Bibliophile Bios
Chair and Presenter:
Nancy E. Young’s love of reading and writing makes up some of her earliest memories, listening to stories from “hand-me-down” books from her older siblings, as well as writing what seemed to her quite profound poetry at age six. Nancy frequented libraries – and still does – as a patron, volunteer, and student worker. She especially keeps an eye out for current intercultural fiction by women, and deeply appreciates how the library allows her to read all kinds of books she wouldn’t normally select or purchase. Nancy also does a lot of reading and writing at New York University’s Office for International Students and Scholars as Associate Director. She seeks to merge her academic training in creative writing and intercultural relations. Nancy can be reached at nancy.young@nyu.edu.
Co-Presenters:
James E. Leck reads every word on the page so that the images develop like a photograph bathed in chemicals; and so that the timbre of each character’s voice becomes distinct. To James, reading is a visual and auditory experience. In addition to enjoying reading books set in southern Africa, where James once lived and worked, he enjoys reading plays and trying to understand the world through various forms of fiction and non-fiction. The process is helpful in his work in the International Students and Scholars Office at Boston University. It is also as a nice diversion. James can be reached at jleck@bu.edu.
Helen L. Stevens‘ father gave her a subscription to the Junior Literary Guild when she was five. That, coupled with learning how to use the library, and the fact that there was no TV at home, set her on the road to reading for Life, with fiction as the chosen route. Of special delight were the books that created environments she could see and touch; textures, tastes, smells, and sounds that were tangible and never forgotten. This reading was a threshold to the world outside Appalachia. At some point she realized that reading fiction from authors of other cultures was a fascinating means of culture learning. This was brought home to her when she read Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart to explore the Nigerian culture when advising Nigerian students. Since then, through stints at four universities in four states and four NAFSA regions, she has continued to live, learn and grow through beloved books from near and far. Helen now revels in reading as Director of International Programs and Services at San José State University, where she can be reached at helen.stevens@sjsu.edu.