U.S. Poet Laureate Robert Pinsky to Read at UNCA October 5

Robert Pinsky, 39th Poet Laureate of the United States, will give a reading of his poetry at 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 5, at UNCA’s Lipinsky Auditorium. Pinsky, who has been named UNCA’s 2000-01 P.B. Parris Visiting Writer, will hold a book signing following the reading. The event is co-sponsored by UNCA’s Cultural and Special Events Committee and UNCA’s Creative Writing Program.

Pinsky, 59, is the author of five celebrated books of poetry. His 1994 translation of Dante’s "Inferno" propelled the 600-year-old classic into a best-seller on the Boston Globe and New York Newsday book lists. It has been heralded by Stephen Greenblatt as "the premier modern text for English-language readers to experience Dante’s power." His most recent book, "The Figured Wheel," was nominated for the Pultizer Prize in poetry, along with several other major awards.

Known as the "People’s Poet," Pinsky earned the nickname through his work with his Favorite Poem Project. The project was created in 1997 to compile a record of Americans reading their favorite poems. The response was overwhelming. Two years later, more than 12,000 participants had submitted entries by the project’s deadline. Eventually, more than 1,000 readers were chosen to create the audio archive. A print anthology of the project was also published.

Pinsky is editor of the on-line journal Slate, a regular contributor to The NewsHour with Jim Leher on PBS, and professor in the graduate writing program at Boston University, where he is known for his contagious enthusiasm.

Tickets for the reading are $10 general admission. Tickets are available 10 a.m.-4 p.m. at the UNCA Ticket Office, Highsmith Center room 27, and may be charged by phone by calling 828/251-6584 during the hours listed above. Tickets are also available at Malaprop’s Bookstore/Cafe, 55 Haywood St., downtown Asheville.

The Pinsky reading is part of a four-day Fall Celebration at UNCA, which includes the formal installation of UNCA Chancellor James Mullen at 2 p.m. Oct. 6, on the Ramsey Library terrace. For a complete list of events, visit UNCA’s Web site or call UNCA’s Public Information Office at 828/251-6526.

Media Contacts:

• Sharyn McDonald Groh, UNCA Cultural & Special Events director, 828/251-6669
• Jill Yarnall, UNCA Public Information assistant, 828/251-6526