UW Eminent Writer in Residence John D'Agata reads from his work March 7 at Second Story Books in Laramie

From a UW press release:

The MFA program in Creative Writing welcomes its first 2012 Eminent Writer in Residence, John D’Agata, to campus this February. The acclaimed author of About a Mountain (W.W. Norton 2010) and Halls of Fame (Graywolf 2003), D’Agata has also edited The Next American Essay (Graywolf 2002) and The Lost Origins of the Essay(Graywolf 2009). During his two-week residency at Wyoming, he will visit university classes, consult on manuscripts with graduate students in creative writing, and discuss the writing life with a wide range of campus members.

D’Agata’s latest project is The Lifespan of a Fact (W.W. Norton 2012), which reproduces the extensive correspondence between D’Agata and Jim Fingal, a fact-checker for The Believer. Publishers Weekly describes the book as “very apropos in our era of spruced-up autobiography and fabricated reporting,” adding that “this is a whip-smart, mordantly funny, thought-provoking rumination on journalistic responsibility and literary license.” The Kirkus Reviews suggests that “[The Lifespan of a Fact] will be eagerly devoured and loudly discussed by creative-nonfiction writers and readers who thrive on books about books.”

On Wednesday, March 7, 7 p.m, D’Agata will give a reading from The Lifespan of a Fact at Second Story Books, located at 105 Ivinson Avenue. This event is free and open to the public, and will be followed by a book-signing.

For more information about D’Agata and Wyoming’s Eminent Writer in Residence program, please visit the MFA website at www.uwyo.edu/creativewriting or contact Gwynn Lemler at cw@uwyo.edu or 766-6453.