AU English Department Presenting Poetry Reading by Saeed Jones on March 2

Joe Lyons • February 18, 2023

ASHLAND, Ohio – The department of English at Ashland University is sponsoring a poetry reading by visiting writer Saeed Jones on Thursday, March 2, at 7 p.m. It will take place at the Student Center Auditorium inside the Hawkins-Conard Student Center (847 Claremont Ave.), and is free and open to the public.

Jones will read excerpts from his critically-acclaimed book, “Alive at the End of the World.” A collection of poems that confront the haunted condition of Black life in America, it was selected to “Best Books of 2022” lists by The New Yorker, NPR and Publishers Weekly among others. Utilizing a combination of memoir, fiction and persona, Jones addresses everyday perils as he and his speakers seek ways to love and survive through America’s existential threats.

Jones is the award-winning author of “Prelude to Bruise” and “How We Fight for Our Lives.” The former was named a 2014 finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for poetry, while the latter won the Kirkus Prize for Nonfiction in 2019.

Jones was born in Memphis, Tenn., grew up in Texas and now lives in Columbus, Ohio. His work has appeared in The New Yorker, The New York Times and GQ, and he has been featured on a number of public radio programs.