The Mostly Monthly Reading Series continues this semester with contributing writers from the latest issue of Bamboo Ridge as guests of the special reading event, from 11 a.m. to noon on Monday, March 10, at the University of Hawai‘i–West O‘ahu’s James & Abigail Campbell Library, second-floor exhibition space.
The event will feature Joseph Stanton, Mahealani Perez Wendt, Marion Lyman-Mersereau, Lloyd Yamashige, and Cathy Song — who are among the contributors of “Bamboo Ridge Issue 126” (Bamboo Ridge Press 2024). There will also be snacks and prize drawings at the event.
Bamboo Ridge is a journal of Hawai‘i literature and arts. It is an outlet for all writers and a resource for the people of Hawai‘i to read their voices in stories and poems, according to event organizers.
In the newest edition of the journal, “Bamboo Ridge Issue 126,” celebrated playwright, author, and guest editor Victoria Nalani Kneubuhl brings together a compilation of work by 37 writers that captures the complexity of life in Hawai‘i with humor, resilience, and rich cultural narratives, according to a description by publisher Bamboo Ridge Press.
The description continues: “This anthology features an unprecedented number of new contributors to Bamboo Ridge, nearly matching the returning writers, creating a collection that feels intergenerational and dynamic. Pieces overlap in unexpected ways, offering fresh perspectives alongside familiar voices. Highlighting the tension between tradition and modernity, the bittersweet effects of time, and the struggle to preserve cultural identity in a rapidly shifting world, Issue #126 immerses readers in themes that resonate widely. Through satire, surrealism, mythology, and more, readers encounter stories of connection, spiritual ties to land, the lasting impact of colonization, and the enduring influence of ancestors.”
The Mostly Monthly Reading Series is presented in collaboration between faculty host Andy Godefroy, an English lecturer at UH West O‘ahu, and the James & Abigail Campbell Library.
Godefroy, who started the reading series in 2013, has said about past events, “This reading series is a great opportunity for our university community to interact with the larger literary community in Hawai‘i.”
The Mostly Monthly Reading Series event featuring writers from “Bamboo Ridge Issue 126” is open to UH West O‘ahu students, faculty, and staff, and the general public. Anyone who has questions or would like more info may email godefroy@hawaii.edu.
