James West To Give Talk On
Writing About William Styron, March 23

3-16-98
University Park, Pa. -- James L. West III, author of the first biography of William Styron, "William Styron, A Life," which is being published by Random House this month, will give a lecture titled "Being Boswell: Writing the Life of William Styron," at 8 p.m. Monday, March 23 at Penn State's Palmer Museum of Art.

A distinguished professor of English and fellow of the Institute on Arts and Humanistic Studies, West will talk about his research, access to materials and the problems of writing about a living author. Styron is the author of "The Confessions of Nat Turner," "Sophie's Choice" and "Darkness Visible."

Joining West in the discussion will be Nancy M. Tischler, professor emerita of English and humanities and co-editor of the letters of Tennessee Williams, and Rhonda Sirlin, assistant professor of English at Queens, CUNY and the author of "William Styron's 'Sophie's Choice:' Crime and Punishment." Dan Walden, professor of American studies, English and comparative literature, will be the moderator.

The lecture is part of the Lives! lecture series sponsored by The Institute for the Arts and Humanistic Studies.

****

Contact: Alan Janesch (814) 865-7517 office or email at axj12@psu.edu