Providence, R.I.--The Providence College Department of Foreign Language Studies has initiated a Book Discussion Series that it hopes will promote dialogue among faculty members on literary works by non-American authors.

The first discussion was held in April in the Feinstein Academic Center on campus where roughly 25 people discussed The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao (Riverhead Hardcover, 2007) by Junot Diaz.

Diaz's novel received a number of prestigious awards in 2008, such as the National Book Critics Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.
 
Dr. Ralph Rodriguez, associate professor of American civilization and ethnic studies at Brown University, introduced the book and facilitated discussion among the faculty members.

Dr. Nuria Alonso García, PC associate professor of Spanish and chair of the foreign language studies department, credited the idea for a discussion series to Rev. Leonard P. Hindsley, professor of humanities.

Like the inaugural discussion, she said future discussions will feature translations of books from the foreign languages offered at PC or of a specific foreign language heritage, such as Diaz's work, which represents Latino literature in the United States.

Alonso García said she was pleased with the outcome of the first discussion and happy to see that the event was embraced by faculty.

"The event was well attended, and the audience was comprised of faculty members from different disciplines and guests who engaged in a truly edifying conversation about the text and subtext of Junot Diaz's work," she said.

She added, "The Department of Foreign Language Studies is committed to promoting cultural awareness among members of the Providence College community. The department wishes to express its gratitude to all participants and hopes that this event will continue to generate interest in the years to come."

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