In preparation for our next GEA meeting (coming up this Thursday, Feb. 5), you may find the minutes of our December meeting here: GEA Meeting 4.12.14. Please note that there have been a couple minor corrections since the minutes which were distributed via the GEA listerv in December, which will be detailed in the secretary’s report. In the interests of saving paper, copies will not be made generally available at this week’s meeting.
Cook the Books
Our annual Cook the Books event, an evening of delightful literary food and company, is approaching quickly! This year’s Cook the Books is scheduled for 5:00-8:00pm on Thursday Feb. 5, and we’re now looking for contributions of food and/or items for the silent auction (proceeds will go toward the GEA travel fund).
Auction items in the past have ranged from a tour of Robertson Davies’ collection of 19th century printing presses, a selection of attractive handmade jewelry, the composition and recording of a song on the topic of your choice, a variety of legendary jams and preserves, and even immortality (becoming a character in a novel).
We love to see edible literary allusions of all kinds, but for the sake of those with allergies we will be asking you to bring a list of ingredients along with your dish.
Please get in touch with Joel Faber (joel.faber[at]mail.utoronto.ca) or Chris Kelleher (christopher.kelleher[at]mail.utoronto.ca) to offer your contributions or with any questions you might have. We look forward to an entertaining and enjoyable evening together!
Upcoming January events
Since we’re beginning the new year with an event-full month, in an effort to make sure that no-one misses out, I’d like to draw your attention to the following upcoming events:
Academics Read Things They Wrote As Kids, 7:30 on Jan. 16 at the Tranzac Club — come share an evening of laughter over forgotten gems and support creative reading and writing among Toronto’s youth!
GEA Special Fields workshop, 3:00 on Jan 15. in JHB 719 — aimed at PhD students preparing for special fields, take this opportunity to hear experiences and share study strategies with those who have gone before.
Job talks
- 19-c. American: Jan. 12, 19, & 26 (coffee at 2:30 in JHB 719, talk at 4:30)
- Old English: Jan. 13, 20, & 27 (coffee at 2:45 in JHB 719, talk at 4:15)
- Contemporary British: Jan. 16, 23, & 30 (coffee at 2:45 in JHB 719, talk at 4:15 in JHB 616)
Brown Bag Lunch, 12:00 on Jan. 29 in JHB 719 — bring your lunch bag and hear from Prof. Danny Wright as he describes his current research.
Pre-Modern Research Symposium
The department is excited to introduce a new event this year. The Pre-Modern Research Symposium (PMRS) provides a venue in which medieval and renaissance scholars in our department can present and discuss works in progress. PMRS aims to foster conversation across what was once conceived as a rigid period divide. In fostering this conversation, PMRS will highlight both the continuities and disjunctures between medieval and renaissance literature.
PMRS will occur four times throughout the 2014/15 academic year. Our first meeting will take place in JHB 719 at 4 pm on Thursday, 30 October, and will feature presentations by Professors Jeremy Lopez and Lynne Magnusson.
Faculty-student softball game 2014
This past Sunday saw this year’s iteration of the annual faculty-student softball game, when under cloudy September skies the students won a glorious victory and much fun was had by all. Thanks to the good-natured faculty and friendly students who came out to join the Chapman’s Homers for this afternoon of community and camaraderie!
