Governor Bev Perdue and First Gentleman Bob Eaves hosted a gathering of North Carolina writers at the Executive Mansion on Friday, Sept. 23. About a dozen writers who make North Carolina home – and often write about the state – joined the first couple for dinner and conversation.
“This is something we’ve wanted to do for a long time,” said First Gentleman Eaves. “Both Bev and I are avid readers and are so proud of North Carolina’s literary heritage. The experiences these writers share, both real and imagined, are a source of enjoyment and enlightenment for the entire world.”
The evening, which included readings, was an opportunity to recognize and thank just a few of the many talented historians, poets and fiction writers from North Carolina. Joining the Governor, First Gentleman and State Librarian Mary Boone of the North Carolina Department of Cultural Resources, was a diverse group including historians David Cecelski, Karen Cox, and Joseph Glatthaar, mystery writers Margaret Maron and Katy Munger, novelists Philip Gerard, Randall Kenan, Anna Jean Mayhew and Craig Nova, poets Cathy Smith-Bowers (North Carolina’s Poet Laureate) and Michael White, and sociologist and essayist John Shelton Reed.
North Carolina is known for its strong literary traditions. For more about literary trails that highlight writers from across the state, go to the North Carolina Arts Council’s Literary Trails Web site at www.ncliterarytrails.com.
About the N.C. Department of Cultural Resources
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources annually serves more than 19 million people through its 27 historic sites, seven history museums, two art museums, the nation’s first state supported symphony orchestra, the State Library, the N.C. Arts Council and the State Archives.
The N.C. Department of Cultural Resources champions North Carolina’s creative industry, which employs nearly 300,000 North Carolinians and contributes more than $41 billion to the state’s economy. To learn more visit www.ncculture.com.
