In connection with ULM’s English Department, Bryan Di Salvatore, a distinguished and prolific author who teaches a graduate course in non-fiction writing at ULM, will read from his works Thursday, April 27 at 5:30 p.m. in the Aviation Auditorium.

He is the author of two books: “Truck Stop” and “A Clever Base-Ballist: The  Life and Times of John Montgomery Ward.” Di Salvatore has written numerous articles in The New Yorker and has contributed articles to many notable publishers, including Sports Illustrated, National Geographic Traveler and Islands Magazine.

"The best writers do not come out of the Ivy League," said Di Salvatore. "The correlation between good SAT scores and those who can write is non-existent."

Di Salvatore, ULM’s writer-in-residence, leaves a lasting impression on his pupils.

"As students, we have learned a lot from Mr. Di Salvatore's unique experiences as well as his literary knowledge,” said Katie Norwood, a ULM graduate student. “His contagious enthusiasm for writing and his candid critiques of our essays encourage us to flex our creative muscle while learning to find our own voice and style."

"I want the kind of laser-precise critical eye that Bryan Di Salvatore brings to every writing class,” said Brian Thompson, another ULM graduate student.

"Bryan reminds me of the Wild West outlaw—not only does he wear the prototypical moustache (the one that's shaped like an upside-down ‘U’), but he's also very accurate when he needs to discharge a few words," said Shane Thompson, a ULM graduate student.

Di Salvatore is no stranger to Monroe, though the first time he visited was in 1990 when he was touring the U.S. with Merle Haggard in order to write an article for The New Yorker.