By Rohan Preston

The Twin Cities will get a good a good serving of the poetry of literary all-rounder Quincy Troupe starting Wednesday, when the poet, biographer and emeritus professor reads excerpts from his eight books of poetry at the University of Minnesota. Troupe, whose reputation was cemented 1980 with "Snake-Back Solos," is the latest author in the Nommo program, sponsored by the Givens Collection of African-American Literature. The two-time American Book Award winner will read from "The Architecture of Language" and "Transcircularities: New and selected Poems," both issued by his Minneapolis-based publisher, Coffee House Press. While he is celebrated for his poetry, Troupe is perhaps better known for co-writing "Miles: The Autobiography," on seminal jazzman Miles Davis, and for the bestseller "The Pursuit of Happyness," an autobiography he co-wrote with Chris Gardner on Mr. Gardner's life and was the basis of the movie of the same name starring Will Smith. Troupe reads 7:00 p.m. Wed. at Coffman Memorial Union, University of Minnesota , 300 Washington Ave SE, Minneapolis. $15. For more info, go here.