Writer Deborah Eisenberg Wins PEN/Faulkner Fiction Award

DOUG JOHNSON: Welcome to AMERICAN MOSAIC¹ in VOA Special English.
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I'm Doug Johnson.
This week, we play R.E.M.’s new album, “Collapse Into Now,” and read a few comments about some of our recent shows.
But first, we tell about writer Deborah Eisenberg, the winner of the 2011 PEN/Faulkner award for fiction.
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Deborah Eisenberg
DOUG JOHNSON: The writer Mary Lee Settle established the PEN/Faulkner Award for fiction in nineteen eighty. She wanted to create a national prize that was judged by writers and was free of commercial interests.
Mary Lee Settle died in two thousand five. But the yearly award she founded continues to support American writers. Faith Lapidus tells about this year’s winner.
Deborah Eisenberg
FAITH LAPIDUS: Short story writer Deborah Eisenberg says there is always a terrifying moment as she nears completion of a story. She told a reporter that when she is almost done she will say to herself, is this story going to work or is it going to fall apart?
She also said that after she writes the last word, she goes back later, re-reads the story and then writes a new version.
That writing process created a book that just won the 2011 PEN/Faulkner Award. “The Collected Stories of Deborah Eisenberg” includes stories from all four of the writer’s books. Judge and fellow writer Laura Furman praised Eisenberg’s writing for its sharp intelligence and inventiveness. She said the author shows an understanding of the connectedness of human beings as it exists in isolation².
Deborah Eisenberg did not begin writing until she was thirty. She says she started writing because she had quit smoking. Her first story, “Days,” was the result.
Now sixty-five, Deborah Eisenberg also teaches at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. She lives with actor and writer Wallace Shawn in New York City.
In two thousand nine Deborah Eisenberg won a MacArthur Fellowship³ and a Guggenheim Fellowship for her work. On May seventh, the PEN/Faulkner Foundation will honor her with its award for fiction and a fifteen thousand dollar prize.
The ceremony will also honor the other four finalists. They are Jennifer Egan for her book, “A Visit from the Goon Squad,” and Brad Watson for “Aliens in the Prime of their Lives.” The other two finalists are Jaimy Gordon, author of “Lord of Misrule” and Eric Puchner for “Model Home.” Each finalist will receive five thousand dollars.
Comments
DOUG JOHNSON: This week we take a look at some of your comments about recent programs. We will return to listener questions next week.
Many of you wrote to us about the tragic⁴ Triangle Factory fire in New York City. Hadi from Senegal is a technical director of a factory. He said the Triangle history influenced him greatly in his work.
Robert in Brazil had a similar message:
“I’m a Safety Technician working on Petrobras Brazil. [The] message [was] very interesting. Safety must be a personal treasure in our life.”
Seiko of Japan was shocked by the blocked doors, and lack of fire safety equipment in the Triangle Factory. Seiko wrote there was a similar fire in Kabukicho, Japan in two thousand one:
“The building had a fire alarm apparatus⁵ but the switch was turned off because of poor maintenance⁶. Forty-four people died in the fire.”
Jean wrote in honor of the memory of the one hundred forty six factory workers who died in the Triangle Factory:
“I give my greatest respects and appreciations⁷ to people who sacrificed in the fire. Because of them we have a safer workplace and a better world.”
Esperanza Spalding accepting the Grammy Award for best new artist
Our story about the Grammy Awards also received a lot of comments. Many of you enjoyed the music of jazz artist Esperanza Spalding who won the Grammy for best new artist. Nataly of Russia sent this message:
“Esperanza Spalding is brilliant! I’m happy to learn that her talent is appreciated with the award. Her performance is definitely a piece of Art.”
Many wrote in to praise Justin Bieber and Lady Gaga also. But not everyone liked the music in the story. Louis of China had this to say:
“Maybe it is that I was old, I don’t like to listen [to] the songs of nowadays. I think [they] are not as perfect as those traditional popular songs.”
Erika of Indonesia agreed:
“The music and the songs can not reach my feelings to listen to it more and more.”
Finally, we had an interesting note from Japan about our program last week about International Women’s Day. Maki wrote to say she was mostly happy for the changes for women but…
“Thanks to our ancestors, I'm glad that women's status has been improved than before. But in my country we have some customs left for women. From now on, I hope men also share more household chores [like] raising our children.”
Please keep sharing your opinions and questions at our website voaspecialenglish.com or on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English.
R.E.M. “Collapse Into Now”
DOUG JOHNSON: The rock band R.E.M. has been making music for thirty years. The band recently released its fifteenth record, “Collapse Into Now.” Many critics have praised it as R.E.M.’s best album in the past ten years. Others say the songs are too similar to the band’s past hits. R.E.M. says it is their best album in twenty years. Shirley Griffith helps us decide for ourselves.
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SHIRLEY GRIFFITH: That was the song “Discoverer.” Like many R.E.M. songs, this one is poetic⁸ with a meaning that is not always clear.
Lead singer Michael Stipe has said this song is influenced by an experience he had in New York City, where he lives. He said he was walking on Houston Street and was suddenly very moved by the energy of the city and its people.
Michael Stipe is known for his interest in many subjects outside of music. He is also a movie producer, activist⁹, photographer and artist. Here is the song “Oh My Heart.”
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The album “Collapse Into Now” contains songs with many different styles, from energetic rock to moving slow songs. One critic noted¹⁰ that it celebrates both the band’s past and its present. We leave you with üBerlin.
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DOUG JOHNSON: I’m Doug Johnson. Our program was written by Dana Demange and Caty Weaver¹¹ who was also the producer.
You can get transcripts¹², MP3s and podcasts of our shows at voaspecialenglish.com. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter at VOA Learning English. If you have a question about American life, write to [email protected]. We might answer your question on this show. So please include your name and country.
Join us again next week for AMERICAN MOSAIC, VOA’s radio magazine in Special English.

1 mosaic   

n./adj.镶嵌细工的，镶嵌工艺品的，嵌花式的

参考例句：

• The sky this morning is a mosaic of blue and white.今天早上的天空是幅蓝白相间的画面。
• The image mosaic is a troublesome work.图象镶嵌是个麻烦的工作。

2 isolation   

n.隔离，孤立，分解，分离

参考例句：

• The millionaire lived in complete isolation from the outside world.这位富翁过着与世隔绝的生活。
• He retired and lived in relative isolation.他退休后，生活比较孤寂。

3 fellowship   

n.伙伴关系，团体，奖学金，研究员职位

参考例句：

• You'll lose your fellowship if you do that.你如果做那件事就会丧失研究员职位。
• It looks that they'll be admitted to the fellowship.看来他们要被吸收入会了。

4 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

5 apparatus   

n.装置，器械；器具，设备

参考例句：

• The school's audio apparatus includes films and records.学校的视听设备包括放映机和录音机。
• They had a very refined apparatus.他们有一套非常精良的设备。

6 maintenance   

n.维修，保养，扶养费，维持，保持

参考例句：

• His small farm provides maintenance,but not much more.他的小农场能使他们维持生活，但仅此而已。
• He has to pay maintenance to his ex-wife.他必须给前妻赡养费。

7 appreciations   

n.欣赏( appreciation的名词复数 )；感激；评定；（尤指土地或财产的）增值

参考例句：

• Do you usually appreciations to yourself and others? Explain. 你有常常给自己和别人称赞吗？请解释一下。 来自互联网
• What appreciations would you have liked to receive? 你希望接受什么样的感激和欣赏？ 来自互联网

8 poetic   

adj.富有诗意的，有诗人气质的，善于抒情的

参考例句：

• His poetic idiom is stamped with expressions describing group feeling and thought.他的诗中的措辞往往带有描写群体感情和思想的印记。
• His poetic novels have gone through three different historical stages.他的诗情小说创作经历了三个不同的历史阶段。

9 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

10 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

11 weaver   

n.织布工；编织者

参考例句：

• She was a fast weaver and the cloth was very good.她织布织得很快，而且布的质量很好。
• The eager weaver did not notice my confusion.热心的纺织工人没有注意到我的狼狈相。

12 transcripts   

n.抄本（ transcript的名词复数 ）；转写本；文字本；副本

参考例句：

• Like mRNA, both tRNA and rRNA are transcripts of chromosomal DNA. tRNA及rRNA同mRNA一样，都是染色体DNA的转录产物。 来自辞典例句
• You can't take the transfer students'exam without your transcripts. 没有成绩证明书，你就不能参加转学考试。 来自辞典例句