The authors of “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Lincoln in the Bardo” will be among the three speakers in SU’s University Lectures series, the university announced Thursday.

Margaret Atwood, author of “The Handmaid’s Tale” will speak at SU on Oct.  25, according to an SU News release. George Saunders, who wrote “Lincoln in the Bardo,” will speak on Oct. 18. Robert Shetterly, a portrait artist, will speak on Nov. 29, per the release.

Trevor Noah, an award-winning comedian and host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show,” will speak at the university’s Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration in January, SU announced last week.

The University Lectures series, now in its 18th year, invites “notable guest speakers of exceptional accomplishment” to deliver lectures on campus. Past speakers have included “Humans of New York” creator Brandon Stanton, MSNBC anchor Joy-Ann Reid and “Serial” podcast creator Sarah Koenig.

Saunders, who will deliver the first University Lectures in October, has written nine books. “Lincoln in the Bardo,” his first full-length novel, made it to No. 1 on the New York Times Best Sellers list and won the Man Booker Prize for Fiction. Saunders is a Class of 1988 graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences and teaches in the school’s Creative Writing Program.

Atwood wrote “The Handmaid’s Tale,” a dystopian novel that was adapted into a critically-acclaimed Hulu show. During her 50-year writing career, she’s written more than 40 novels, nonfiction works, short story collections, children’s books, books of poetry and a graphic novel, according to the release.

Shetterly, a portrait artist, will display all 235 pieces of his “Americans Who Tell the Truth: Models of Courageous Citizenship” collection at SU before his speaking event in November. Shetterly’s portraits of historical and contemporary American figures include Mark Twain, Susan B. Anthony, Edward Snowden and Malcolm X.

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Shetterly will facilitate an on-stage conversation with two of his portrait subjects, Richard Bowen and Mona Hanna-Attisha, as part of the University Lecture event.

Noah, the host of Comedy Central’s “The Daily Show” whose memoir is part of a new first-year reading experience at SU, will speak at the January MLK Celebration in collaboration with University Lectures.

Saunders’ lecture is being co-sponsored by SU’s Office of Alumni Engagement. Atwood’s appearance is being co-sponsored by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Humanities Center. Shetterly’s speaking event and art collection display is receiving “major support” from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs’ Tanner Lecture Series, according to the release.

Published on August 30, 2018 at 10:30 pm

Contact Jordan: jmulle01@syr.edu | @jordanmuller18