Dave Barry, Pulitzer Prize-winning author and columnist, will visit Wittenberg as part of the 2013 Fred R. Leventhal Endowed Lecture for the annual Wittenberg Series.
Barry is known for his weekly column for the “Miami Herald” where he worked from 1983-2005. His syndicated humor column was published in over 500 newspapers across the United States, and his commentary work earned him a Pulitzer in 1988. He also received the Fairfax Prize honoring outstanding literary achievement presented by the Fairfax Library Foundation last month.
Also known for his co-authorship of the children’s’ novels the “Peter and the Starcatcher” series with Ridley Pearson, which serve as a prequel to Disney’s “Peter Pan”, Barry has appeared in numerous other books such as “Chicken Soup for the Soul” and “Reader’s Digest”.
His most recent adult novel “Insane City” was released this year. When interviewed by the “New York Times,” Barry described the book as his favorite of his works and said, “this may seem self-serving and promotional, but it’s true: I really like the way “Insane City” came out. It has heart–and more importantly–an orangutan.”
Barry is currently retired in southern Florida but continues to write annual gift guides and a year-in-review feature as well as update his blog and occasional columns. He played in a rock band, the “Rock Bottom Remainders,” made up of published authors including Stephen King, Amy Tan and Matt Groening, and have released a book following their disbandment last year.
Described as “one of the funniest writers alive,” by fellow author Carl Hiaasen and “the funniest man in America,” by the “New York Times,” Barry’s lecture “The World According to Dave Barry” will be open to Wittenberg faculty, staff and students as well as the Springfield community.
The Fred R. Leventhal Endowed Lecture will take place on Thursday, Oct. 17, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. following the 4:00 p.m. colloquium in Bayley Auditorium.
I created The Torch Humor section in 2000 because I was inspired by Dave Barry. I wanted to write a humor column just like him. Seems like the section isn’t the same as it used to be, but the remnants are still there. Good times.