Professor Margaret Soltan, via Columbia News Service, talking about Gchat and professor-student interaction: For Margaret Soltan, an English professor at George Washington University, Gchat is wonderful for connecting with students outside of class. Over the years, the tech-savvy teacher has accumulated dozens of students on her Gchat list, and she chats with them frequently. While…

Please keep in mind the two competitive-admission courses we are offering for the spring: 1. Screenwriting with Jason Filardi (Filardi is a GW English alumnus, and the writer of several scripts for comedies that have grossed in the millions) 2. Fiction Writing with Edward P. Jones (Jones won the Pulitzer in 2004 for The Known…

English will celebrate Chris Sten’s recent collection on September 13 A lot is going on in the English Department this month. In addition to the just-announced Evening with Toni Morrison, we are thrilled to be celebrating the publication of Prof. Chris Sten’s book Literary Capital: A Washington Reader on Tuesday, September 13 from 4-5:30 p.m….

We are pleased to announce that Nadeem Aslam’s visa has been granted, and that the GW-British Council Writer in Residence has been rescheduled for Feb. 1-29. Mark your calendar now for the evening of Feb. 7, when Aslam will read from his work at the Marvin Center. Details will follow, along with a complete list…

Here is a photograph of acclaimed British writer and public intellectual Howard Jacobson in warmer climes. Howard has been “in residence” since Monday, but the weather gods seem intent on making it impossible for us to hold any classes with him. But we will not be cowed by Snowpocalypse 2010. We are stronger than that.Show…

You might know that Dan Brown’s latest mystery is set here in DC. You might not know that Professor Margaret Soltan has read it, and talked about the book last night on the Lehrer News Hour. From the transcript (here): MARGARET SOLTAN: [Mystery blockbusters] appeal to a large audience because they’re fun to read, they’re…