Poet James Adams will present a reading of his work Thursday, September 8, at 4:30 p.m. in Caruth Administration, Room 201. The event is free and open to the public.
In 2007, Adams was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in poetry for his first poetry collection, Noble Savage, which featured themes of American Indian genocide and African civil war. His war poetry has been called “original and moving” by American poet-humanitarian Carolyn Forché. His poems have been translated into French, Spanish, Dutch, German, Ukrainian, and Russian.
Peter Anderson, Austin College associate professor of English and host for the guest lecturer, said that Adams is a medical doctor who does much of his work in Africa—in refugee camps, and on the edge of war zones. “His poetry engages that reality,” Anderson said. “Like Wilfred Owen, he believes ‘the poetry is in the pity.’ Anderson said that Adams has Native American roots and that his second poetry collection, Cherokee Afrika, is being translated into Spanish.
Adams studied creative writing at UCLA and the Université Paris IV (la Sorbonne). Adams has edited over five dozen books and treatises, including two volumes of (anti-)war poetry, Against Agamemnon and No Achilles.
Austin College, a private national liberal arts college located north of Dallas in Sherman, Texas, has earned a reputation for excellence in academic preparation, international study, pre-professional foundations, leadership development, committed faculty, and hands-on, adventurous learning opportunities. One of 40 schools profiled in Loren Pope’s influential book Colleges That Change Lives, Austin College boasts a welcoming community that embraces diversity and individuality, with more than 40 percent of students representing ethnic minorities. A residential student body of approximately 1,275 students and a faculty of more than 100 allow a 13:1 student-faculty ratio and personalized attention. The College is related by covenant to the Presbyterian Church (USA) and cultivates an inclusive atmosphere that supports students’ faith journeys regardless of religious tradition. Founded in 1849, the College is the oldest institution of higher education in Texas operating under original name and charter.