Annual Jenny Elder Fitch Memorial Lecture: North Carolina: Land of Water, Land of Sky

Bland Simpson, UNC Kenan Distinguished Professor of English and Creative Writing, Author, Musician; Ann Cary Simpson, Photographer

During this special lecture, Bland Simpson read from and spoke about his book, North Carolina: Land of Water, Land of Sky. He was joined by photographer-collaborator Ann Cary Simpson, who showed and discussed some of her work that appears in the book.

About the book, as described by UNC Press:
Bland Simpson, the celebrated bard of North Carolina's sound country, has blended history, observation of nature, and personal narrative in many books to chronicle the people and places of eastern Carolina. Yet he has spent much of his life in the state's Piedmont, with regular travels into its western mountains. Here, for the first time, Simpson brings his distinctive voice and way of seeing to bear on the entirety of his home state, combining storytelling and travelogue to create a portrait of the Old North State with care and humor.

Three of the state's finest photographers...guide the journey: Simpson's wife and creative partner, Ann Cary Simpson, professional photographer Scott Taylor, and writer and naturalist Tom Earnhardt. Their photos, combined with Simpson's rich narrative, will inspire readers to consider not only what North Carolina has been and what it is but also what we hope it will be. This book belongs on the shelf of longtime residents, newcomers, and visitors alike.