4I
FRIDAY,
THE CHRONICLE
MAY 9,2008
CLASS OF 2008
COMMENCEMENT
Barbara Kingsolver
2008 commencement speaker
by
in -rief
Shuchi Parikh THE CHRONICLE
Barbara Kingsolver, author and recipiof the National Humanities Medal, will deliver the 2008 commencement address
Barbara Kingsolver, novelist essayist poet, non-fiction and
ent
Sunday.
“Barbara Kingsolver is a writer whose works have been read and honored around the globe,” President Richard Brodhead said in a statement announcing Kingsolver’s selection in November. “She’s also an extraordinary speaker. When she spoke at Duke in the spring of 2006, she captured a large audience with her warmth, humor and incisiveness.” She is the mother of Junior Camille Kingsolver and third consecutive commencement speaker with direct ties to Duke. Brodhead said Kingsolver’s connection to the University would enhance her address to graduating students. “As a Duke parent, she will understand the special meaning of Duke’s commencement ceremony, and I am delighted she will join us,” Brodhead said. Bestselling author of“The Poisonwood Bible” published in 1998 and nominated PHOTO CREDIT/THE CHRONICLE for the Pulitzer Prize, Kingsolver also established the Bellwether Prize for Fiction Barbara Kingsolver, award-winning novelist and Duke parent, will deliverthe 2008 commencement address. She will also be one offive to receive an honorary degree to be conferred at graduation. in 1997 to reward writers of socially responsible literature. “Kingsolver is not only a premier she wrote with her husband Steven Hopp health leader Helene Gayle, broadcast exAmerican writer, but her personal and and daughter Camille. ecutive James Goodmon and judge Patricia “Animal, Vegetable, Miracle” chronicles Wald—to be awarded an honorary degree educational background demonstrates her family’s one-year commitment to being at the ceremony. the influence of having an interdisciplin“Honorary degrees serve the dual purary background,” Paula McClain, chair of “lovacores”—eating only food grown by pose of recognizing extraordinary indithe Academic Council and a professor of themselves and local farmers in southwestviduals and inspiring graduating students,” political science, wrote in an e-mail last ern Virginia. November. “Her work is inspiring and “It has a lot of advice for Duke students Brodhead said in a statement April 3. “Stuheading out in the world and taking the dents about to embark on their own cathoughtful and brings together many facets of her own life into the pages of her next few steps,” said Lauren Genvert, a reers, full of hope and promise, see at comfiction.” senior who served on the commencement mencement these wonderful examples of Kingsolver is the author of twelve books, committee. “I’m sure she’ll impart a lot of how they might put their own learning to use in the future.” having penned “The Bean Trees” in 1987 wisdom to the Class of 2008.” and more recently 2007’s “Animal, VegetaMatt Johnson and Zak Kazzaz contributed to Kingsolver will be one of five—also ble, Miracle: A Year of Food Life”, which including author Wendell Berry, public this story.
short-story writer, will deliver this year's commencement address.
Birth place born April 8,1955 in Annapolis, Md., and grew up near Carlisle, Ky.
Education went to DePauw University on a piano ■p but ad <d : th
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