Speaker:
Christine Echeverria Bender

Christine Echeverria Bender, a Basque-American writer of historical fiction is coming to UCSB to talk about the artistry and the research that she mixes in her novels. These are tales of human experience and adventure often involving Basque characters, sailing and exploration, both historically prominent activities among Basques. She has recently finished a novel about Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo's 1542 voyage of discovery up the Mexico and California coast. About 'The Whaler's Forge', one of her novels, Dr. William Fitzhugh, Archaeological Curator of the Smithsonian Institution, says: "The activities of Basque whalers in early northeastern North America are the biggest historical secret of New World history. Christine Echeverria Bender brings their lives to light in a spell-binding story about a Basque man living among Native Americans. Information from history, Native life, and archaeology all contribute to a dramatic tale that is so plausible, it makes you think it really happened." Bender will talk about _The Whaler's Forge_ and her other novels on Monday, February 6th at 10 a.m. in the McCune Room. Sponsored by the Barandiaran Chair of Basque Studies and the Spanish and Portuguese Department.