The Distinguished Writers Series is one of the signal components of the Hunter Creative Writing Program. We have a rich history and continuing tradition of presenting intimate readings and class visits to our MFA seminars from the leading voices in contemporary fiction, poetry, and creative nonfiction.

Mary Gaitskill is the author of three novels, three books of short stories, and an essay collection. Her honors include a Guggenheim Fellowship, a PEN/Faulkner Award nomination for Because They Wanted To. Veronica was a National Book Award nominee, as well as a National Book Critics Circle finalist. In 2002 she was awarded a Guggenheim Fellowship, and that same year her story "Secretary," from the collection Bad Behavior, was made into a film, though the two have little in common. Gaitskill characterized the film as "the Pretty Woman version, heavy on the charm and a little too nice." Several of the stories in Bad Behavior have themes of sexuality, romance, love, sex work, sadomasochism, and drug addiction, as well as being a writer in New York City, and living in New York City.

Gaitskill has taught at UC Berkeley, the University of Houston, New York University, The New School, Brown University, in the MFA program at Temple University and Syracuse University. She was the Writer-In-Residence at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. As of 2020, Gaitskill is a visiting professor of literature at Claremont McKenna College.

No ID or RSVP required. Free and open to the public.