In 2012 the Author! Author! literary series began with a very lofty goal: Bring some of the brightest literary minds to Central Oregon four times a year to share their books and engage audiences in discussions and thought-provoking ideas regarding their work. Now ending its sixth season, Author! Author! has successfully lived up to its goal.
ELIZABETH STROUT
Friday, March 16 | 7pm | Bend High School Auditorium
Elizabeth Strout is the author of six books, including her 2009 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel Olive Kitteridge. Her debut novel, Amy and Isabelle, won the Los Angeles Times Art Seidenbaum Award for First Fiction and the Chicago Tribune Heartland Prize. Her short stories have appeared in numerous publications, including The New Yorker. Her most recent novel, Anything is Possible, was called “…a shimmering masterpiece of a book,” in a review from The Guardian. Strout lives in New York City.
The Author! Author! series began in 2012 as a way to expand the literary landscape in Central Oregon while raising funds for the Deschutes Public Library Foundation. With four best-selling writers visiting with each annual series, Central Oregon played host to numerous authors who have won Pulitzer Prizes, National Book Awards, and Edgar Awards, among other literary prizes. And now, with Colson Whitehead’s appearance, the series can add a MacArthur Fellow (or “Genius Grant” recipient) to the list.
“The community response to Author! Author! has been amazing,” says the program’s project director, Chantal Strobel. “Ticket sales have increased with each season, which speaks volumes about Central Oregon’s engagement in and commitment to the literary arts. Being able to bring such a high caliber of authors to the region—year after year—is really a testament to our community and the value they place on books, learning and conversation.”