Award-winning poet Jean Valentine will read from her vast collection of poems at 8 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27, through the St. Edward's University Visiting Writers Series. Covering a range of topics from love and loss to friendship and memories, Valentine will read from her most recent work Door in the Mountain: New and Collected Poems 1965-2003 — winner of the 2004 National Book Award for Poetry — which showcases more than 70 new poems, as well as all of the poetry from her previous books.

The author of nine books, Valentine has been recognized with such prestigious awards as the Maurice English Prize, the Teasdale Poetry Prize and The Poetry Society of America's Shelley Memorial Prize. Her first book, Dream Barker, won the Yale Younger Poets Award in 1965. Valentine earned her undergraduate degree from Radcliffe College.

The Visiting Writers Series brings working writers to campus to read from their work, talk about their writing and interact with students. Both the St. Edward's community and the greater Austin community have benefited from the inspiration of the poets, novelists and essayists who have shared their talents. The readings are free and open to the public.

• Who: Award-winning poet Jean Valentine

• What: Visiting Writers Series

• When: 8 p.m., Thursday, Jan. 27

• Where: Jones Auditorium, Ragsdale Center