Fall Lecture: Christopher Tilghman, A Writer of Historical Fiction Contemplates the Burdens of History

Christopher Tilghman, A Writer of Historical Fiction Contemplates the Burdens of History
November 07
1:30–2:30 PM
In-Person at OLLI

Christopher Tilghman is an award-winning novelist and short story writer, best known for his four-volume Mason’s Retreat series, including the final installment, On the Tobacco Coast, published in 2024. Set on a historic Maryland farm, the novels explore the intertwined histories of white and Black families across generations. In the context of current debates over American history, Tilghman uses fiction to confront inherited legacies and imagine paths toward understanding. His own family’s stories helped shape the narrative. A Guggenheim Fellow and Whiting Award recipient, Tilghman is Emeritus Professor and former Director of Creative Writing at the University of Virginia. He lives in Charlottesville and on the Eastern Shore with his wife, author Caroline Preston.

Tilghman's books, On the Tobacco Coast and Mason's Retreat will be available for purchase and signing immediately following the lecture.

Reservations are required to attend in-person lectures. In-person lectures will be held in the Spring Valley Building, 4801 Massachusetts Ave. NW, in Room A on the First Floor. Registration for the above lecture will open here at 10:00 AM on the Friday prior to the lecture. The direct registration link will also be included in the Friday newsletter the week prior. You must have an OLLI account to register. If you do not have one, you can create an account when going to register. Each registrant may reserve up to two seats. Your name must be on the list of registrants to enter the lecture and you must be in your seat five minutes before the lecture starts to guarantee your seat.