Page 31 - ARUBA TODAY

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PEOPLE & ARTS Thursday 22 February 2018
Ursula K. Le Guin Walter Mosley examines issues

wins posthumous of race in 'Down the River'

prize for essay writing By OLINE H. COGDILL Denise, he lives an isolated

Few mystery writers can ex- life. "Human connection
amine issues of race — how only reminded me of what I
NEW YORK (AP) — The by "authors of color." it divides and binds people could lose," he says.
late Ursula K. Le Guin was "This year's awardees rep- — as clearly and unflinch- King is jolted when he re-
among the recipients of resent the near and far ingly as Walter Mosley, who ceives a letter from the
literary honors present- corners of the literary land- returns to this theme in his woman who accused
ed Tuesday night by PEN scape, including writers stand-alone novel "Down him of assault, saying that
America. who have shattered barri- the River Unto the Sea." crooked cops forced her
The science fiction/fantasy ers of race, class, ethnicity, Racism, corruption and to bring the charges. King
author's "No Time to Spare" geography, gender and injustice flow well in this wasn't a popular detec-
won a $10,000 prize for best sexual orientation to bring novel, which introduces tive, but doesn't know what
essay writing. Le Guin died stories to new audiences, former NYPD Detective Joe he did to incur such ha-
last month at age 88 and unlock empathy and take King Oliver, now the owner- tred. He's barely begun to
her award was announced places of distinction within operator of King Detec- look into what happened
during a New York ceremo- our collective canon," PEN tive Service in the Brooklyn to him when he is asked to
ny hosted by PEN, the liter- America Executive Direc- Heights neighborhood of look into the case of A Free This cover image released
ary and human rights orga- tor Suzanne Nossel said in New York City. King, as he Man, the name militant by Mulholland Books shows
nization. a statement. "In times of prefers to be called, spent journalist Leonard Comp- "Down the River Unto the Sea,"
Poet Layli Long Soldier's challenge great literature several months in jail on ton calls himself. Compton a novel by Walter Mosley.
debut collection "Where- offers a desperately need- phony assault charges be- is on death row for shooting Associated Press
as" won a $75,000 award ed window onto other pos- fore the case was dropped two police officers though a vicious career criminal
for the year's best book. sibilities." Lifetime achieve- without an explanation. he claimed it was self-de- who hasn't forgotten that
Jenny Zhang's story collec- ment awards had been That was 13 years ago, and fense. King's investigations King once saved his life.
tion "Sour Heart" received previously announced the arrest ended his police take him on a journey to Examining how discrimina-
a $25,000 prize for best de- and were given to Ed- career and his marriage. It underground bars — the tion and prejudice affects
but fiction and Alexis Oke- mund White, who won the also "broke" him because of kind that need a password African-Americans is right
owo's "A Moonless, Starless PEN/Saul Bellow Award the frequent beatings and — after-hours nightclubs in Mosley's wheelhouse.
Sky: Ordinary Women and for American fiction, and violence he endured from and remote diners. Along The author doesn't miss a
Men Fighting Extremism in Edna O'Brien, winner of the other prisoners and guards the way, he unleashes a beat weaving this into the
Africa" won a $5,000 award PEN/Nabokov Award for in- while in jail. Except for his maelstrom of violence. He's gritty plot of "Down the Riv-
given to outstanding works ternational literature.q 17-year-old daughter, Aja- helped by Melquarth Frost, er Unto the Sea."q

Mexican network fires producer after actress' allegation

MEXICO CITY (AP) — Mex- name or names of her at-
ico's largest television net- tackers and file charges
work said Wednesday it has against them, so that these
severed ties with indepen- regrettable and lamen-
dent producer Gustavo table acts she suffered will
Loza after actress Karla not go unpunished.” Souza
Souza said she was raped has made both movies and
early in her career by a pro- TV series in Mexico, and in
ducer she did not name. the United States she ap-
Loza denied that Souza's peared in the series “How
accusation was directed to Get Away With Murder.”
at him, and called on her She starred in Mexico’s big-
to name the producer in- gest box-office hit prior to
volved. It was one of the “Coco,” a film entitled “The
first high-profile complaints Noble Family.” In an inter-
of sexual misconduct in view with CNN, Souza de-
the Mexican entertain- scribed a producer early in
ment industry. The Televisa her career who groomed,
network said in a state- pressured and groped her,
ment Wednesday that and one night raped her.q
Loza's projects have been
cancelled. He was not an
employee of the firm, but
produced successful series In this May 28, 2015 file photo, Karla Souza attends the "How To Get Away With Murder" ATAS Event
at Sunset-Gower Studios in Los Angeles.
for the network. The com- Associated Press
pany wrote that "after a
preliminary investigation,
Televisa has decided to scribed today." In his Twit- “Televisa cannot take on the victim has never men-
immediately break all rela- ter account, Loza wrote, the role of investigator, tioned my name.” “I re-
tions with Gustavo Loza," "I deny all the accusations prosecutor and much less spectfully ask her to clear
adding "Televisa will not tol- against me." In a separate judge, condemning me in this situation up in the news
erate conduct like that de- statement, Loza wrote, the media, above all when media, by mentioning the