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Columbia Journalism School presents a conversation with HELEN BENEDICT, a professor who teaches Literary Journalism, among other courses here. Benedict is the author of 11books, five nonfiction and six of novels, the latest of which is SAND QUEEN, which we will discuss here. SAND QUEEN is set in the Iraq War, and is based on Benedict's research with military women who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan, and with Iraqi refugees. Benedict has been traveling the country for the past three months, lecturing and reading oncampuses and bookstores about her work. She has testified twice to Congress on behalf of women soldiers, and her latest nonfiction book about the same subject, The Lonely Soldier, inspired a law suit against the Pentagon on behalf of women and men who were raped while serving in the military. Praise for Sand Queen: "This is 'The Things TheyCarried' for women in Iraq" -- the Boston Globe. Robert Olen Butler said of the book, “Every war eventually yields works of art which transcend politics and history and illuminate our shared humanity. Helen Benedict’s brilliant new novel has done just that with this century’s American war in Iraq. SAND QUEEN is an important book by one ourfinest literary artists.” -Benedict will be reading from Sand Queen in New York on Nov. 3, Nov. 8, Nov. 7 and Nov. 21. See her website for details: http://www.helenbenedict.com