ASU professor, author at MCC for New Words
Mutinkhe Kaunda
Eager MCC students listened to Alberto Ríos read from his latest publication, “Theater of Night,” at a New Words reading and book signing event on Nov. 5. The New Words creative reading event is sponsored by the English department each semester.
According to event coordinator and residential faculty Josh Rathkamp, the department selected Ríos not only because he is a native writer, born in Nogales, Ariz., but also because he is “highly recognized as a teacher” who is “very inspirational.”
Ríos is an Arizona State University Regents’ professor, who has taught at the university for 26 years.
A much applauded poet and author, Ríos has published and won awards for a wide body of work including nine books of poetry, three short stories and a memoir.
This year, Ríos was named the 2009 One Book Arizona winner for his memoir, “Capirotada: A Nogales Memoir.”
At the reading, Ríos began by offering a context for his award-winning memoir.
He then read poems from “The Smallest Muscle in the Human Body,” a finalist for the National Book Award.
Ríos finished off with, “The Dangerous Shirt” inspired by Rathkamp, a former student.
The poem can be found in an upcoming publication of the same name.
Behind most of Ríos’ work, there always seems to be a person, place or event that he describes.
According to Ríos, he is inspired by personal experiences.
Born of a Mexican father and an English mother, the book “Capirotada,” for example, traces his childhood in a multicultural neighborhood in the border town Nogales, where the United States meets Mexico.
Ríos’ works reflects the strange juxtaposition of Mexican and U.S. culture.
As an author and educator, Ríos offers the tool of language to create a cultural dialog and to remind people that whatever their nationality, creed, or political affiliation there is something that bonds people; language and creative spirit.
