TAMIU Lecture on Cervantes Features Rare Books, Insight from Dr. Ray M. Keck

An opportunity to not only see but learn about the eternal works of the Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes took place Tuesday, April 11, 2023 at 6 p.m. at Texas A&M International University’s (TAMIU) Sue and Radcliffe Killam Library Great Room on the third floor.

The event,“Cervantes & Don Quijote:  The Enduring Legacy for the Ages,” was free of charge and open to all.

Dr. Ray M. Keck, President Emeritus and scholar of Spanish and Cervantes, provided a special lecture. The evening also included a chance to see books from the Cliffe Killam Collection including rare first and illustrated Spanish editions, for the first time at TAMIU.

Helping to emcee the event was Dr. Lola Norris, TAMIU associate professor of Spanish and Translation in the College of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Norris was one of three individual statewide recipients of the 2022 Chancellor’s Academy of Teacher Educators Award presented by Texas A&M University System Chancellor John Sharp.

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the Spanish language and one of the world's pre-eminent novelists. He is best known for the epic novel Don Quixote, often cited as the first modern novel and "the first great novel of world literature." Don Quixote is often thought to explore the balance between reality and imagination, realism and idealism, and humankind's coping with the inevitability of death.

Cervantes was born in 1547 in Alcala de Henares, Spain, and died on April 22, 1616, in Madrid. 

Rosanne Palacios, TAMIU vice president for institutional advancement, said the event offered something for all ages.

“Dr. Keck, who served as TAMIU’s president from 2001-2016, is a renowned academic and lecturer. His passion for Spanish literature, and Cervantes in particular, are well-known to our community, and he has encouraged Spanish study throughout his career.

“This event, with the very rare opportunity to see the original published works of the revered titan of Spanish literature, presented a very exciting opportunity for all who share a love of the Spanish language, the works of Cervantes, and his enduring legacy,” Palacios said.

For additional information, contact Palacios at 956.326.4483 or email gobeyond@tamiu.edu

Registration for TAMIU’s Maymester, Summer, and Fall 2023 is now underway.

To learn more about TAMIU’s Registration processes, visit the dedicated Registration Hub at https://go.tamiu.edu/registration. 

Spanish studies available at TAMIU include two undergraduate programs in Spanish and Spanish with All-Level Certification and the Master of Arts in Language, Literature, and Translation with a Concentration in Spanish.

Program information is available online at https://www.tamiu.edu/coas/lla/Spanish.shtml