Distinguished Middlebury College Professor of French Edward C. Knox to receive award and give lecture April 27

MIDDLEBURY, Vt. ? On Thursday, April 27, at 4:30 p.m., Middlebury College Professor of French Emeritus Edward C. Knox will deliver a lecture titled “An Impossible Portrait of America? Reading Bernard-Henri Lévy’s ‘American Vertigo.’” Immediately preceding his lecture, The Honorable François Gauthier, Consul General of France in Boston, will officially confer on Knox the rank of Chevalier dans l’Ordre des Palmes Académiques for his service to the teaching of French culture. Following the lecture there will be a reception. All events are free and open to the public and will take place in the Conference Room of the Robert A. Jones ‘59 House, located on Hillcrest Road off College Street (Route 125).

In 2004, Bernard-Henri Lévy, a French writer and philosopher, set out to retrace Alexis de Tocqueville’s 1831 visit to the United States for The Atlantic Monthly. Published by Random House in January 2006, “American Vertigo” includes Lévy’s interview-based portraits representing a full spectrum of American culture. Knox says, “Lévy has written a controversial book on America, which has puzzled some and offended others, such as Garrison Keillor. The book poses some interesting French/American questions that I would like to discuss.” His talk will include a brief session for questions from the audience.

The event is sponsored by the Middlebury College Rohatyn Center for International Affairs. For more information, contact Charlotte Tate, assistant director of the Rohatyn Center for International Affairs, at tate@middlebury.edu or (802) 443-5795.