MSU Writer-in-Residence to promote appreciation for reading
Contact: Tyler Powell
STARKVILLE, Miss. 鈥 New York Times best-selling fiction author and National Book Award finalist Jess Walter will read from his works during a public program at 幺力视频 on Feb. 22. 聽
Walter鈥檚 7:30 p.m. reading is sponsored by the university's Institute for the Humanities. Held in Taylor Auditorium in McCool Hall, the event is free and open to the public.
Serving as MSU鈥檚 Writer-in-Residence, Walter will interact with members of the university and surrounding community during his four-day visit, participating in a variety of activities to increase appreciation of literature, reading and writing.听
In addition to the Feb. 22 event, Walter will meet with individual students during his office hours and will visit an advanced fiction workshop.听Walter also will offer opportunities for students to meet informally with him for lunch or coffee breaks.
Walter鈥檚 skills as an author and observer of the human condition will 鈥渆nrich our students鈥 experience and knowledge at 幺力视频,鈥 said director of the Institute for the Humanities Julia Osman.
聽鈥淛ess Walter is a celebrated author,鈥 Osman said. 鈥淗is work is entertaining and engrossing, and it offers real insight on the joyous messiness of life and our relationships.鈥
Walter has written six novels, including Citizen Vince聽(HarperCollins, 2005);聽The Zero聽(HarperCollins, 2006), a finalist for both the National Book Award and the L.A. Times Book Prize and winner of the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award; The Financial Lives of the Poets聽(HarperCollins, 2009); and聽Beautiful Ruins聽(HarperCollins, 2012).听Beautiful Ruins聽was named Esquire magazine鈥檚 book of the year and National Public Radio-Fresh Air鈥檚 best novel of 2012.听
A three-time finalist for the Washington State Book Award in fiction,聽Walter also is the author of the acclaimed short story collection We Live in Water (HarperCollins, 2013), long-listed for the Frank O鈥機onnor International Short Story Award, as well as the non-fiction book聽Ruby Ridge: The Truth and Tragedy of the Randy Weaver Family聽(HarperCollins, 2002), a finalist for the PEN USA literary nonfiction award.
Writer-in-Residence visits are 鈥渢remendously beneficial for students, who get to spend some sustained time learning from a prestigious writer at the top of his or her field,鈥 said Catherine Pierce, MSU associate professor of English and co-director of the university's creative writing program. Pierce said working with the Writer-in-Residence offers students a 鈥渧aluable new perspective on their own work in the process.鈥澛
An Eastern Washington University graduate, Walter lives with his wife and children in his hometown of Spokane, Washington. For more, visit .
MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences includes more than 5,200 students, 300 full-time faculty members, nine doctoral programs and 25 academic majors offered in 14 departments.听Complete details about the College of Arts and Sciences or the Institute for the Humanities may be found, respectively, at聽 or .
MSU is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at聽.听