Pitt Hosts Renowned Novelist Walter Mosley

Renowned author Walter Mosley—whose critically acclaimed debut novel Devil in a Blue Dress (Norton, 1990) was adapted into a 1995 film of the same name starring Denzel Washington—will deliver a reading at 8:30 p.m. Feb. 6 in the University of Pittsburgh’s Frick Fine Arts Auditorium.

The free, public event is part of the University’s 2013-14 Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series.

In a literary career spanning nearly a quarter century, Mosley has published more than 40 books across numerous writing genres. Devil in a Blue Dress was the first of 12 books in Mosley’s commercially and critically successful Easy Rawlins mystery novel series. Among his other notable novels are Little Green (Double Day, 2013), Fortunate Son (Little, Brown, 2006), and Blue Light (Little, Brown, 1998), which was named among The New York Times Notable Books of 1998. His short fiction has been published in such national publications as Esquire, The New Yorker, and the Los Angeles Times Magazine. Mosley’s works of nonfiction have appeared in The New York Times Magazine and The Nation, among other publications.

In 2013, Mosley was inducted into the New York Writers Hall of Fame. His other awards and distinctions include the 2006 Carl Brandon Parallax Award for the novel 47 (Little, Brown, 2005), a 2001 Grammy Award for Best Album Notes for the liner notes to Richard Pryor’s comedy compilation And It’s Deep Too!, a 1998 Anisfield Wolf Award, a 1996 O. Henry Award, and a 1996 Literary Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. Mosley is a recipient of PEN American Center’s Lifetime Achievement Award.

A native of Los Angeles, Mosley is the son of an African American father and an Eastern European Jewish mother. He attests that his unique racial and ethnic heritage provided him with a multifaceted understanding of race and culture that has greatly influenced his work. He earned a bachelor’s degree in political science from Johnson State College in Vermont in 1977 and worked in various career fields, including computer programming, before publishing his first novel at the age of 38. Mosley currently resides in New York City.

The University of Pittsburgh Writing Program and University Store on Fifth cosponsor the 2013-14 Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series season. For more information, visit www.pghwriterseries.wordpress.com or call 412-624-6508.