English Professor Viswanathan Releases Three New Works, Including Novel Set in Fayetteville

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Padma Viswanathan, professor of fiction.

The Charterhouse of Padma, a novel set in Fayetteville written by Padma Viswanathan, a professor of fiction in the M.F.A. Program in Creative Writing and Translation is set for release by Godine early next week, and readers will have two opportunities to hear Viswanathan read and discuss the book locally.

From Godine's website: "The Charterhouse of Padma is full of delicious surprises, revelations, and sharply observed truths about what is to be brown, a woman, a wife, a mother, and an artist. Exhilarating, electrifying, charged with incisive intellect and humor, this is a novel for anyone who ever wondered how, or if, they ever chose the thing they love."

Two other works by Viswanathan were released earlier this year: Like Every Form of Love: A Memoir of Friendship and True Crime from Penguin Random House Canada, and a translation from the Portuguese of philosopher Djamila Ribeiro's Where We Stand was released by Yale University Press.

"In 2023-2024, Padma has published or will publish three books in three genres — translation, fiction and nonfiction. This is a rare and amazing accomplishment. We're all so proud of the scope and scale of the work Padma's done," said Toni Jensen, director of the Program in Creative Writing and Translation in the university's Department of English.

Viswanathan will read from the novel at two upcoming local events, one at Pearl's Books at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 7, and a reading, Q&A and book signing at 6 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at Two Friends Books in Bentonville, where she'll be joined by Geoffrey Brock, professor of poetry and literary translation. Professor Brock will read from his latest collection of poems, After, released by Paul Dry Books earlier this year.

Founded in 1966, the University of Arkansas Program in Creative Writing and Translation in the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences consistently ranks in the top 40 M.F.A. programs nationwide, according to Poets & Writers magazine. The Atlantic Monthly named the U of A among the "Top Five Most Innovative" M.F.A. programs in the nation. Noteworthy graduates include Barry Hannah, C.D. Wright, Lucinda Roy and Nic Pizzolatto.

About the Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences: The Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences is the largest and most academically diverse unit on campus with three schools, 16 departments and 43 academic programs and research centers. The college provides the core curriculum for all University of Arkansas students and is named for J. William Fulbright, former university president and longtime U.S. senator.