Explore magical realism and the genre's influence on literature.

Join us for an engaging presentation on the literary genre of magical realism. We will explore the key characteristics of this unique style of storytelling that blends realistic settings and characters with elements of fantasy and myth.

Magical realism arose in Latin American literature in the mid-20th century and has since spread around the world. In magical realist works, supernatural events and imagery are incorporated into otherwise ordinary narratives in a matter-of-fact way. The author makes no attempt to justify or explain the magical elements - they simply occur as part of the story.

In this presentation, we’ll discuss seminal magical realist novels like Gabriel Garcia Marquez's One Hundred Years of Solitude and Isabel Allende's The House of the Spirits. We will examine how these works use magical elements to comment on society and human nature.

We will also explore the history of magical realism and its influence on contemporary world literature. Whether you are already a fan of Marquez and Allende or completely new to magical realism, this presentation will give you an engaging overview of the genre and its significance.

Please join us for what promises to be an illuminating look at the spellbinding world of magical realist fiction! Let yourself be transported by some of literature's most enchanting stories.

Joel Clements is a local writer and teacher. He has taught literature and writing for Bend LaPine schools, COCC, and OSU-Cascades, and presented multiple Deschutes Library and Novel Idea seminars over the years. As a writer/performer, he has contributed to multiple regional and national publications, and his most recent short film appeared in festivals in the US and Europe. "The Times" once identified him as a humor writer of note. He worked professionally as a storyteller and comedian for several years. He lives in Bend with his wife, Michele, and kids, Zoe, Oscar, and Phoebe.

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