2016 Fall Writers Series: W. Todd Kaneko

Calvin Center for Faith & Writing

In THE DEAD WRESTLER ELEGIES, up-and-coming poet W. Todd Kaneko mines the history of professional wrestling to examine complex relationships between fathers and sons and makes the wrestling ring an allegory of childhood, desire, and loss. All this as an Asian American and in spite of the racist melodramas that frequently play out in the personas of the wrestlers and between the athletes and audience. Kaneko will read from his book and discuss the racial dynamics of the sport, writing from and about Asian masculinity, and the literary properties of spandex. W. TODD KANEKO is not cool enough to be a rock star, not tall enough to be a professional wrestler and not virtuous enough to be a super hero. He is the author of THE DEAD WRESTLER ELEGIES (Curbside Splendor). His poems, essays and stories can be seen in BELLINGHAM REVIEW, LOS ANGELES REVIEW, BOXCAR POETRY REVIEW, BARRELHOUSE, THE COLLAGIST, [PANK], PAPER DARTS, MENACING HEDGE, BLACKBIRD, THE HUFFINGTON POST, SONG OF THE OWASHTANONG: GRAND RAPIDS POETRY IN THE 21ST CENTURY, 99 POEMS FOR THE 99 PERCENT and many other journals and anthologies. He holds degrees from Arizona State University and the University of Washington. A recipient of fellowships from Kundiman and the Kenyon Review Writers Workshop, his work has been nominated for Best of the Net and the Pushcart Prize. He is currently co-editor for WAXWING magazine, and an assistant professor in the department of writing at Grand Valley State University. Originally from Seattle, he currently lives in Grand Rapids with the writer Caitlin Horrocks. This series is presented in partnership with: African & African Diaspora Studies at Calvin College Ambrose @ WMCAT The Asian Studies Program at Calvin College Brazos Press The Calvin Center for Community Engagement & Global Learning The Calvin College Campus Store The Calvin College Associate Dean for Diversity & Inclusion The Calvin College History Department The Calvin College Office of the Provost The Calvin College Department of Sociology & Social Work Heyns Fund The Calvin College Student Life Division The Calvin Theater Company The Christian Reformed Church’s Office of Social Justice Event and Tech Services at Calvin College The Paul B. Henry Institute at Calvin College Schuler Books and Music