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The series kicks off on Thursday, Sept. 26 with New York Times Bestselling author Mary Roach. Her book, "Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law," is this year's Campus Read.

The ӣ������ Visiting Writers Series returns for its 36th season and will host a variety of authors and musicians on campus this academic year.

The series, established in 1988, features readings and presentations by authors who have distinguished themselves in literature and often meet with students to discuss the stories behind their works. The series’ mission remains the promotion of literary experiences with contemporary writers meant to engage and educate university and community audiences. All events, which take place on the LR campus in Hickory, are open to the public.

The Campus Read: “Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law,” Mary Roach
Thursday, Sept. 26, 2024, 7 p.m., P.E. Monroe Auditorium

Mary Roach has been called “America’s funniest science writer” and is the author of New York Times bestsellers “Stiff,” “Spook,” “Bonk,” “Gulp,” “Grunt” and “Packing for Mars.” Her most recent book, “Fuzz: When Nature Breaks the Law,” is this year’s Lenoir- Rhyne Campus Read.

Roach has written for “National Geographic,” “Wired,” and “The New York Times Magazine,” among others, and her TED Talk made the TED 20 Most Watched list. She has been a guest editor for “Best American Science and Nature Writing,” a finalist for the Royal Society’s Winton Prize and a winner of the American Engineering Societies’ journalism award, in a category for which, let’s be honest, she was the sole entrant.

New York Times Bestselling-Author Andrew Aydin
Thursday, Nov. 7, 2024, 7 p.m., Grace Chapel

The Visiting Writers Series welcomes New York Times bestselling-author Andrew Aydin for a public talk and Q&A on why voting matters now, more than ever. Aydin is a National Book Award winner, a Robert F. Kennedy Book Award Honoree, a Printz Award winner, a Sibert Medal winner, a Walter Dean Myers Award winner, a two-time Eisner award winner, and the recipient of multiple Coretta Scott King honors. He is creator and co-author of the graphic memoir series, “March,” which chronicles the life of the late civil rights icon Congressman John Lewis. Co-authored with Rep. Lewis and illustrated by Nate Powell, “March” is the first comics work to ever win the National Book Award.

Aydin frequently lectures at schools and universities and participates in reading programs with incarcerated youth. Some of his comic works include the Captain America story “Home of the Brave” in Marvel Comics Presents #3 from Marvel Comics, Truth and Justice #6, Batman: Gotham Nights #16 and Titans Together #3 from DC Comics as well as the 2020 Battle for the Vote comic PSA produced in partnership with Rock the Vote. His prose works include articles for the Atlanta alt-weekly Creative Loafing and the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Teaching Tolerance Magazine.

The Little Read: “La Guitarrista,” Lucky Diaz
Thursday, April 9, 2025, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, April 12, 2025, 10 a.m. 
P.E. Monroe Auditorium

From the creators of "Paletero Man" — Latin Grammy–winning musician Lucky Diaz and celebrated artist Micah Player—comes a story about a tenacious girl who achieves her wildest dreams with a little help from her community and a broken guitar.

Strum! Strum! Strum! Get ready to rock with la guitarrista!

When Canta finds a guitar in the trash, she is one step closer to becoming a rock star. Even though the guitar is broken and she doesn’t know how to play, nothing can stop Canta from going after her dreams! Readers will rock out to this empowering tale of resilience, community, the power of music—and never giving up on your dreams.

Lucky Diaz is a bilingual, songwriting, taco-eating, multi–Latin Grammy Award–winning, Grammy-nominated and six-time Emmy-nominated musician, children’s television personality and author. His work has been praised by NPR, Billboard, People and the New York Times. He is a Parent’s Choice Gold Award and NAPPA Award winner. In 2020, his album "Buenos Diaz" was named an official selection of notable works for children by the American Library Association.

Diaz's debut picture book, "Paletero Man," has been celebrated with starred reviews from Kirkus Reviews, School Library Journal, Publishers Weekly, and ALA Booklist.

Visiting Writers Series Support

The Visiting Writer’s Series is made possible by support from the following sponsors and grant providers: Arts Culture Catawba through the North Carolina Arts Council, with funding from the State of North Carolina, National Endowment for the Arts and North Carolina Arts Council, a division of the Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

About the Visiting Writers Series

Established in fall 1988, the ӣ������ Visiting Writers Series invites authors to tell the stories behind their works in a relaxed environment before an audience filled with campus and community members. The Writers Series’ mission is to build a community of readers because a community that reads is a more creative, open and tolerant community. In addition, VWS believes the beauty and power of words helps people make sense of the world. Children’s writers, mystery writers, essayists, poets and novelists all celebrate the written and spoken word.