Poet Al Maginnes will speak Oct. 16

UNC Asheville's Literature and Language Department will host a reading by noted North Carolina poet Al Maginnes at 7 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 16, at UNC Asheville's Laurel Forum, Karpen Hall. He will read from his most recent collection," Ghost Alphabet," which was the winner of the White Pine Poetry Prize. The book will be published this fall. The event is free and open to the public.

Maginnes is the author of several collections of poetry, including "Taking Up Our Daily Tools," "The Light in Our Houses" and "Film History." His poems have also appeared in numerous journals, including Poetry, Shenandoah, The Georgia Review and Tar River Poetry. Maginnes holds a bachelor's degree in English from East Carolina University and a master's in creative writing from the University of Arkansas at Fayetteville. For the past 15 years, Maginnes has taught writing courses at Wake Technical Community College in Raleigh. He lives in Raleigh with his wife and daughter.

For more information, call UNC Asheville's Literature & Language Department at 828/251-6411.