Taylor to talk caving at Auburn learning institute

Dr. Michael Ray Taylor, professor and chair of the Communication and Theatre Arts Department at Henderson State University, will be the featured speaker Sept. 9 when the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University kicks off the fall term with a focus on the wilderness of Alabama.

Taylor has explored caves in the southern United States for 35 years and written about his adventures for The New York Times, Sports Illustrated, Houston Chronicle, Wired, National Geographic, and many other print and digital publications.

He will share photos and stories of what draws him underground, reading from his latest book, Hidden Nature: Wild Southern Caves, as well as earlier works.

Taylor will also lead a hands-on writing workshop where he will walk participants through an exercise in observing, ordering, and writing engrossing descriptions for any medium or genre.