Athenians will have two opportunities to interact with an award-winning author this week.
The Wilson Center for Humanities and Arts welcomes Michael Ondaatje as the 2019 Delta Visiting Chair for Global Understanding.
Ondaatje’s 1992 book The English Patient was awarded the Golden Booker prize as the best English-language book of the past 50 years. The 1996 film adaptation of the novel won nine Academy Awards.
Dave Marr is communications manager with the center.
“Michael Ondaatje will have two public events while he’s here,” Marr said. “A talk at the UGA Chapel, it’ll be a reading and then a brief conversation Thursday the [Ocotober] 24th at 4 in afternoon.”
Friday night, Cine will host an event with Avid Books from 8 to 9 pm. The author will be on hand to sign books and greet members of the community. Both events are free and open to the public.
The author will also visit with students at UGA and Clarke Central High School.
Marr says the Delta Chair position focuses on local interaction.
“It’s not just some great notable coming to the university to receive a prize. The Delta Chair is something that’s designed to reach the people of this community a bit more.”
Ondaatje’s most recent novel is 2018’s Warlight.
For more information, visit: wilson.uga.edu.