Book by Local Author David Hopes Selected as "Book of the Month" by North Carolina Arts Council

“Bird Songs of the Mesozoic,” the fifth book by UNC Asheville literature and language Professor David Brendan Hopes, has been selected as the September “Book of the Month” by the North Carolina Arts Council. The book was released in February 2005 by Milkweed Editions.

“Bird Songs of the Mesozoic” is collection of nature-based essays touching on themes as diverse as hunting, deep ecology, Wicca and sci-fi literature. Hopes writes about the intersection of the human and natural world around him -- dragonflies buzzing into his studio, the opossum cornered in the garage and ferns encountered on a hike – and the ideas those interactions inspire.

Booklist gave “Bird Songs of the Mesozoic” a starred review, calling it a “collection of wondrous and near-perfect essays.” Reviewer Rebecca Maksel writes that “one can open any page and find a gem.” Hopes is “gifted with curiosity and a superb talent” and “knows how to find the magical in the quotidian.”

Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, Hopes now lives in Asheville and is professor of literature and language at UNC Asheville. His first book of poems, “The Glacier’s Daughters,” won the Juniper Prize and the Saxfrage Prize. His 1999 book, “A Childhood of the Milky Way” was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. His work has appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker, Audubon and The Sun. Hopes is also a prolific playwright and has won several important playwrighting prizes. He holds a doctorate degree in English and American literature from Syracuse University.

Media Contacts:

• Merianne Epstein, UNC Asheville Public Information Director, 828/251-6676
• Jill Yarnall, UNC Asheville Public Information Assistant Director, 828/251-6526