Newsletter of the

Society

Katherine Anne Porter Society Activities at the 2003 American Literature Association Conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts

Darlene Harbour Unrue of the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, chaired the Katherine Anne Porter Society's session, “Katherine Anne Porter and Other Writers: Parallels and Influence,” held at the American Literature Association Conference in Cambridge, Massachusetts, on Saturday, May 24, 2003. The session began with “‘Our Cleopatra’: Peter Taylor, Katherine Anne Porter, and Southern Identity” read by Professor Thomas Austenfeld, North Georgia College and State University. Charlotte Goodman of Skidmore College presented “Matrilineage: From Virginia Woolf to Katherine Anne Porter, from Katherine Anne Porter to Jean Stafford.” “Performing Nothing: Grotesque Vaudeville and Landed Tragedy in Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Katherine Anne Porter’s 'Hacienda' was the subject of the paper of Shannon Baley, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Texas at Austin. As Ms. Baley was unable to attend, Beth Alvarez read her paper at the session.

The society’s business meeting also took place on May 24. President Beth Alvarez reported that the balance in the Society’s account in the UNLV Foundation in 2002 was $1,699.46. In fiscal year 2002-2003, the society had no expenses and had revenue of $520.00. The balance in the society’s account in May 2003 was $2,219.46. The English Department at UNLV underwrites all mailing costs, and the Dean of the College of Liberal Arts funds the costs of printing the newsletter. The University of Maryland Libraries provides institutional support for the president/newsletter editor as well as hosting the society’s Web site. Membership in May 2003 was forty-eight regular members and nine honorary members.

Alvarez reported once again that, although the society’s revised by-laws were passed by a vote of the members, elections have yet to be held. The by-laws call for the election of president; the executive committee must conduct nominations. The active members of the executive committee are Darlene Unrue, Janis Stout, Thomas Austenfeld, Christine Hait, and Beth Alvarez. Members were urged to submit articles, news items, and announcements for the newsletter. Future meetings of the Society will be held at forthcoming American Literature Association conferences. Alexandra Subramanian will chair the session to be held in San Francisco, California, May 27-30, 2004. The title of the session will be “International Influences on Katherine Anne Porter’s Life and Writings,” and those present were urged to submit paper proposals for the session. Thomas Austenfeld will chair the May 2005 session in Boston, Massachusetts.