News Release

The Ralph and Barbara Cushing Distinguished Lecture Series Hosts Author Ann Grace Mojtabai

The Ralph and Barbara Cushing Distinguished Lecture Series at the University of Detroit Mercy will host a talk with Ann Grace (A.G.) Mojtabai, an author and University of Tulsa professor. The lecture will be held Wednesday, April 14, 2010 at 7:30 p.m. at the Maureen A. Fay, O.P. Center in the Health Professions Facility on the McNichols campus. The event is sponsored by UDM's Religious Studies Department.

Mojtabai is a published author as well as a professor of writing at the University of Tulsa. She has written eight novels, two short-story collections, and a non-fiction book. In addition to her books, Mojtabai has received awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters and the Lillian Smith Book Award.

Mojtabai’s books often deal with people who do not live a mainstream lifestyle, favoring those with quirky behaviors and unrefined dreams. Her work also draws from cultural experience. Mojtabai has lived in the Middle East, and her books often contain strong religious figures from various backgrounds. The New Yorker, Time, Nation, as well as many other magazines have reviewed her work.

University of Detroit Mercy Associate Professor of Religious Studies Justin Kelly, S.J., said she is, “an exciting writer and an extraordinary person. She is a worthy successor to the first two Cushing lecturers.”

Release date: April 05, 2010

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