Veteran author to speak on Iraq War anniversary at Augustana

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - A special event at Augustana University is bringing United States veteran and writer-poet Brian Turner to Sioux Falls.

Baylee was joined in the studio by Augustana’s writer-in-residence, Dr. Patrick Hicks to discuss the event.

Turner is set to address the campus community on Monday, March 20, at 6 p.m., in the Froiland Science Complex, Room 113 — the date marking the 20th anniversary of the beginning of the war in Iraq. Following the talk, Turner will hold a Q&A session and book signing.

Turner served seven years in the U.S. Army, which included time in Iraq with the 3rd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 2nd Infantry Division.

He is the author of two poetry collections, Phantom Noise and Here, Bullet, which won the 2005 Beatrice Hawley Award, New York Times “Editor’s Choice” selection, 2006 PEN Center USA “Best in the West” award, 2007 Poets Prize and others.

In addition to his poetry, he is the editor of The Kiss (2018), a diverse anthology of essays, stories, poems and graphic memoirs.

Turner’s work has been published in National Geographic, The New York Times, Poetry Daily, Harper’s Magazine and other journals. Turner has been awarded a United States Artists (USA) Fellowship, an NEA Fellowship, Lannan Foundation Fellowship and more. His recent memoir, My Life as a Foreign Country, has been called, “achingly, disturbingly, shockingly beautiful.”

The talk is sponsored by the South Dakota Humanities Council and the Augustana Union Board of Governors (UBG).

No tickets are required and the event is open and free to the public.

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