James Lasdun has written several books of fiction, memoir and poetry. His essays have appeared in The New Yorker, Harper's, Granta and the London Review of Books. His most recent book is the novel Afternoon of a Faun. Lasdun reads from his nonfiction work Family Man: The Enigma of Alex Murdaugh, about the infamous South Carolina murders, which originated as the most-read New Yorker article of 2023. He also shares excerpts from his novel-in-progress, The Iron Gates, a chapter of which was published in The Paris Review and nominated for a National Magazine Award for Fiction. Followed by a conversation with renowned novelist Mona Simpson.

Copresented by the UCLA Department of English.