VCU news

By James McCue

Kevin Powers will discuss his celebrated novel, “The Yellow Birds,” a finalist for the National Book Award, at Virginia Commonwealth University, his alma mater, on Nov. 8.

Powers’ talk will begin at noon in the Commonwealth Ballroom of the University Student Commons, 907 Floyd Ave. A light lunch will be provided to attendees. Admission is free and open to the public, but seating is limited so attendees are advised to arrive early.

Powers is a Richmond native who deployed to Iraq with the United States Army from 2004 to 2005. After being honorably discharged, he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from VCU and then received his M.F.A. in poetry from the University of Texas.

“The Yellow Birds” centers on the experiences of two soldiers deployed to Iraq during the war. The New York Times called the novel “a classic of contemporary war fiction.” In addition to being a finalist for the National Book Award, the debut novel earned the PEN/Hemingway Award for first fiction and the Guardian First Book Award.

The event is sponsored by the VCU Alumni Association, VCU Libraries, the VCU Office of Multicultural Student Affairs, Military Student Services and the VCU Division of Student Affairs.