In an effort to honor the life of a former Binghamton University professor and noted author, best-selling novelist John Irving will give a reading tonight in the Anderson Center Concert Hall. Irving is the first inaugural speaker in the John Gardner Reader series, an event that will be held annually to recognize the former creative writing professor.
Irving was chosen because of his friendship with Gardner, which began after the two met in the 1970s at the prestigious Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, held yearly in Vermont.
‘They admired each other’s work, and shared some of the same kind of deep seriousness and willingness to throw themselves body and soul into their writing life,’ said Elizabeth Rosenberg, a BU English professor and former wife of Gardner.
Rosenberg, along with associate professor Robert Micklus, who is teaching a course on both authors this semester ‘ English 400N ‘ worked together to invite Irving to campus as a way to mark the 25th anniversary of Gardner’s death.
Irving, who has written 11 novels ‘ including ‘The Cider House Rules’ and ‘The World According to Garp’ ‘ will read a selection from one of his recent works and participate in a question and answer session following the reading.
‘To Irving fans, his coming here is a dream come true. If you are not yet an Irving fan, come to the reading and you will be,’ Micklus said. ‘Not all writers are great readers of their own fiction, but Irving is. This a chance for students to see and hear one of the greatest writers alive.’
Irving has received numerous awards for his writing over the years, including the National Book Foundation’s award for paperback fiction. He also won an Academy Award in 2000 for Best Adapted Screenplay for his script for ‘The Cider House Rules.’
‘We are so delighted and touched that John Irving wanted to inaugurate the series ‘ he is, for so many reasons, the perfect choice,’ Rosenberg said. ‘It’s both a tragic and a happy occasion.’
Gardner, who died in a motorcycle accident in 1982, published more than 25 books during his lifetime. He won the National Book Critics Circle for his book ‘October Light,’ and recently his novel, ‘Grendel,’ was turned into an opera directed by Juliet Taymor, who also directed and produced ‘The Lion King’ on Broadway.
After beginning his BU teaching career in 1972, Gardner worked hard to improve the creative writing program during his tenure.
‘He loved this place ‘ its potential, the fact that it was a state university,’ Rosenberg said. ‘He worked hard to build up the creative writing program, which was already strong thanks to the efforts of poet Milton Kessler and fiction writer John Vernon.’
Tonight’s reading is one of several events being sponsored by the Binghamton Center for Writers this semester. Susan Campbell Bartoletti ‘ a BU alum and award-winning writer of children’s literature ‘ will speak on Oct. 9 and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet W.D. Snodgrass will visit on Oct. 22.
For more information on these and other literary events taking place on campus this semester, visit english.binghamton.edu/cwpro/.