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Best-selling author Wally Lamb to speak at Eastern

by Ed Osborn

Willimantic, CT (02/15/2022) — Connecticut icon and best-selling author Wally Lamb will visit Eastern Connecticut State University on March 9 for a lecture titled "Connecticut on My Mind," as well as a reception and book signing. The author of such books as "The Hour I First Believed," "She's Come Undone" and "I Know This Much Is True" will speak in the Concert Hall of the Fine Arts Instructional Center (FAIC) at 5:30 p.m., followed by a question-and-answer session. A reception and book signing will take place in the FAIC foyer from 7-8 p.m. Earlier that afternoon, Lamb will conduct a workshop with Eastern students.

Lamb will sign copies of "I Know This Much to Be True," a Connecticut story of twin brothers and mental illness that is now an HBO mini-series starring Mark Ruffalo. Lamb will also sign copies of "I'll Fly Away" and "Couldn't Keep It to Myself," two collections of essays he edited by women inmates at York Correctional Institute. For 20 years, Lamb volunteered at the correctional facility, conducting a writers' workshop for inmates seeking to tell their personal stories and reclaim their lives.

The lecture is free and open to the public, but seating is limited due to COVID-19 and event registration is required. Masking is required inside the venue. To register, visit https://easternct.iad1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0lJaXUVMVq8qWLI .The lecture will also livestream on the University's YouTube channel at 5:30 p.m. on March 9, and be recorded for later viewing.

No stranger to Eastern, Lamb was the 2002 Commencement speaker and has returned to campus for other book readings. Six of his novels have made the New York Times Best-Sellers list. His writings have also been featured on Oprah's Book Club and translated into 28 languages. His work at York Correctional Institute was the focus of a 2004 segment on CBS's "60 Minutes."

Lamb's visit is in coordination with Eastern's "Big Read" program to present stories and bring writers to campus who focus on themes of human interconnectedness. The Big Read is a national initiative sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and Arts Midwest to encourage community reading of books that highlight important social topics. Eastern has participated in the Big Read for several years, partnering with 30 local and Connecticut libraries, as well as nonprofits and other organizations, to share book reading experiences on cultural, social and artistic issues facing humanity.

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Eastern Connecticut State University is the state of Connecticut's public liberal arts university, serving more than 4,300 students annually on its Willimantic campus. In addition to attracting students from 163 of Connecticut's 169 towns, Eastern also draws students from 31 states and 10 countries. A residential campus offering 41 majors and 65 minors, Eastern offers students a strong liberal art foundation grounded in a variety of applied learning opportunities. Ranked as the #1 public regional university in New England by U.S. News & World Report in its 2020, 2021 and 2022 Best Colleges ratings, Eastern has also been awarded 'Green Campus' status by the Princeton Review 12 years in a row. For more information, visit www.easternct.edu.

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