I am so glad that I attended Joseph O'Conner's presentation. I found so much interest not only in his writing, but also in his charisma and the way he spoke. It completely intrigued me how articulate he was. I seem to note in many Irish accents how articulate their speech is, but O'Conner caught me even more by suprise. Just by the way he spoke, I automatically gained the upmost respect for him. I believe O'Conner is an excellent writer. As he read various readings from his novels and poems, I was fully engaged in what he was saying. My most definite favorite reading was the incerpt from "Redemption Falls." That reading was by far one of the most love letters I have ever heard. Combined with the feeling he provoked as his read this incerpt, I felt the soldier's pain. The soldier completely pour his heart out to this woman, his "changeling", even for the "minimalistic hope" that she could love him in return. I was captured by the simple phrases as "I stared at the nothings she touched, the mirror she looked in as she cried, the sink she washed her hands in." I also loved his last reading, a poem I believe to be mainly inspired by Baruch. This poem had a very rhythmic feel. At one point, it almost sounded as if he was rapping. I loved how he combined humor with the reality of the world today. His reading about Patty Smith was also intriguing and humorous. One particular phrase he said was "As long I live, I won't forget it" (In regard to his first seeing Patty Smith sing). He said this statement so dramatically, it left the audience with the same feeling as the narrator, remembering a moment they should never forget. All in all, this was an excellent presentation. I would really like to find out more about Joseph O'Conner and his collection of work.