One of the nation’s most talked about young writers came to visit the University of Wyoming on Wednesday.
Dinaw Mengestu, a highly acclaimed nonfiction article writer for Rolling Stone and other publications, came to speak with students about writing.
With awards like the MacArthur Genius Award, the Lannan Fiction Fellowship and the National Book Award “5 under 35” Award, it is his work in fiction that has brought him the most success.
In 2010 he was also selected by The New Yorker as a “20 under 40” writer.
Mengestu sat down with more than 40 University of Wyoming students and staff for an intimate book reading at the UW Art Museum.
“It was a personal atmosphere,” Jordan Ash, a member of the Student Service Unit, said. “Everyone seemed to be excited.”
Mengestu is the current Eminent Writer in Residence at the UW Master of Fine Arts Creative Writing Program. During his campus visit, he led workshops with MFA creative writing students and spoke with undergraduate students in the UW Multicultural Resource Center and the creative writing minor program.
He has experience with MFA writing programs through his education at the Columbia University’s MFA program in fiction.
Although very experienced, Mengestu has enjoyed his time at the University of Wyoming because of the beautiful landscape and small town hospitality.
“I’ve loved Wyoming.” Mengestu said to Planet Jackson Hole. “I have an affinity for small town America and Laramie has stunning natural beauty, plus an eclectic downtown.”
Location has been very influential in his novels because of the diverse places he has lived.
Born in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, Mengestu immigrated with his mother and sister to the United States to join his father in 1980. He and his family resided in Peoria, Ill. after fleeing from Ethiopia during the Red Terror.
The experience of his immigration has inspired him to write about the American, first-generation immigrant.
“My characters try to understand the world, and they spend time looking at it,” Mengestu said. “Dislocation causes you to try to figure out what you are seeing.”
Mengestu briefly introduced his forthcoming novel, All Our Names, which explores survival in times of political unrest and violence.
A question and answer session followed his reading, where the nearly 50-member audience had the opportunity to ask him their burning questions. One of the most thought-provoking queries of the night asked the author about the literary voice of his novels and his inspirations.
“I think they [novels] exist to complicate and expand upon our understanding of the world,” Mengestu said. “It is up to the reader to create their own personal meaning out of the narrative.”
