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Samuel R. Delany

Author Samuel R. Delany is known, by and large, as one of the greatest living science fiction writers (the genre’s James Joyce according to Delany scholar David Samuelson). But he’s also much more than that. In the course of writing 34 books, Delany has challenged traditional notions of gender and sexuality, race and class, genre and theory, identity and difference. Besides being awarded four Nebula Awards and two Hugos, the top prizes in science fiction writing, Delany also won the William Whitehead Memorial Award for a lifetime’s contribution to Gay and Lesbian Literature. He’s also contributed greatly to African American literature, postmodernism and queer theory, among others. Delany reads tomorrow night at Trinity Episcopal Church in conjunction with a two-day critical symposium on his work hosted by University at Buffalo’s English Department (for complete schedule, visit www.english.buffalo.edu/delany). Lucky for us, he’s as engaging of a reader as he is a writer, easily shifting tonal range to match each character’s voice. The reading will be a homecoming for Delany, who taught at UB from 1999 to 2001.

Friday, March 24 8pm. Trinity Episcopal Church, 371 Delaware Ave. (852-8314). Free.