John Maxwell

A Mississippi playwright with wide recognition for his portrayals of literary giant William Faulkner is helping inaugurate a new speaker series at Mississippi State.

On Wednesday, Nov. 14, John Maxwell of Jackson, author of "Oh, Mr. Faulkner, Do You Write?" will lead a 6 p.m. public lecture in the John Grisham Room of Mitchell Memorial Library. A reception follows.

The new Library Speaker Series has been created to bring prominent literary figures to campus for interaction with faculty, staff, students, and interested community participants, said Dean of Libraries Frances N. Coleman.

"We believe this series will complement the Morris Collins Speakers Series, which we established last year in cooperation with the John C. Stennis Institute of Government," she said.

Named for the first Stennis Institute director, the Collins series invites political leaders and commentators to address topics of current or historical interests.

Since first touring his one-man play in 1981, Maxwell has performed "Mr. Faulkner" in more than 12 countries. Along the way, he has been honored with the Mississippi Arts Commission's Susan B. Herron Playwriting Fellowship and a Tennessee Williams Scholarship from the Sewanee Writers Conference.

His other plays include "The Salvation of Sunshine Billy," "Buck-Nekkid," and "The Last Epistle."

For more information about the Library Speaker Series, telephone 325-4019.