Those of us who read or write stories know that a fictional tale can have a great impact on a person’s life. But the most powerful narratives in our lives often are the stories that are shared in our daily lives, from one generation to the next, or from one region of the world to another. Stories have the power to shape our identities and influence our relationships, whether they are told or not. Taking a cue from her debut novel Black Cake, former Southern California journalist-turned-novelist and expat Charmaine Wilkerson will explore the impact of storytelling on our ideas of home, family and self, and what happens when untold stories come forward.
Ms. Wilkerson’s Athenaeum presentation is co-sponsored by the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies and the Center for Writing and Public Discourse, both at CMC.
Photo credit: Sian Trenberth
Author of the debut novel Black Cake, Charmaine Wilkerson is originally from New York, has lived in Jamaica, and currently does most of her writing in Italy. A former news and communication professional, Wilkerson lived in California for several years, working as a television news reporter and anchor in Los Angeles and Bakersfield. Her award-winning short fiction has appeared in various magazines and anthologies. She currently working on a second novel. Wilkerson is a graduate of Barnard College and Stanford University.
Ms. Wilkerson’s Athenaeum presentation is co-sponsored by the Gould Center for Humanistic Studies and the Center for Writing and Public Discourse, both at CMC.
Photo credit: Sian Trenberth
Food for Thought: Podcast with Charmaine Wilkerson
