Highlighting Twilight

I’m not a fan of vampires. Nor am I a supporter of popular fiction, fantasy literature or cult films. You shouldn’t be surprised to know that I haven’t read any of Stephenie Meyers’ Twilight books, or seen any of the films based on them. However, I am a fan of looking at literature and film with a critical eye, so I’m certainly interested in exploring the question: Why is Twilight so popular? That’s why I’d recommend attending a Thursday-night presentation by the UC Davis faculty who wrote The Twilight Mystique: Critical Essays on the Novels and Films. The 13 essays in the collection explore the author’s controversial view on femininity, the series’ literary history and even the cult following which led to a tourism boom in Forks, Wash., where the series is set.