Award-winning author to read from his book

Sandy Tolan, an award-winning author, journalist and documentary producer, will read from his book The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East in Smith Memorial Student Union, room 238 at 7 p.m. tonight.

The Lemon Tree is an account of the lives of two interconnected families living in the Middle East, one Palestinian and one Jewish. Tolan originally produced the story as a documentary for National Public Radio’s Fresh Air, and then published his research as a 360-page book in 2006.

Tolan has worked as a print and radio journalist since the 1980s, after he graduated from New York University in 1982 with a degree in film and broadcast journalism. He has reported stories from more than 30 countries and written articles for more than 40 magazines and newspapers, according to his Web site. He has also produced multiple documentaries and radio segments for NPR.

Tolan has taught international reporting and radio at University of California, Berkley since 2000.

The Portland State English department and the Literary Arts Council are sponsoring the event. It is free and open to the public.