Four world-renowned writers to visit University of Richmond this fall

University of Richmond’s Writers Series offers students and members of the community opportunities to interact with today’s most celebrated writers. This fall, four renowned authors will be featured at events that are free and open to the public.

Claudia Rankine will discuss the making of her critically acclaimed book, “Citizen: An American Lyric,” on Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. in the Jepson Alumni Center. She will explain how it uses poetry, essay, cultural criticism and visual images to explore race in the U.S. today. “Citizen” won the National Book Critics Circle Award for poetry. This event is also part of the WILL*/WGSS Speaker Series.

Aleš Debeljak, Semezdin Mehmedinovic ́ and Šejla Šehabović will offer a poetry reading Oct. 21 at 6 p.m. in Weinstein Hall, Brown-Alley Room. The three will also participate in a panel discussion on the state of culture in post-Communist Europe the following day, Oct. 22, at 5 p.m. in International Commons, Carole Weinstein International Center. These events are also part of series of events focusing on Bosnia.

Aleš Debeljak has published 14 books of cultural criticism and nine books of poems. He has won several awards, including the Readers’ Choice Award for the best essay of the decade in a magazine from World Literature Today, the Slovenian National Book Award, the Miriam Lindberg Poetry for Peace Prize and the Chiqyu Poetry prize.

Semezdin Mehmedinovic ́, one of Bosnia’s most prominent poets and writers, has authored four books and also works as an editor, journalist and filmmaker. “Mizaldo,” a film he co-wrote and co-directed won first prize at the Mediterranean Festival in Rome and his book “Nine Alexandrias” earned a starred review from Publisher’s Weekly.

Šejla Šehabović is a poet and director of the Museum of Literature and Performing Arts in Sarajevo. She authored the poetry book “Make up” along with two short story collections. She was awarded the William Joiner Center Fellowship by the University of Massachusetts, Boston.

The Writers Series is sponsored by the Department of English.

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