Best-selling author, URI grad to speak at commencement
Annie-Laurie Hogan
Issue date: 5/10/05 Section: News
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05/10/05 - Best selling author and University of Rhode Island graduate Ann Hood was chosen to be this year's URI commencement speaker. Hood graduated in 1978 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English.
"I was looking for someone who was local and had a strong connection to URI," senior Sarah Hewitt said. "I think the literary and general arts fields do need to be represented more often." Hewitt sent in a student nomination for Hood.
Hood said she is looking forward to delivering this year's commencement speech.
"I think I'm going to talk a lot about taking risks," Hood said. "I feel that often we're too afraid to try different things. You have to take chances."
After graduating from URI, Hood worked as a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines for about eight years. She earned a master's degree from New York University and wrote her first book, Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine, which reached the best seller's list in 1987. The novel tells the story of three college roommates, living in the 1960s, whose lives overlap as they grow older, Hood said. "It's really about friendship," she said.
Hood specialized in American literature while attending URI. Creative writing courses were not offered at URI at that time.
"I loved studying literature," Hood said. "I read for four years." Often today, not enough attention is given to studying literature, she said.
Willa Cather and F. Scott Fitzgerald were two of her favorite authors. She said that Cather's novel, My Antonia, influenced her decision to study women writers and to focus on women's lives in her stories.
"That was really instrumental for me in studying women writers," she said.
Her latest book, An Ornithologist's Guide to Life, is a collection of short stories. W.W. Norton &Company published the book last year. For the last two years, Hood has worked on The Knitting Circle, a novel about eight women who meet together once a month to share their individual stories. The book will be published next year. According to URI, Hood's short stories and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bon Appetit, and Traveler, among others.
Hood will also receive an honorary Doctors of Arts from the university. URI's Honorary Degree Committee recommends giving honorary degrees to speakers and accomplished graduates. The recommendation is then given to the president who sends it to the Board of Governors for a final decision.
Hood, who is originally from West Warwick, currently lives in Providence with her family.
"I was looking for someone who was local and had a strong connection to URI," senior Sarah Hewitt said. "I think the literary and general arts fields do need to be represented more often." Hewitt sent in a student nomination for Hood.
Hood said she is looking forward to delivering this year's commencement speech.
"I think I'm going to talk a lot about taking risks," Hood said. "I feel that often we're too afraid to try different things. You have to take chances."
After graduating from URI, Hood worked as a flight attendant for Trans World Airlines for about eight years. She earned a master's degree from New York University and wrote her first book, Somewhere Off the Coast of Maine, which reached the best seller's list in 1987. The novel tells the story of three college roommates, living in the 1960s, whose lives overlap as they grow older, Hood said. "It's really about friendship," she said.
Hood specialized in American literature while attending URI. Creative writing courses were not offered at URI at that time.
"I loved studying literature," Hood said. "I read for four years." Often today, not enough attention is given to studying literature, she said.
Willa Cather and F. Scott Fitzgerald were two of her favorite authors. She said that Cather's novel, My Antonia, influenced her decision to study women writers and to focus on women's lives in her stories.
"That was really instrumental for me in studying women writers," she said.
Her latest book, An Ornithologist's Guide to Life, is a collection of short stories. W.W. Norton &Company published the book last year. For the last two years, Hood has worked on The Knitting Circle, a novel about eight women who meet together once a month to share their individual stories. The book will be published next year. According to URI, Hood's short stories and essays have appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Bon Appetit, and Traveler, among others.
Hood will also receive an honorary Doctors of Arts from the university. URI's Honorary Degree Committee recommends giving honorary degrees to speakers and accomplished graduates. The recommendation is then given to the president who sends it to the Board of Governors for a final decision.
Hood, who is originally from West Warwick, currently lives in Providence with her family.
