Wellesley Professor Ifeanyi Menkiti Publishes Book of Poetry

WELLESLEY, Mass. -- Ifeanyi Menkiti, professor of philosophy at Wellesley College, has written a new book of poetry, Of Altair, the Bright Light (Earthwinds Edition, 2005). A 68-page, illustrated book, it is a first edition of poems written over the past decade. Menkiti will read from his book on Monday,
June 13, at 6 pm at the Allston Brighton Library, 300 N.Harvard St, Allston, Mass., an event that is free and open to the public. (For more scheduled readings, see list below.)

Menkiti was born in Onitsha, Nigeria. He came to the United States to attend Pomona College and went onto Columbia and New York universities for further studies. He earned a Ph.D. in philosophy from Harvard and has taught at Wellesley for more than 30 years. He teaches courses in the area of medical ethics, philosophy of law, philosophy and literature and African philosophy. He has produced two previous collections of poetry, Affirmations (1971) and The Jubilation of Falling Bodies (1978). Published widely in African and American journals, including Philosophical Forum, Harvard Educational Review and Journal of the American Academy of Religion, his poetry has been read on National Public Radio and has received an award from the National Endowment for the Arts.

The editors of Earthwinds Press call his poetry “fresh, engaging and full of surprises. The poems are tough, serious, and often come at you with a whimsical twist or a biting satire. The reader is struck by the energy of the poems, as well as by their unwavering historical sense.”

Upcoming readings:

July 14, at 7pm with Diane deHovenesian at Porter Sq. Books, Cambridge, Mass.
Sept. 8, time TBA, Borders at Downtown Crossing, Washington St., Boston
March 3, 2006 - Brookline Booksmith, Harvard St., Coolidge Corner.

For more information, go to www.earthwindseditions.com or call 781-283-3321.

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