The University of Mary Washington will present its 2015 Chappell Great Lives Lecture Series beginning Thursday, January 15.
Now in its twelfth year, the four-month series examines the lives of historical figures told through lectures by nationally prominent biographers and authors. The talks will be held at 7:30 p.m. on selected Tuesdays and Thursdays in George Washington Hall’s Dodd Auditorium and are open to the public free of charge.
“Great Lives speakers are often the foremost authorities on their subjects,” said William B. Crawley, director of the series and distinguished professor emeritus of history at UMW.
The speakers are only half of the equation though, according to Crawley. The series is known for its wide range of subjects with broad popular appeal. “This year’s schedule has an extremely diverse array of topics with something for everybody,” said Crawley.
The series will open with a lecture on Alfred Hitchcock by Tomas Leitch, the co-editor of A Companion to Alfred Hitchcock. Including a total of 18 lectures, the Great Lives series will present major historical figures such as John F. Kennedy and Charles Darwin, as well as notable people from entertainment and the arts including Shirley Temple, Mathew Brady and Robert Ripley.
Each program includes a Q&A session with the audience and book signing by the author or speaker. Books will be available for purchase on site.
For more information and a complete listing of lectures, visit www.umw.edu/greatlives or call the Office of University Events and Conferencing at (540) 654-1065.
