Heather Havrilesky, New York Times Magazine contributor and former television critic for Salon.com, will talk about and read excerpts from her humorous memoir at Cal State Long Beach today at 7 p.m. in the University Student Union Ballroom C.
Students will be able to meet the Los Angeles based writer at a signing as well as hear a sample of her latest work, “Disaster Preparedness: A Memoir.”
Lisa Glatt, an English professor, was able to organize the event with help from the English Student’s Association.
“I’d followed Heather’s work on Salon.com for years, specifically her incredibly smart and insightful TV criticism, and was excited to hear that she had a memoir coming out,” Glatt said. “After reading ‘Disaster Preparedness,’ I invited her to read for us.”
Havrilesky’s writing style offers a humorous look at her past.
“My aim was to write something that did justice to the somewhat melodramatic experience of being an oversensitive kid, but I also wanted to pull back and put those experiences in perspective,” Havrilesky said.
Published last year, “Disaster Preparedness” focuses on Havrilesky’s life, from childhood to her present life.
“It’s pretty impossible to write about growing up Catholic or losing your virginity or working at the Gap without accessing the absurdity and overblown despair of those experiences,” Havrilesky said.
The novel is composed of short essays, each containing a different portion of her life.
“I was able to dive in and out of my most humiliating and difficult and funny moments and extract whatever lessons I could find there,” Havrilesky said.
According to Havrilesky, her previous work for Salon.com and New York Times Magazine helped develop her as a writer.
“Being forced to meet a steady flow of deadlines definitely trains you to trust your ability to come up with new ideas regularly,” Havrilesky said. “It’s like being a boxer and doing tough daily workouts.”
Havrilesky’s career for Salon.com allowed her to expand her humorous style as well.
“It was a great place to write aggressive, freakish, clowny, digressive stuff without fear of losing my job,” Havrilesky said.
The author’s knowledge of different writing styles can influence students who are looking to start a career as a writer, Glatt said.
According to Havrilesky, work on a new novel has already commenced.
“My main writing career goal is to improve my writing as much as I can.” Havrilesky said.
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