Since 2012, the Contemporary Art Museum has offered its members an innovative book club that combines art and literature. “Every season, CAM works with exhibiting artists to select a book that has influenced their creative process,” says assistant director of development Brie Alley. To lead the discussion, the museum brings in an expert in a related field. The club, offered three times a year, brings together people interested in literature and contemporary art who might not otherwise meet, Alley says.
“They discuss topics they have read about and are excited about, and it’s a great way to meet new people and experience literature you might not normally choose to read.” During the meetings, members often end up sharing personal experiences, she notes. For the discussion of The Feast of the Goat, led by a Washington University art and archaeology professor, one attendee shared his family members’ experiences growing up in the Dominican Republic, where the book takes place. “He really opened our eyes to show us that this book basically encompasses all of this historical evidence in a fictional setting,” Alley says.
[about the book]
The Feast of the Goat, a novel by Mario Vargas Llosa, tells of Urania Cabral’s journey to her native Dominican Republic, where she relives the events of 1961, when dictator Rafael Trujillo terrorized the country.
[opinions]
>>“An intriguing read, The Feast of the Goat does a great job weaving fact and storytelling in this historical novel on Dominican politics and culture in the 1950s and 1960s. It certainly opened my eyes to the reign of terror that was the Trujillo era!” — Cholé Risto
>> “Vargas’ novel covers a fascinating period of history in the Dominican Republic. The Trujillo era is not known well outside the country, but it should be! The CAM Book Club’s discussions highlighted this topic in a lively and engaging way.” — David Curiel
[favorite]
The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner
[up next]
Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy
Pictured, front: Brie Alley, Kelly Shindler, Cholé Risto. Back: Ila Sheren, Shannon Parker, David Curiel, Megan Curiel, Kevin Byerley
Photo: Bill Barrett
