The Life of the Mind, a semester-long series inspired by longshoreman and philosopher Eric Hoffer, will culminate in March with presentations by a local editor, a keynote address by an American Poet Laureate, and a night of poetry.
Mr. Michael F. Ryan, opinion page editor at the Augusta Chronicle, will discuss his recent book, The Last Freedom, on Thursday, March 5, at 7 p.m. in 170 University Hall. In his book, Mr. Ryan focuses on Victor Frankl, a holocaust survivor who believed that life continued to have meaning even in the most awful circumstances imaginable, and that when physical circumstances become unbearable, one’s mental life offers a means of survival.
On March 17, the keynote address for the series will be given by Mr. Billy Collins, United States Poet Laureate (2001-2003), whose poetry has appeared in anthologies, textbooks, and a variety of periodicals. Among his many honors are fellowships from the New York Foundation for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the Guggenheim Foundation. His book, The Art of Drowning, was a finalist for the Lenore Marshall Poetry Prize and Questions About Angels was selected by Edward Hirsch for the National Poetry Series.
Mr. Collins will also be one of the featured guests of the university’s annual Sandhills Writers Conference. In that role, he will conduct a public reading on Wednesday, March 18, at 7 p.m. in the Maxwell Theatre. The reading is free to the public.
A St. Patrick’s Day Poetry Slam will be held on Tuesday, March 17, at 7 p.m. in the D. Douglas Barnard, Jr., Amphitheatre that will feature several poets. For more information about the series and its free events, call the Department of Communications and Professional Writing at 706-729-2416.
Feb 10, 2009
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