The great themes in the narrative of humankind’s experience on
this planet have not changed in thousands of years—love, peace,
war, faith—how to live with honor and compassion in the face of
apparently impossible choices. One of those ever-present
verities is the seemingly tidal pattern of peace and war in our
shared history.
The 32nd Annual Old Dominion University Literary Festival will
use the light of literature to examine the theme of war and
peace. Perhaps Einstein was right when he said that "as long as
there are sovereign nations possessing great power, war is
inevitable." But Buckminster Fuller may also have been right
when he remarked that "either man is obsolete or war is." In
literature we look not for answers but for ways of experiencing
the world and opening our minds to new patterns of seeing. In
this way, literature legislates to the individual heart, potentially
changing the world one soul at a time.
The writers, visual artists and photographers who share their
stories with you this year will attempt to map out the complex
landscape from World War II through the present. Our
community in Hampton Roads–as deeply as any community in the
United States–feels the effects and after-effects of conflict
around the world. Our hope is that the four days between
October 6-9 will be a time where our voices rise up, writers and
readers, speakers and listeners alike, to create a new way of
looking at who we are and where we might be heading.
Literature is a conversation. We invite you to share in it.
Michael Pearson and Janet Peery,
2009 Festival Directors
