Jesmyn Ward at Central Library
Sarah-Clare Conlon, Literature Editor
Described as “one of the most important writers in America today”, and compared to the likes of William Faulkner, Mississippi-based author Jesmyn Ward’s work is championed by everyone from Margaret Atwood (who calls her “a must-read”) to CT’s own favourite, Jon McGregor.
Manchester Literature Festival and the Centre for New Writing have managed to lure her to town for a rare visit to discuss her latest critically acclaimed novel Sing, Unburied, Sing, winner of the prestigious 2017 National Book Award for Fiction. Set in America’s Deep South, Sing, Unburied, Sing is an urgent, atmospheric and intimate tale with epic qualities, dealing with hope, struggle, race, poverty and loss, along with family issues and the legacies of love, violence and belonging handed down through generations. This is Jesmyn Ward’s third novel, and follows Salvage the Bones and Where the Line Bleeds, along with the memoir Men We Reaped. She is also the editor of the collection of poems and essays by 18 writers The Fire This Time: A New Generation Speaks About Race.
This event is part of MLF’s new Spring Programme and takes place in the lovely Central Library.
