John-- Thanks for the call. I don't think I'll be attending ALA for the first time in a long time (and I'll miss it); I'll be in Denmark through July anyway, maybe a little longer. I think the Mark Twain players is a great idea. We've got a number of personalities among our community who could be great. Keep me posted about anything that I can assist with as a member of the Exec. Comm. Best, --LH Larry Howe Professor of English Chair, Department of Literature and Languages Roosevelt University Fulbright Distinguished Chair in American Studies, Syddansk Universitet--Odense, 2014-15 ________________________________________ From: Mark Twain Forum <[log in to unmask]> on behalf of John Bird <[log in to unmask]> Sent: Wednesday, January 7, 2015 4:51 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Deadline for ALA Looming The deadline for ALA in Boston, May 21-25, is fast approaching, January = 15. Please send to me if you have a proposal for the first session or = want to be a part of the second. John Bird President, Mark Twain Circle of America [log in to unmask] Mark Twain and Disability Mark Twain=E2=80=99s works are filled with characters who are challenged = by disability, a theme he explored throughout his career. His constant = focus on the body yields a rich and interesting set of themes and ideas. = This session calls for papers that use the emerging field of disability = studies to examine Twain=E2=80=99s work. Preference will be given to = works that have a relatively narrow focus rather than broad overviews. = Papers should have some theoretical connection to disability studies, = although Twain should be the main focus. Send 250-500 word abstracts by = January 15, 2015 to John Bird, [log in to unmask] Returning to the Scene of the =E2=80=9CCrime=E2=80=9D: Mark = Twain=E2=80=99s =E2=80=9CWhittier Birthday Speech=E2=80=9D Re-enacted = and Reconsidered Rather than a session of papers, this session will involve a = re-enactment of Twain=E2=80=99s notorious Whittier Birthday Speech, = delivered at Boston=E2=80=99s Hotel Brunswick in 1877, with a reading of = the speech, readings of newspaper accounts, readings from letters = between William Dean Howells and Twain, and readings of reminiscences by = both Howells and Twain. A discussion will follow. Persons who plan to = attend the conference and are willing to read parts (and thus join the = company of The Mark Twain Players) should contact John Bird by January = 15, 2015. Scripts will be distributed in advance of the conference. Send = to [log in to unmask]