English Professor Aimee Nezhukumatathil spent two days at the University of St. Thomas, St. Paul, Minn., in October as the Common Contexts Author for its 2013-2014 university theme of “Wonder.” More than 800 students at St. Thomas enrolled in over 60 sections of Freshman English and other creative writing courses studied Nezhukumatathil’s poetry collections, including her latest, “Lucky Fish,” published in 2011 by Tupelo Press.
On Oct. 14 and 15, Nezhukumatathil met with students and faculty and delivered a craft lecture, “The Importance of Wonder in Writing: How to Light Up Like Octopi and Say Good-bye to the ‘Sensible’ World.” During the visit, Nezhukumatathil also read selections from, “Lucky Fish,” as well as from two other collections, “Miracle Fruit” and “At the Drive-In Volcano.” A book signing followed the reading.
Nezhukumatathil was chosen for the honor, in part, because she engages wonder often in her work through encounters with nature, while also pondering the small, seemingly mundane daily parts of life with a sense of wonderment.
