(Columbia, SC) – Acclaimed author and two-time National Book Award winner Jesmyn Ward will visit Columbia for an exclusive author event, presented in partnership by Richland Library and the University Libraries of the University of South Carolina. Ward will discuss her latest works, “Let Us Descend”, “Sing, Unburied, Sing”, and “Where the Line Bleeds” as part of Richland Library’s Broader Bookshelf Reading Challenge.
The event, which will include an author talk, reception, book sale, and book signing, is scheduled for Wednesday, September 25, 2024 at the Campus Room of the University of South Carolina, located at 902 Barnwell Street, Columbia, SC 29201 from 6-8 p.m. This is an after-hours, offsite event, and registration is required.
Jesmyn Ward’s visit marks a key moment in Richland Library’s ongoing effort to broaden readers’ literary horizons through its Broader Bookshelf program. The challenge encourages participants to explore new authors and tackle challenging subjects, expanding their literary experiences. Ward, whose works delve into themes of family, resilience, and the African American experience in the rural South, embodies the spirit of this initiative.
Ms. Ward’s visit is made possible through a partnership with University Libraries of the University of South Carolina in celebration of their Fall Literary Series. The 2024 Broader Bookshelf series of authors is sponsored by the generous support from the Richland Library Friends and Foundation.
About Jesmyn Ward
Jesmyn Ward has established herself as one of America’s leading contemporary voices in fiction. A recipient of the MacArthur Genius Grant, she holds numerous accolades, including a Stegner Fellowship, a John and Renee Grisham Writers Residency, and the 2022 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction. She is the first woman and the first Black American to win two National Book Awards for Fiction—one for “Sing, Unburied, Sing” (2017) and another for “Salvage the Bones” (2011). Her other works include “Where the Line Bleeds” and the memoir “Men We Reaped”, which was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award.
Currently a professor of creative writing at Tulane University, Ward continues to push the boundaries of American fiction with her vivid storytelling and exploration of complex social issues. Her latest work, “Let Us Descend”, is a powerful addition to her already distinguished body of work.
For more information, please visit here. For questions and Media RSVPs, please contact media@richlandlibrary.com or Tacara Young at 803.351.5616
