Short Cuts

Robert Altman’s prize-winning film Short Cuts (1993) was based on nine short stories and a poem by one of America’s finest fiction writers, Raymond Carver (1938-1988): ‘Neighbors’, ‘They’re Not Your Husband’, ‘Vitamins’, ‘Will You Please Be Quiet, Please?’, ‘So Much Water So Close to Home’, ‘A Small, Good Thing’, ‘Jerry and Molly and Sam’, ‘Collectors’, ‘Tell the Women We’re Going’ and the poem ‘Lemonade’.

The film stars (among many others) Robert Downey Jr., Andie MacDowell, Matthew Modine, Julianne Moore, and Tim Robbins.

The stories can be found in Collected Stories (Library of America, 2009). ‘Lemonade’ is reprinted in All of Us: The Collected Poems (Harvill Press, 1997).

For an interview with Carver, go to:

http://www.theparisreview.org/interviews/3059/the-art-of-fiction-no-76-raymond-carver

Visit by John Dobai, Holocaust Survivor

Holocaust survivor shares his experience with students

Students recently had the great privilege of hearing Holocaust survivor John Dobai talk about his experiences. In the Creative Writing module EN6105 Writing the Past, which focuses on historical fiction, students study the literature of the Holocaust. As part of the module, Mr Dobai came to speak to the students about his experiences of persecution as a young Jewish boy in Budapest during WWII. He also answered questions from students, and discussed how crucial it is to continue to fight prejudice today.

Students and staff from across the university were invited to attend the session, with more than 150 people coming to hear John’s inspiring talk. Mr Dobai’s visit was arranged by Dr Francesca Haig, with the help of the Holocaust Education Trust. Francesca said: ‘It was wonderful to see such a big turn-out for John’s speech. The students were moved and inspired, as was I. We’re very grateful to John for visiting the university to share his experience.’