The lecture, titled "Metaphor," will explore the true essence of metaphors and their connection to language and creativity.

William H. Gass

A writer and philosopher, Gass is well-known for his experimentation with fiction's many forms during his 40-year career.

He often writes metafiction — stories that address the devices of fiction within their structure. He uses original stylistic innovations in each of his books, to add a new perspective within each tale.

A novelist, essayist and award-winning critic, Gass has perfected the craft of using words as a tool to explore the meaning and essence of literature.

Gass' most recent book, A Temple of Texts, is a collection of 25 essays that take the reader on a literary journey, exploring the resounding themes of his favorite works.

He uses his ornate style throughout the collection to convey his excitement of reading and the power of language. He writes, "The true alchemists do not change lead into gold, they change the world into words."

A Temple of Texts is Gass' sixth collection of essays. Habitations of the Word (1985), Finding a Form (1996) and Tests of Time (2002) all won National Book Critics Circle Award for Criticism — a record number in that category.

Gass' other literary awards include a Lannan Foundation Lifetime Achievement Award; a PEN/American Nabokov Award; the Award for Fiction and the Medal of Merit for Fiction from the Academy and Institute of Arts and Letters; and fellowships from the Rockefeller and Guggenheim foundations.

Gass taught philosophy in Arts & Sciences for 30 years and was named the David May Distinguished University Professor in the Humanities in 1979. In 1990, he founded the International Writers Center — now The Center for the Humanities — at the University, and directed it until his retirement in 1999.

He earned a bachelor's degree in philosophy from Kenyon College in 1947 and a doctorate in philosophy from Cornell University in 1954.

For more information, call 935-4620 or go online to assemblyseries.wustl.edu.