(Grand Rapids, Mich.) – On October 30, the Aquinas College Contemporary Writers Series presents American lyric essayist John D’Agata. In his work D’Agata explores the origin and evolution of the essay, discusses many of the most poignant and important essays of modern years, and writes long form nonfiction essays with a unique viewpoint and expertise.

WHAT: Aquinas College Contemporary Writers Series presents: John D’Agata
WHEN: October 30, 7:30 p.m.
WHERE: Aquinas College, Wege Ballroom, 1607 Robinson Road S.E., Grand Rapids, MI, 49506
COST: Free and open to the public

D’Agata has worked on a number of books, including Hall of Fame: Essays, a collection of experimental nonfiction. After reading the book, fellow author David Foster Wallace lauded D’Agata as “one of the most significant U.S. writers to emerge in the past few years.

D’Agata’s later penned About a Mountain, a book-length lyric essay about the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste repository. In a New York Time Book Review, Charles Bock this work "unquestionably art, a breathtaking piece of writing."

His latest work, The Lifespan of a Fact, chronicles the real-life exchange between D'Agata and fact checker, Jim Fingal, and details their heated seven-year battle over an essay D'Agata wrote that was ultimately published in The Believer magazine and then evolved into the basis for About a Mountain. In the book, D'Agata and Fingal discuss the use of truth and the definition of nonfiction. Among it’s accolades, The Lifespan of a Fact was named a top 10 Best Book of 2012 by Slate.com.

In addition to these works, D’Agata has edited two essay anthologies: The Lost Origins of the Essay and The Next American Essay. He has received fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, Howard Foundation, and Obermann Center for Advanced Studies, and is currently working on a translation of a book by the ancient Greek writer Plutarch, as well as a new collection of his own essays.

He teaches courses at the University of Iowa on the history of the essay, experiments in essaying, and a variety of workshops.