list. 00:01:10.690 --> 00:01:12.970 align:middle line:90% She's a wonderful writer. 00:01:12.970 --> 00:01:16.000 align:middle line:84% I also want to say that after the reading, 00:01:16.000 --> 00:01:17.800 align:middle line:84% there are books for sale and back. 00:01:17.800 --> 00:01:20.800 align:middle line:84% So you can buy Junot books right back there. 00:01:20.800 --> 00:01:22.660 align:middle line:84% And there will be some free food, I think, 00:01:22.660 --> 00:01:25.720 align:middle line:90% in the same vicinity. 00:01:25.720 --> 00:01:28.540 align:middle line:84% After the reading, Junot take just a couple of questions. 00:01:28.540 --> 00:01:32.150 align:middle line:90% So cook up your questions. 00:01:32.150 --> 00:01:35.890 align:middle line:84% Maybe you'll be one of the lucky recipients. 00:01:35.890 --> 00:01:40.060 align:middle line:84% And there's a discussion group led by Linda 00:01:40.060 --> 00:01:42.780 align:middle line:84% for the undergraduates, those of you. 00:01:42.780 --> 00:01:43.870 align:middle line:90% You know who you are. 00:01:43.870 --> 00:01:49.180 align:middle line:84% And it'll be at 6:30 this Wednesday to talk about Junot's 00:01:49.180 --> 00:01:50.350 align:middle line:90% reading in his book. 00:01:50.350 --> 00:01:52.090 align:middle line:84% And he'll be up in that classroom 00:01:52.090 --> 00:01:55.600 align:middle line:84% on the second floor of the Poetry Center of this Wednesday 00:01:55.600 --> 00:01:57.490 align:middle line:90% at 6:30. 00:01:57.490 --> 00:02:04.210 align:middle line:84% So please welcome PR, a fiction writer from our MFA program 00:02:04.210 --> 00:02:08.710 align:middle line:90% and an expert on Junot Díaz. 00:02:08.710 --> 00:02:12.060 align:middle line:90% [APPLAUSE] 00:02:12.060 --> 00:02:16.000 align:middle line:90%