Best-selling Author Peter Balakian Ushers in Return of Engaging Speakers Series

New York Times best-selling author Peter Balakian read a powerful selection of 9/11-themed poems yesterday at the 9/11 Memorial Preview Site, 20 Vesey St., as part of the well-received “9/11, Today and Tomorrow” speakers series. The poems conjured up feelings and imagery of the World Trade Center before and after the attacks.

Balakian, a professor in humanities and English at Colgate University, has authored five books of poems and three prose works, including the Times best seller “The Burning Tigris: The Armenian Genocide and America’s Response.” His new book, titled “Ziggurat,” wrestles with the aftermath and reverberations of 9/11. Balakian will share some of these September 11-themed works and explain the inspiration behind his words.

Balakian kicked off the fall and winter 2010 speakers series that continues next month with 9/11 Memorial architect Michael Arad on Nov. 10.  RSVP now for Arad's presentation and other events in the series, which had its debut earlier this year.

If you missed Balakian's event, don't worry. Next week the program will be avaialble in HD video online for free thanks to WNET.ORG's Thirteen Forum.  Return to The MEMO blog for any updates on the speakers series, the online video and other events presented by the 9/11 Memorial.

By Michael Frazier, Sr. Communications Manager for the 9/11 Memorial