Essayist Jeremy B. Jones, author of “Bearwallow: A Personal History of a Mountain Homeland,” will be the featured speaker at the Lanier Library’s Brown Bag Lunch on Tuesday, Oct. 21.

A native of Henderson County, Jones teaches in the English Department at Western Carolina University. He earned his M.F.A. in nonfiction writing from the University of Iowa. His essays have appeared in numerous journals and magazines, and have received awards, including being named Notable in Best American Essays of 2009 and 2011.

In his memoir, Jones said that he wanted to explore how his life has been shaped by his Appalachian upbringing. “I wanted to understand,” he said, “how the land and landscape affects people – crafts their identities, peppers their music, shapes their cultures.” Parallels are drawn in his writings between time spent in Honduras and his childhood in – and ultimate return to – the Bearwallow Mountain area, where his family settled in the 18^th century.

The event will be held at noon in the library, and is free and open to the public. Those attending are invited to bring a lunch to eat while listening.

For more information, call 828-859-9535, or visit www.lanierlib.org. To keep up with monthly brown bag lunches and other library events, visit the library’s new Facebook page.

 

— article submitted 

by Gina Malone