Harvard's Patricia Powell reads from her works Thursday
March 18, 2003
KALAMAZOO -- Patricia Powell, recipient of the Lila Wallace Reader's Digest Writer's Award, presents a reading of her work Thursday, March 20, at Western Michigan University. The program is free and open to the public and begins at 8:30 p.m. in 1301 Wood Hall.
Powell is the author of three novels: "Me Dying Trial," "A Small Gathering of Bones," and most recently, "The Pagoda" (Knopf 1998). Born in Spanish Town, Jamaica, Powell often weaves gender, race and sexuality into her work. "The Pagoda," considers the politics of all three in 19th-century Jamaican society. Published in 1993, "Me Dying Trial" explores the lives of Caribbean women in rural Jamaica and North America, while 1994's "A Small Gathering of Bones" is a powerful examination of male sexuality and AIDS.
Powell holds a bachelor's degree from Wellesley College and an M.F.A. in creative writing from Brown University. She has been the Briggs-Copeland Lecturer in Fiction at Harvard University since 1997.
Powell's presentation concludes the spring semester reading series sponsored by the Creative Writing Program in the WMU Department of English. For more information, contact Arnie Johnston, English department chair at <arnie.johnston@wmich.edu> or call the department office at 269 387-2572.
Media contact: Mark Schwerin, 269 387-8400, mark.schwerin@wmich.edu