DAN'S PAPERS, April 18, 2008 Page 27 www.danshamptons.com
Who’s Here By Victoria L. Cooper “You start out creating them and they wind up creating you,” said Roger Rosenblatt of characters in his latest novel Beet, a satirical look at university life. This is Rosenblatt’s second novel, the first being the national bestseller Lapham Rising. In addition, he has written ten non-fiction books and 300-plus essays and articles over the last three decades. Rosenblatt is writing two one act plays for Flea Theatre in Manhattan and is also in the process of writing the screenplay for Lapham Rising for the same company that produced Michael Clayton. A resident and lover of Quogue, Rosenblatt is a Fulbright scholar with five honorary doctorates in addition to a Ph.D. from Harvard, where he made history by teaching modern literature and writing (1968-1973), earning recognition at the age of 29 for being the youngest House Master in Harvard’s history. At one point in his career, Rosenblatt found himself at the helm of two major national news magazines, U.S. News and World Report and TIME. His work as a columnist and editor of the Washington Post and the New Republic would lead him to award city with a Peabody, two George Polk awards and an Emmy for his work in TIME. The Children of War, a close investigation of what life is like for the children in five war-torn nations, won the Polk Award in Journalism and the Robert F. Kennedy Book award in 1983. In addition, it drew a nomination from the National Book Critics Circle, a group Rosenblatt once served on as a board member. Aside from writing, Rosenblatt’s other passion is teaching — at Columbia, Georgetown, Harvard, Yale, Stanford, Swarthmore, Long Island University and our very own East End gem, Stony Brook Southampton. Just last month he was awarded the highest honor in the SUNY system as a faculty designation of Distinguished Professor. Rosenblatt believes that Stony Brook’s MFA is equal to if not the best of writing programs in the country. “The writers here are so talented and they really like each other – it’s a great place to be.” Two weeks ago he read at the Writers Speak series at Stony Brook Southampton, which is held every Wednesday and is free and open to the public. “I love the readings. It’s a family event and a big deal for writers to let each other know
Roger Rosenblatt Author we’re encouraging and wishing them well,” said Rosenblatt. For someone who’s been teaching since the age of 22, he feels that he has finally learned how to do it. “You’ve got to write a lot and live a lot too. I’ve done both. It helps to get the students to believe in them-
that rests on top of the highest point on Stony Brook Southampton’s campus. Of course there was no university then, but there were manicured lawns and a view of the ocean. In 1987, Rosenblatt rented in Quogue and finally broke through to the homeowner side in 1995, buying a home and establishing himself as a fulltime resident. In addition to his academic and writing pursuits, Rosenblatt enjoys dining at Robert’s in Water Mill and the Stone Creek Inn in East Quogue. While he enjoys fine dining, his tastes are more basic — nothing is as satisfying as a slice of pizza from Francesca’s in Hampton Bays or some Chinese food from Johnny Chih’s in Westhampton. But Rosenblatt is happiest in Quogue with his grandchildren at the beach. Far from slapstick humor, Beet transcends an uncanny wit and Rosenblatt added that he wrote along the seam of “the way life could be and the way life is,” mixed between serious chapters about teaching curricula and the academic mind allowing by contrast to “give truth to his humor.” The novel unfolds at Beet, an old money liberal arts college 40 miles north of Boston that defines itself as a “Collegium for Young Men in the Service of Almighty God and Livestock” – thus the college motto “Desus Libri Porci.” It is represented by the best school mascot ever – a pig. But this fine institution wouldn’t be possible if not for the gifts bestowed by Nathaniel Beet, an “American divine and wealthiest pig farmer in the New England colonies.” But the true struggle in this story is that Beet has lost its endowment and villainous Joel Bollvate, a swanky real estate dealer, has his eyes on the prime 210 acres. All the while, ultra humanist Olivia Porterfield tries to save the college from going under. Rosenblatt explained that men and women who have read Beet have told him that they “want to marry Porterfield.” She’s the ideal woman – sexy, competent, witty and foul mouthed. Beet is filled with interesting characters who readers feel they’ve already spent time with on the quad or in the dining hall. There’s an aspiring terrorist “Akim ben Laden,” the only student enrolled in Homeland Security who wants to blow up the school, but has trouble learning how to make a bomb. Radical feminist poet Matha Polite (pronounced like elite) who with five other students is determined to bring
At one point in his career, Rosenblatt found himself at the helm of two major national news magazines, U.S. News and World Report and TIME. selves. That’s the magical part.” Growing up, Rosenblatt came to the East End during summer family vacations and in a sense he’s never left his home. His father, a doctor, used to take the family to stay at the former Tucker Mill Inn, a beautiful building
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