Author George Saunders will headline a 24-hour celebration of his work, hosted by the DePaul University Humanities Center June 2-3, 2105. (Photo by Chloe Aftel)CHICAGO — Bestselling author and humorist George Saunders will headline a marathon celebration of his work at DePaul University this June. The DePaul Humanities Center will present “24 Hour George Saunders” from June 2-3. The event is free and open to the public.
For 23 consecutive hours, beginning at 8 p.m. June 2, DePaul will welcome guests to read Saunders’ work aloud. In the 24th hour, at 7 p.m. June 3, Saunders will arrive to deliver a lecture about the future of the humanities in higher education.
“Saunders is the preeminent writer of this generation,” said H. Peter Steeves, professor of philosophy and director of the DePaul Humanities Center. “He’s also our foremost cultural critic. Access to a liberal arts education is indispensable to the future of our society, and Saunders’ voice is an important one in making it clear just how true this is.”
WHEN
Starts June 2 at 8 p.m.
Ends June 3 at 8 p.m. Saunders reads at 7 p.m.
WHERE
DePaul University’s Lincoln Park Campus
Student Center, Room 120
2250 N Sheffield Ave.
WHO
George Saunders is a New York Times bestselling author who is known for his collections of short stories. His works include “Congratulations, By the Way,” “Tenth of December” and “CivilWarLand in Bad Decline.” Born in Amarillo, Texas, Saunders grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago. He earned a degree in exploration geophysics from the Colorado School of Mines. After spending time as a geophysicist on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, Saunders returned to the United States to pursue a writing career. In 1992, his short story “Offloading for Mrs. Schwartz” became the first of many of his works that would be published in The New Yorker. In 2001, Saunders was selected by Entertainment Weekly as one of the 100 most creative people in entertainment, and by The New Yorker in 2002 as one of the best writers 40 and under. In 2006, he was awarded both a Guggenheim Fellowship and a MacArthur Fellowship. In 2009, he received an Arts and Letters Award in literature (formerly Academy Award) from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. Saunders earned a master’s degree from Syracuse University, where he has been teaching in the Master of Fine Arts program since 1996.
More information on George Saunders at http://bit.ly/15PE4OS.
The DePaul University Humanities Center fosters discussion and research in the arts and humanities on campus and among the greater community. More about the center at http://bit.ly/18uWztK.
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Media Contact:
Kristin Claes Mathews
kmathew5@depaul.edu
312-241-9856