St. Joseph’s University, New York (SJNY) hosted two highly respected writers on campus last week—Merve Emre, Ph.D., contributing writer at The New Yorker, and Ezra Klein, New York Times columnist and political commentator.
Dr. Emre, the Shapiro-Silverberg Professor of creative writing and criticism at Wesleyan University, is also host of “The Critic and her Publics” podcast in partnership with The New York Review of Books and Lit Hub. Her essays and criticism have appeared in publications such as The New York Review of Books, Harper’s, The New York Times Magazine, The Atlantic, London Review of Books, PMLA, American Literature, American Literary History and Modernism/modernity, among others.
Mik Larson (left) and Merve Emre inside the Parlors.
Mik Larson, associate dean for international students and English language programs at SJNY, led the conversation with Dr. Emre inside the Parlors in Burns Hall on April 22.
Dr. Emre’s discussion centered around the evolution and proliferation of literary criticism, tapping into how it has evolved over time, including new mechanisms of delivery, such as podcasts and Substack (an online platform). She also shared insight about writing for different audiences—from casual readers of magazines to those who are immersed in scholarly monographs.
The event was well received by faculty and students.
“It was such a pleasure hearing Merve Emre talk about literary criticism,” said Barbare Sturua ‘26, who attended the event. For this journalism and new media studies student, the intimate setting at SJNY provided a unique experience for burgeoning writers like herself to listen to and meet an expert. “She is such a prolific writer and a critic, I look up to her and this event taught me a lot that I need to know for my future career as a writer. It was such an inspirational event,” Sturua noted.
Brooklyn Voices: Ezra Klein
Klein’s visit on April 24 was part of the University’s long-running Brooklyn Voices partnership with Greenlight Bookstore. The sold-out event also marked the last stop on the book tour for “Abundance,” his No. 1 New York Times bestseller.
The audience packed into the Tuohy Hall auditorium to hear from Klein, who was interviewed by PJ Vogt, host of “Search Engine,” a podcast.
“Abundance,” which Kelin co-authored with journalist Derek Thompson, is billed by its publisher as a “once-in-a-generation, paradigm-shifting call to renew a politics of plenty, face up to the failures of liberal governance, and abandon the chosen scarcities that have deformed American life.”
Klein, who founded the Vox website, is also host of “The Ezra Klein Show” podcast and author of “Why We’re Polarized,” which debuted in 2020.
