Dorothy Allison concludes MC\'s lecture series

The 18th annual Appalachian Lecture Series comes to a close this fall as Maryville College brings best-selling and award-winning author, Dorothy Allison, to campus Nov. 8. Her presentation will begin at 7 p.m. in the Music Hall of the Fine Arts Center. A native of Greenville, S.C., Allison was born in 1949 and reared in extreme poverty and abuse, the first child born to a 15-year-old unwed mother. Her storytelling skills stem from time spent “hiding out under the porch,” listening to her grandmother and aunt tell stories. After attending Florida Presbyterian College on a National Merit Scholarship, she joined a feminist collective and soon thereafter, began writing. Her first book of poetry, The Women Who Hate Me, was published in 1983. She received mainstream recognition in the early 1990s with her semi-autobiographical novel, Bastard Out of Carolina. It was a national bestseller and finalist for the 1992 National Book Award. The event concludes with a book signing and opportunity to speak with the author. Tickets are $12 per person. Reservations are required and can be made by contacting Dr. Chad Berry at (865) 981-8265 or chad.berry@maryvillecollege.edu.