Upcoming fiction reading features MSU communication alumnus Michael Farris Smith
Contact: Sasha Steinberg
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥斞侵奚墒悠 is welcoming back Bulldog graduate Michael Farris Smith for a fiction reading and book signing in Colvard Student Union鈥檚 Fowlkes Auditorium.
On Tuesday [Oct. 23] at 7:30 p.m., Smith will read from his newest novel, 鈥淭he Fighter,鈥 published in March by Little, Brown and Company. His visit is organized by the College of Arts and Sciences鈥 Department of English.
鈥淢ichael聽writes fiction with grit and enormous energy聽about people down on their luck fighting against huge obstacles,鈥 said Michael Kardos, associate professor of English and co-director of MSU鈥檚 creative writing program. 鈥淗is novels are sometimes shocking, always humane聽and never boring. This is an event not to be missed.鈥濃
A 1994 public relations graduate of the university鈥檚 Department of Communication, Smith earned his master鈥檚 degree from then William Carey College and a doctorate from the University of Southern Mississippi.
Also author of the novels 鈥淒esperation Road,鈥 鈥淩ivers鈥 and 鈥淭he Hands of Strangers,鈥 Smith has been awarded the Mississippi Author Award for Fiction, Transatlantic Review Award and Brick Streets Press Story Award.
His novels have appeared on Best of the Year lists with Esquire, Southern Living, and Book Riot, and have been named Indie Next List, Barnes and Noble Discover, and Amazon Best of the Month selections.聽
Smith has been a finalist for the聽Southern Book Prize, the聽Gold Dagger Award聽in the United Kingdom, and the聽Grand Prix des Lectrices聽in France, and his essays have appeared in The New York Times, among other publications. Smith lives in Oxford with his wife and daughters.鈥 For more, visit .
Additional information about Smith鈥檚 visit is available by contacting Kardos at 662-325-3644 or MKardos@english.msstate.edu.
MSU鈥檚 College of Arts and Sciences includes more than 5,300 students, 300 full-time faculty members, nine doctoral programs and 25 academic majors offered in 14 departments.聽Complete details about the College of Arts and Sciences may be found at ; communication department, ; English department, .
MSU is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at .