All boys. All boarding. Grades 9-12.
Alum’s Novel Inspired by Woodberry Experience
A new novel by Christopher Swann ’88, Shadow of the Lions, draws on the author’s experiences at Woodberry Forest School. The thriller, released by Algonquin Books on August 1, 2017, follows a graduate of a fictional Virginia boarding who returns as a teacher. He discovers hidden truths about the disappearance of his best friend while learning lessons about friendship and honor.
“I am the person I am today,” Chris says, “in large part, due to my experiences at Woodberry.” He assures the school’s alumni they’ll recognize much, though the novel’s Blackburne School is a fictional place and the novel is not autobiographical. “Basically I took the best parts of Woodberry and gave them to Blackburne, and the bad parts of Blackburne I made up.” He adds, “There are a lot of Easter eggs for Woodberry folks in my novel, especially for my classmates.”
Christopher Swann will be the guest of novelist Charlie Lovett ’80 on the premiere episode of Charlie’s podcast "Inside the Writer's Studio." The interview will take place at the new Bookmarks community gathering space and non-profit independent bookstore at 634 West Fourth St. in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, at 6:00 p.m. on August 8, 2017.
Christopher Swann currently serves as chair of the English department at Holy Innocents’ Episcopal School in Atlanta. He holds a PhD in creative writing from Georgia State University.
Learn more about other readings and events on Christopher Swann's author website.
And read about Chris in the Fall 2014 issue of Woodberry Forest Magazine and Journal.
Woodberry Forest School is an exceptional private school community for high school boys in grades nine through twelve. It is one of the top boarding schools in the United States and one of the only all-boys, all-boarding schools in the country.
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Woodberry Forest admits students of any race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, and national or ethnic origin to all of the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, sexual orientation, disability, religious belief, or national or ethnic origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic or other school-administered programs. The school is authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant students.