Novelist-political scientist featured in Southeastern's ‘Common Read’ program
Wednesday, October 11, 2017 
by: Rene Abadie
HAMMOND – Prominent Mexican novelist and political scientist Yuri Herrera will visit
Southeastern Louisiana University Monday, Oct. 23, as part of the institution’s Common
Read program.
Herrera, who teaches at Tulane University where he is a Mellon Fellow, will meet
with students and the public throughout the day. Sponsored by the Department of English
and the Southeastern Writing Center, Common Read provides students and community members
the opportunity to read selected works and then meet a contemporary author.
Events that day include student presentations on the author’s work at 9:30 a.m.,
an 11 a.m. question and answer session with the author, and a 6:30 p.m. public reading
by Herrera followed by a book signing and reception. All events are open to the public
and will be held in the Student Union Theatre.
A native of Actopan, Mexico, Herrera is the author of “Signs Preceding the End
of the World,” which was published to critical acclaim in 2015 and included on many
Best-of-the-Year lists. The work was recognized in 2016 with the Best Translated Book
Award. He has also written “The Transmigration of Bodies,” a novel about two feuding
families in contemporary Mexico.
Herrera received a bachelor’s degree in political science from Mexico’s Universidad
Nacional Autónoma, a master of fine arts degree in creative writing from the University
of Texas, and a doctorate in literature from the University of California at Berkeley.
“For several years now, the Department of English and the Writing Center have
sponsored the Common Read program, featuring a prominent, contemporary author,” said
Department Head David Hanson. “It always serves as an exciting experience for our
students. By meeting and talking with an author who they’re studying in class, students
gain a rare opportunity to see deeply into an author’s life of writing.”
