UofL’s English department brings in the distinguished writers through the Anne and William Axton Reading Series of free, public literary events. The spring events will be Feb. 17-18, March 3-4 and March 31-April 1.

Here’s the spring lineup on UofL’s Belknap Campus:

Danielle Evans, American University assistant professor of literature. She wrote the short-story collection Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self, and her work has been included in The Best American Short Stories for 2008 and 2010 and in New Stories From the South 2010. She will read from her work at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 17 in Bingham Poetry Room, Ekstrom Library, and will lead a two-hour master class at 10 a.m. Feb. 18 in Room 300, Bingham Humanities Building.

Marilyn Nelson, former Connecticut poet laureate and University of Connecticut English professor emeritus. Author or translator of more than a dozen books, she recently published the children’s book Snook Alone and poetry collection Sweethearts of Rhythm. Her honors include two National Endowment for the Arts creative-writing fellowships, a Fulbright teaching fellowship, the 1990 Connecticut Arts Award and a J.S. Guggenheim Memorial Foundation fellowship. She will read from her work at 7:30 p.m. March 3 in Bingham Poetry Room, Ekstrom Library, and lead a two-hour master class at 10 a.m. March 4 in Room 300, Bingham Humanities Building.

Lee Abbott, distinguished professor of English at The Ohio State University, where he directs the master of fine arts program in creative writing. He has written seven short-story collections, most recently All Things, All at Once: New & Selected Stories. His work has been reprinted in The Best American Short Stories and The O. Henry Awards: The Prize Stories. His awards include two National Endowment for the Arts fellowships and an Ohio Arts Council fellowship. He will read at 7:30 p.m. March 31 in Bingham Poetry Room, Ekstrom Library, and lead a two-hour master class at 10 a.m. April 1 in Room 300, Bingham Humanities Building.