In this four-part weekly series Ink in the Grooves: Book Club, Florence Dore—both a professor at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and a singer-songwriter—will pair one classic American short story per week with classic American songs. Complete with her live performances of the songs in question, these multi-media sessions will clarify the historical relation between popular music and literature and raise important questions about the function of culture in society more generally.

Open to: Teenagers and adults with intermediate to advanced English language skills.

Perfect for: Book and music lovers, writers, dreamers, word lovers, and anyone interested in contemporary culture

Meets: Every Tuesday in February 2023 at 7:00-8:00 p.m. MSK on YouTube and VK. Tune in to the livestream to listen to the presentation and to ask your questions live. 

Led by: Dr. Florence Dore, who received her BA in English from Wesleyan University, and her PhD in English at the University of California at Berkeley, teaches contemporary fiction, the American novel, and songwriting at UNC-Chapel Hill. Also, an author and musician, her latest literary work, Ink in the Grooves: Conversations on Literature and Rock ‘n’ Roll, brings together a remarkable array of acclaimed novelists, musicians, and music writers to explore the provocatively creative relationship between musical and literary inspiration. Dore takes an autoethnographic approach in her introduction and discusses how in her undergraduate days she found herself reading elite, high-art literature by day, and performing popular, “lowbrow” rock music by night."

Schedule and materials: 

(click on the links to read the short stories and listen to the songs)

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WEEK ONE February 7, 2023

Fiction: “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor (Russian translation "Хорошего человека найти не легко")

Songs: “A Good Man is Hard to Find” (Bessie Smith); “From Mother’s Arms to Korea” (The Louvin Brothers)

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WEEK TWO February 14, 2023

Story: “Long Black Song,” Richard Wright

Songs: “Frankie and Johnny” (Leadbelly); “House Carpenter” (Bob Dylan)

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WEEK THREE February 21, 2023

Story: “People Like That are the Only People Here: Canonical Babbling in the Peed Onk,” Lorrie Moore

Songs: “We Gotta Get Out of this Place” (The Animals); “Caroline, No” (The Beach Boys)

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WEEK FOUR February 28, 2023

Story: “I Could See the Smallest Things” Raymond Carver (Russian translation "Хоть иголки собирай")

Songs: “Two of Us” (The Beatles); “Amplifier” (the dBs); “Highways and Rocketships” (Florence Dore); “Mutineer” (Warren Zevon)

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ALL AMERICAN CENTER IN MOSCOW EVENTS ARE FREE OF CHARGE / ВСЕ МЕРОПРИЯТИЯ АМЕРИКАНСКОГО ЦЕНТРА В МОСКВЕ БЕСПЛАТНЫ

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This event will be livestreamed on the American Center in Moscow’s YouTube channel, VK group, and Telegram channel. The recording of the presentation will remain available on the American Center in Moscow’s YouTube channel and VK group.

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