Hickory – The Lenoir-Rhyne University Visiting Writers Series is in its 33rd season and will host a variety of authors, poets, editors and more in both a virtual and in-person format for the academic year. Join us on Thursday, October 28, at 5pm, as we present The Campus Read: Neil Gaiman. This event has the option of in-person or virtual viewing. Virtual viewing requires registration at https://www.lr.edu/public-events/visiting-writers-series.

An award-winning author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films, Neil Gaiman’s most celebrated works include the comic book series “The Sandman” and novels “Stardust,” “American Gods, “ “Coraline,” and “The Graveyard Book.”

Recognized as one of the creators of modern comics and an author whose work spans genres and extends to audiences of all ages, Gaiman has earned an impressive list of accolades and is the bestselling author of more than 20 books. He has been honored with the Hugo, Nebula, and Bram Stoker awards and the Newbery and Carnegie medals. Gaiman is the first author to win both the Newbery and the Carnegie medals for the same work, “The Graveyard Book,” the LR 2021 Campus Read. All first-year students receive a copy of Gaiman’s book and will have the opportunity to discuss it with their professors and peers in formal and informal settings. This annual event engages the campus and community through a common reading experience to foster dialogue, critical thinking, and university participation.

In addition, “The Ocean at the End of the Lane,” a novel that chronicles an unnamed man who returns to his hometown for a funeral and remembers events that began 40 years earlier, was named Book of the Year in the British National Book Awards. Gaiman is included in the “Dictionary of Literary Biography” as one of the top 10 living post-modern writers and is an extraordinary creator of works of prose, poetry, film, journalism, comics, song lyrics, and drama. He has risen to cult status and drawn increased media attention, with recent profiles in The New Yorker magazine and CBS News Sunday Morning.

*Pre-registration is required for any virtual presentations. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, certain protocols need to be followed. Please follow lr.edu/coronavirus for proper procedures on attending Lenoir-Rhyne events.

A Zoom link is provided after you register for the event.

To read more about this year’s speakers, visit: lr.edu/vws.

Neil Gaiman