With 11 poetry books under his belt, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill professor Michael McFee is no stranger to the written word. But there are some concepts too wide to grasp in lines and stanzas.
The North Carolina author’s new book, “Appointed Rounds” (Mercer University Press/2017), is his second collection of essays. Its name comes from an iconic line written by Herodotus, but often associated with the U.S. Postal Service: "Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds." Like those couriers, McFee believes writers are compelled to complete their duties regardless of the treacherous obstacles they may face. His lovingly-crafted essays span a variety of topics, from the indulgent sensory experience of reading a good book to his first time visiting the Billy Graham Library.
Host Frank Stasio talks with Michael McFee about his new book, the importance of paying attention to the mundane and what it means to be a hillbilly. McFee will read from his book tonight at Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill and at Quail Ridge Books in Raleigh on Sunday, Feb. 25. He will also read at Western Carolina University on Thursday, April 5 and at the Greensboro Public Library on May 19.
