Meeting an 18-Year-Old Author Instead of Sigrid Nunez
Searching for an event that would make up for the Sigrid Nunez Reading at the Newman Conference Center at Baruch on Tuesday, I quickly realized that I had not look too far. Macaulay’s common events can actually be very beneficial besides contradictory observations many students had made after the first event. I was lucky to have met a guy that over the last two months has become a dear friend of mine: Sean.
Besides his secondary occupation as a student, he is an established author, a motivational speaker and an entrepreneur. He started writing his first book at the age of five-teen, when most other teenagers where complaining about a four-page English paper. His “baby”, “The Sitcoms of Norman Liar”, was released in October 2006, published by McFarland & Co. Meeting with him, Sean gave me great insight into what it means to be an author at our age, giving book signings at Barnes & Nobles on the weekends, organize motivational seminars, or simply have people twice your age, already established in the entertainment industry, ask you for advice on how to write a hit-sitcom. I was absolutely astounded by the drive and ambition Sean brings to the table. He read me a chapter of his book and even though I did not grow up watching Norman Lear sitcoms such as “All In The Family”, the insightfulness of the book allowed me to immerse into American television culture. He gives great detail and an absolutely sophisticated opinion about how Lear’s sitcoms had a positive influence on American culture – it’s very interesting.
Though I missed out on hearing a reading by Sigrid Nunez, I think my substitute event had a quite different impact on me because of the connection to the author. I was reassured how unlimited the opportunities are to actively pursue something even at our age and on top of that be very successful with it. Sean is a great example for working hard, enjoying life and make a living with what you love doing.
October 29th, 2007 at 2:27 pm
thats awesome, i have a friend who also loves to write and he published a book last year and it feels so cool to know someone whose done that! lol