Dr. Anthony Varallo speaks for the Oswald Distinguished Writer's Series
As the lights dropped on a mostly filled Etherredge Center auditorium Thursday night, Dr. Anthony Varallo took to the spotlight. Dr. Varallo hails from the College of Charleston where he teaches in the Master’s program in the fine art of creative writing. Author of five critically acclaimed books, he was the winner of the National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Literature in 2002.
Dr. Varallo shared with the audience a flash fiction of only about 500 words that his “son, who is 17 years old, reminds (him) that anytime (he) read(s) this story in public, (he is) to give (his son) credit.”
The story that followed, which was inspired by a fall out his son had with a friend in kindergarten, held the audience captive in its grasp. Dr. Varallo’s son would not say the name of his former friend when relaying what happened but instead called him “my enemy.” Thus the short story was titled “My Enemy.”
The story told of his adventure visiting with a dental hygienist. He met various people who he called his enemy for causing him discomfort or frustration. The humor laced within the story drew laughter from the audience.
Dr. Vallaro also read an excerpt from the novel that granted him the distinction of the Oswald Distinguished Writer Series, “The Lines.” He explained that the novel is set during the summer of 1979 and was named after the gas lines that were commonplace at the time. There was a gas crisis that hit the nation when oil prices nearly doubled in a matter of weeks. Long lines of cars were seen at gas stations throughout the nation.
The reading started with a story about two parents who tried to explain to their two children, an older girl and her younger brother, that they were getting a divorce. Dr. Varallo shared that “the opening scene with the smash-up derby is as best (he) can remember a factual record of how (his) parents told (him) they were getting divorced.” From there, the story diverges into a work of fiction.
His stories tend to tie together difficult discussions about life with a fair amount of humor and suggest that his subject matter is a result of knowing the “limitations of (his) talent and (his) abilities as presented.”
While it is true that his novel, “The Lines,” looks at difficult themes from childhood such as divorce, distant relationships with loved ones, amoral individuals and a very drunk and kleptomaniac grandmother, the humor laced throughout the stories help make them seem less dark and more palatable. It is little wonder that Dr. Varallo has won so many awards for his writing style.
Dr. Anthony Varallo’s book “The Lines” is available for purchase at the campus bookstore for $13.
