Since 1995, the Marino Family International Writers' Academic Workshop has engaged new students in the thoughtful reading of a text by a major international author. During the summer prior to their matriculation into the academic life of Georgetown, the university asks first-year students to read a text selected by a committee of faculty and librarians. At the beginning of the fall semester, the author of the selected text comes to campus to discuss the novel and the life of writing with all incoming freshmen. This year's Marino Family International Writers' Workshop centers on Álvaro Enrigue's novel You Dreamed of Empires.
A companion exhibition for You Dreamed of Empires is currently on display in the Stephen Richard Kerbs Exhibit Area on the 3rd floor of Lauinger Library. The historic sources offer a glimpse into the history, culture, and language of Tenochtitlan (present-day Mexico City). Memorable motifs from the novel appear throughout the exhibit, such as Moctezuma's intricate featherwork depicted in Historia general de las cosas de Nueva España, and the translation of cauallo (horse) from Nahuatl to Spanish in a sixteenth century Spanish/Nahuatl dictionary.
The exhibit will be on display until November 20, 2026
We also invite you to join the Lattes and Lit Book Club and the Department of Spanish and Portuguese for a discussion of "You Dreamed of Empires" on September 17, from 5:00-6:00 pm in the Murray Room, 5th floor of Lauinger Library. Lattes and Lit book club is open to all Georgetown students, faculty, and staff. Our meetings provide an excellent opportunity to discuss books and socialize, network, and share diverse perspectives with people across academic departments, roles, and generations in a no-pressure environment. The Midnight Mug, which co-sponsors Lattes and Lit with the Library, also supplies coffee and other tasty treats!