The Oklahoma Conversation in the Humanities is an OHC signature event held annually in Tulsa. The conversation format erases the barriers of a formal lecture by engaging the public directly with writers, scholars, and other dignitaries in the humanities.

2009 Conversation with David Denby    

David Denby, film critic for The New Yorker magazine, was the featured speaker for OHC’s second annual Oklahoma Conversation in the Humanities. Denby was met by an enthusiastic audience, eager to ask questions about his experience as a film critic, the future of film and film preservation, and the negative tone of criticism he addresses in his new book, Snark.

Before joining The New Yorker, Denby was the film critic for New York magazine for 20 years. His writing has appeared in The Atlantic Monthly, The New York Review of Books, and The New Republic. Denby's newest book, Snark (Simon and Schuster, 2009), traces the history of a particular kind of personal insult, from its invention in the drinking clubs of ancient Athens through the age of the Internet, where it has become the style of media, politics, and celebrity websites.

Denby’s other books include Great Books (Simon & Schuster, 1997) and American Sucker (Little, Brown & Company, 2005). A selection of Denby’s books will be available for sale and signing following the presentation.

Many thanks to our sponsors:

BuildASign.com
KOSU—The State's Public Radio
KWGS—Public Radio Tulsa
National Endowment for the Humanities

Arrangements for the appearance of David Denby by Simon & Schuster Speakers Bureau, 437 Fifth Avenue, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10016. Photo by Casey Kelbaugh.

Conversation Links

David Denby Audio
Sara Paretsky Audio