John Grisham, author of 23 books including numerous best-selling legal thrillers, will deliver UNC-Chapel Hill's spring commencement address.
Chancellor Holden Thorp will preside at the ceremony on May 9 at 9:30 a.m. in Kenan Stadium.
Grisham's daughter, Shea,graduated from UNC-CH last year with a degree in elementary education and teaches in Raleigh.
“John is an engaging speaker who will have a profound message for our graduates and their families,” Thorp said in a news release. “His prowess with the written and spoken word makes him an excellent choice for a commencement speaker. He has an inspirational story to share.”
Thorp chose Grisham in consultation with the University’s Commencement Speaker Selection Committee, which is made up of an equal number of students and faculty.
The author spoke at two North Carolina Literary Festivals held on campus, in 1998 and the most recent festival in September.
Grisham’s last book, "Ford County," was published on Nov. 3 and is his first collection of short stories. "The Innocent Man," published in 2006, was his first work of non-fiction. Nine of his books have been made into movies.
