Pulitzer-winning author to speak, April 9

April 2, 2009

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — Bestselling author and Pulitzer Prize winner Jared Diamond will speak about his latest book, “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed,” at 8 p.m. Thursday, April 9th at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. Diamond, a professor of geography at UCLA, is a noted scientist who has contributed to ecology, evolutionary biology and ornithology. The author of eight books, he is best known for 1999’s “Guns, Germs and Steal” and 2004’s “Collapse,” which tell the story of how and why human civilization developed at different paces in different regions the world, how past civilizations brought about their own environmental degradation and ruin, and whether modern society is moving along the same ill-fated path.

The speech kicks off “Earth Month,” a series of seminars, celebrations and other activities at the University of Florida surrounding April 22 Earth Day. Admission is free and open to the public, but tickets are required. Tickets will be available the day of the speech at the Phillips Center box office.