Journalist Rick Bragg to lecture, sign books at University of Florida

September 14, 2005

WHAT: Rick Bragg, author and Pulitzer Prize-winning former national correspondent for The New York Times, will lecture on storytelling and then sign books available for purchase at the event to benefit the University of Florida chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists. The event is open to the public.

WHEN: Monday, Sept. 19. Lecture starts at 5 p.m. and signing at 6 p.m.

WHERE: Weimer Hall Auditorium and Atrium, College of Journalism and Communications

BACKGROUND: Bragg is the author of two best-selling books, “Ava’s Man” and “All Over but the Shoutin.’” He also wrote “Somebody Told Me,” a critically acclaimed collection of his newspaper stories. In 1992, Bragg won a Nieman Fellowship at Harvard University. He won the Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 1996. He has twice won the American Society of Newspaper Editors Distinguished Writing Award, and more than 50 other writing awards in his 20-year career. He has taught writing in colleges and newsrooms.

CONTACTS: Professor William McKeen of the Department of Journalism, University of Florida, (352) 392-0500. Professor Mike Foley of the Department of Journalism, University of Florida, (352) 392-0410. To contact Bragg’s publicist to request an interview or more information, send your request via fax to (212) 940-7307 or e-mail to knopfpublicity@randomhouse.com.