"Crude Truths" Talk, How a Writer Tells the Compelling Stories About Oil and War

 Peter Maass, a contributing writer for The New York Times Magazine, will discuss the reasons and ways he writes about natural resources and global conflict. He will explain the ways today's journalists can make Americans pay attention to complicated problems beyond our borders. Maass has reported for years from the world's war zones and oil fields, including Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia and Nigeria.

He is the award-winning author of "Crude World: The Violent Twilight of Oil" and "Love Thy Neighbor: A Story of War." Maass is known for his narrative storytelling — using the language and pacing of fiction to write compelling non-fiction stories about the world. The event is sponsored by the Plan II Honors Program, the University Honors Center, the McCombs School of Business and the Department of Philosophy.