Chapman’s Literary Coup

French novelist and filmmaker Alain Robbe-Grillet, considered one of the foremost spokesmen for the French literary movement known as Noveau Roman, will be a guest lecturer Tuesday evening at Chapman University in Orange.

His lecture, “The New Novel and the New Autobiography,” at 8 p.m., is open to the public.

Prior to Robbe-Grillet’s talk, his latest film, “Un Bruit Qui Rend Fou” (“A Noise That Drives You Crazy”) will be screened at 3 p.m. in Argyros Forum, Room 208. The screening, which will be the film’s second showing in the United States, will be followed by a question-and-answer session with Robbe-Grillet.

Bringing the 75-year-old author-filmmaker to Chapman is considered a major coup.

“I’d say it’s kind of miraculous,” says Martin Nakell, associate professor of English and comparative literature at Chapman. “When I proposed it, everybody sort of said, ‘No way. Somebody of that stature. . . .’ I swear, I don’t know why he accepted. I really don’t. It’s a big trip for him to make.”

Nakell says Robbe-Grillet’s work challenges the established order of the novel and, consequently, the established order of Western thought.

“He’s interested in a novel that creates its own rules as it goes along, and by rules I mean rules of time, character, plot--everything is up for questioning. And principally it challenges the ideas of Western culture in a couple of ways. One of the primary ways is he questions the idea that the world is knowable, which is the whole thrust of Western culture since the Renaissance.”

Among Robbe-Grillet’s novels are “Erasers,” “The Voyeur,” “Jealousy” and “In the Labyrinth.” His films include “L’Immortelle,” and “La Belle Captive.” He also wrote the script for “Last Year at Marienbad” (1961), which was directed by Alain Resnais.

Of Robbe-Grillet’s films, Nakell says: “They’re nontraditional in that they’re more concerned with image than they are with narrative. There is a narrative to the films, but they’re presented in an unraveling sequence of haunting and often beautiful images which add up to a whole picture.”

The director’s appearance has created a buzz in the film community, Nakell says, and a number of people associated with the industry will be attending.

Nakell says members of the French consulate, which has been involved in organizing the visit, will also be on hand Tuesday night, as will students and faculty members from the literature, French and film departments of UCI, UCLA, USC and UC San Diego.

Robbe-Grillet’s appearance is part of Chapman’s Distinguished Writers Series started in 1983 as a venue for writers of national and international repute and significance to speak and share their work.

Admission to Tuesday’s lecture is $5. Tickets can be purchased at the door or by calling the Chapman box office at (714) 997-6812. The event will be at 8 p.m. in the Chapman Auditorium, 333 N. Glassell St., Orange.

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A meeting to see if there is any interest in forming an Orange County chapter of the California Writers Club will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday in the community room of Downey Savings, 201 Bastanchury Road, Fullerton.

The club, the largest professional writers’ group in California, was founded in 1909 by Jack London. For more information, call (714) 871-7322 or (714) 879-7327.

Also This Week

* Poet Jackson Wheeler will read at 5 p.m. today at the F.A.C.T. Gallery, 30812 Coast Highway, Laguna Beach.

* Enid Futterman, author of “Bittersweet Journey: A Modestly Erotic Novel of Love, Longing and Chocolate,” will sign at 2 p.m. today at Barnes & Noble, 26751 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo.

* Biba Caggiano, author of “Italy Al Dente: The Glories of Italian Cooking,” will speak and sign at 7:30 p.m. Monday at Barnes & Noble in Metro Pointe, 901 South Coast Drive, Costa Mesa.

* Poet G. Murray Thomas will read at 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Gypsy Den Cafe and Reading Room in the Lab, 2930 Bristol St., Costa Mesa.

* Olga Loya, author of “Momentos Magicos: Tales From Latin America,” will read and sign at 7 p.m. Thursday at Martinez Books & Art, 200 N. Main St., Santa Ana.

* Diana Sedo, author of “Taking Tea With Alice,” will sign at 7 p.m. Friday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

* Earlene Fowler, author of “Dove in the Window,” will sign at 7 p.m. Friday at Borders Books, 25222 El Paseo, Mission Viejo. Fowler also will sign at 3 p.m. Saturday at Book Carnival, 348 S. Tustin Ave., Orange; and at 7 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 13712 Jamboree Road, Irvine.

* Paul Fick, author of “The Dysfunctional President,” will speak and sign at 2 p.m. Saturday at Barnes & Noble, 26751 Aliso Creek Road, Aliso Viejo.

Send information about book-related events at least 10 days before event to: Dennis McLellan, O.C. Books & Authors, Life & Style, The Times, 1375 Sunflower Ave., Costa Mesa, CA 92626.