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Neither plummeting temps nor wind-blown snow could keep fans of great writing away from MUB Theatre I on Thursday evening, Feb. 11, as acclaimed author Benoit Denizet-Lewis stepped up to the lectern.

Denizet-Lewis鈥檚 most recent book, 鈥淭ravels with Casey: My Journey Through Our Dog-Crazy Country,鈥� has been praised by dog-lovers and renowned authors, including Susan Cheever and Dean Koontz, and following his talk, many lined up to buy the book, chat with Denizet-Lewis and have him sign it and his 2009 book, 鈥淎merica Anonymous: Eight Addicts in Search of a Life.鈥�

However, at the start of the event, which was the first in this semester鈥檚 , Denizet-Lewis explained he would not be reading from 鈥淭ravels with Casey,鈥� smiling as he explained to the attendees how he has done so many readings from his newest book that he felt compelled to share a few of his other works.

One of the pieces from which he read was his 2011 New York Times Magazine piece, 鈥�.鈥� The work inspired the film 鈥淚 Am Michael,鈥� written and directed by Justin Kelly, co-produced by Denizet-Lewis and Gus Van Sant and starring James Franco, Zachary Quinto and Emma Roberts, which premiered in January at the Sundance Film Festival. Denizet-Lewis wrote his article after reconnecting with his former XY Magazine colleague and friend Michael Glatze after Glatze had very publicly 鈥渁nnounced he was no longer gay.鈥�

Glatze, who had previously been a gay rights activist, was enrolled in a Wyoming Bible school and had begun writing anti-gay pieces for conservative online publications. In deciding to interview him, Denizet-Lewis explained his goal was to hear his friend鈥檚 story, to try to understand what happened.

鈥淚t was surreal,鈥� he said of the experience.

Benoit Denizet-Lewis writes extensively on many subjects, including sexual identity, and The Advocate named him one of the 50 most influential LGBT people working in media in 2014.

Leading into the question-and-answer session following his readings, Denizet-Lewis said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to write about groups that are marginalized,鈥� explaining the importance of having a human focus.

In addition to 鈥淢y Ex-Gay Friend,鈥� his UNH readings included an article about the residents of 鈥淕ay Road鈥� in Ohio 鈥� who petitioned their town to change the street鈥檚 name due to the 鈥渞epercussions of living on a road called Gay,鈥� one of his older pieces about the experience of interviewing then-Abercrombie & Fitch CEO Mike Jeffries at the company鈥檚 headquarters, describing the 鈥渃ult-like immersion in this brand identity,鈥� and an article about research focused on bisexuality.

When one of the attendees asked him how much of a role he plays in his nonfiction writing, Denizet-Lewis explained how the author鈥檚 part varies from piece to piece.

鈥淵ou impact a source less the more you hang out with them,鈥� he said. If a journalist or author is with an individual for a short visit, they will be playing a more prominent role in the development of the interview or conversation, and might necessarily have to play a part in the written piece to acknowledge how their presence affected the narrative, whereas over an extended time, a source can become more comfortable, making the author鈥檚 presence less intrusive.

The continues with Rebecca Makkai, author of the story collection 鈥淢usic for Wartime,鈥� as well as the novels 鈥淭he Hundred-Year House鈥� and 鈥淭he Borrower,鈥� on March 10, and with poet David Wojahn, author of eight collections and the recipient of numerous literary awards, including the O. B. Hardison Award, the Yale Series of Younger Poets prize and the Poetry Society of America's William Carlos Williams Book Award, on April 14.