Native Virginian poet and memoirist to speak about Richmond upbringing

September 30, 2008

Making peace with the past is the theme American writer and Richmond native Margaret Gibson will explore at the University of Richmond Oct. 21, 7 p.m. in Keller Hall Reception Room. Sponsored by the Department of English, her talk is free and open to the public.

Gibson's most recent book, "The Prodigal Daughter: Reclaiming an Unfinished Childhood" is a memoir about her upbringing in Richmond.

Gibson has been noted for her meticulous attention to detail. "Margaret Gibson's evocation of urban Southern society in the 1950s is so on target it's scary," said editor and Southern literature expert Shannon Ravenel.

Gibson is the author of nine books of poetry including the 1993 National Book Award finalist, "The Vigil: A Poem in Four Voices." Professor emeritus of English at the University of Connecticut, Gibson also has been the recipient of the 1982 Lamont Prize, an NEA grant, a LilaWallace/Reader's Digest Fellowship and two Pushcart Prizes.

For more information, call (804) 289-8287.