Bookstore Hosts Discussion Of Professor's Latest Work

Professor of English and comparative literature Ross Posnock appeared at the Columbia University Bookstore Thursday night for a discussion and signing of his new book, Philip Roth's Rude Truth: The Art of Immaturity.

Before a packed audience of students and fans, Posnock began the session by reading three passages from his book, which deals primarily with the use of rudeness as a recurring motif in the novels of Philip Roth, an American fiction writer. Posnock then discussed some of his points with New York University doctoral candidate and published literary critic Robin Creswell, and he later engaged in a question-and-answer session with the audience.

Butler Library employee Siddhartha Lokanandi, a fan of both Roth and Posnock, was impressed with the event. "The students asked very responsive questions," Lokanandi said. "[Posnock] is in the lineage of [Lionel] Trilling, etc. insofar as he sits in academia and analyzes exterior subjects, providing a perfect bridge between the two."

The audience asked several questions throughout the event. Posnock described himself as "very pleased" with the level of discussion and proclaimed the event a success.

When asked why he chose to write about Roth, Posnock replied, "The time was right, ... [the subject] has not really been written about from this approach."

The Art of Immaturity is Posnock's fifth publication. He has also written on literary criticism, has edited The Cambridge Companion to Ralph Ellison, and is the series editor of the Cambridge University Press Series of American Literature and Culture.

Despite the audience's enthusiasm, this was the only event planned as promotion for the book, which was published in September and is already available online and in libraries.