Ozeki Trick or Treat

The practice of children screaming “trick or treat” when visiting your home on Halloween evening didn’t begin in America until the 1940’s. Usually there wasn’t a trick because most homes offered their ghoulish visitors a treat, even though my Dad insisted on handing out apples.  Growing up I was embarrassed by his healthy handout, now, I recognize he was ahead of his time.

This week author Ruth Ozeki  is the guest the University of Wisconsin – Madison.  The campus coordinates a program called ‘Go Big Read’.  A book is selected each year for study by the entire campus (+42,000 students).  All 5000 entering freshmen were given a copy of Ozeki’s latest novel A TALE FOR THE TIME BEING.  For a week there have been discussion groups across campus that Ozeki participated in and 60 courses offered to students on her novel.  Any writer would be envious of both the book sales and attention Go Big Read generates.

Part of Ozeki’s duties for the week included making a presentation to a room of 1200 readers and I was one of the mega-audience attending.  We didn’t learn until she began speaking that she had no intention of talking about her novel, instead, she lectured us on “How To Be A Better Time Being”, which she read directly from notes.  In a forty-five minute presentation she shared only a thread of information on writing A TALE . . . It wasn’t even obvious that she had six points to share with us on ‘how to be a better time being’ until she announced number three and told us there would be a total of six.

Ozeki is a Zen Buddhist priest and had us spend +10 minutes meditating.  Again, not at all what I expected in an author’s book reading.  I’m not against meditating, but I am against being put in a position that I have to meditate with 1198 strangers, it was inappropriate and offensive.

At the close of her presentation 30 minutes was allocated to a Q & A.  The professor moderator, of  course, had to start with his own question – not that 1200 people in a college setting would need any prompting to ask questions.  He only wanted to show us how important he was, that he had to lead the questioning.  We once called that pompous and self-important.

All of the questions posed were about A Tale . . ., not a single question about how to be a better time being.  She didn’t answer a single question.  She stuttered and danced around any direct, meaningful answers. 

So, this Halloween we received a trick from author Ruth Ozeki.  My recommendation is, if you have a chance to attend one of her author readings, skip it.