HELEN MACDONALD...2020/10/20 · HELEN MACDONALD H elen Macdonald was born in Surrey, in South East...
Transcript of HELEN MACDONALD...2020/10/20 · HELEN MACDONALD H elen Macdonald was born in Surrey, in South East...
PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES 2020/21
HELEN MACDONALDTUESDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2020
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THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS:
PORTLAND ARTS & LECTURES 2020/2021
EVENT UNDERWRITERS
Helen MacdonaldTuesday, October 13, 2020 Maybelle Clark Macdonald Fund
Madeline MillerThursday, January 28, 2021 A to Z Wineworks
Ibram X. KendiThursday, February 18, 2021 ZGF Architects
Joy HarjoTuesday, April 20, 2021 Angeli Law Group
Yaa GyasiTuesday, May 18, 2021 (Rescheduled) The Eberwein Family
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HELEN MACDONALD
Helen Macdonald was born in Surrey, in South East England, in 1970. Her father was the youngest
staff photographer at the Daily Mirror, and her mother worked for local newspapers including the Aldershot News. In 1975, her parents bought a home in Tekels Park, a private estate on land owned by the Theosophical Society. Growing up in Tekels Park “indelibly shaped” Macdonald’s writing life.
Living in Tekels Park turned her into a “child naturalist”; she spent hours wandering the grounds and observing the plants and animals. She liked to lay in the meadows or perch in a beech tree and read: “The more I read, the more I wanted to write, and I filled notebooks with everything from dreadful
poetry to stories about the characters in the books I’d read.”
A lifelong scholar, her long affiliation with the University of Cambridge began with her undergraduate studies of English literature. She returned later for graduate studies in history and philosophy of science, and from 2004 to 2007 was a research fellow at Jesus College at Cambridge. She is currently an Affiliated Research Scholar at the Department of History and Philosophy of Science. She has also worked as a professional falconer and assisted with the management of raptor research and conservation projects across Eurasia.
Simple Objects, Macdonald’s first book of poetry, was published in 1992, followed by
Helen Macdonald image © Bill Johnson Jr.
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Shaler’s Fish in 2001 (reissued in 2016). She published a cultural history of falcons, Falcon, in 2006. Her genre-defying book H is for Hawk was published in 2014. The book won the Samuel Johnson Prize for nonfiction (now the Baillie Gifford Prize) and the Costa Book of the Year award, and it was a finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award for autobiography. It was one of the New York Times Book Review 10 Best Books of the Year and a Best Book of the Year at TIME, NPR, Washington Post, and many, many more.
H Is for Hawk combines memoir, nature writing, and literary biography as Macdonald chronicles her experience training a goshawk while grieving her father. Macdonald said of the hybrid form: “I felt that all of me was in one place. All those parts of me—the literary side, the more scientific side, the experiential stuff, all the bird stuff—all came together in one.”
Dwight Garner called H Is for Hawk “an instant classic of nature writing” in the New York Times, writing, “Helen Macdonald’s beautiful and nearly feral book, H Is for Hawk, reminds us that excellent nature writing can lay bare some of the intimacies of the wild world as well. Her book is so good that, at times, it hurt me to read it. It draws blood, in ways that seem curative.”
In August 2020, Macdonald published the essay collection Vesper Flights to immediate acclaim. Slate said of the book, “No one describes the natural world with greater power or beauty,” and the Wall Street Journal called it, “Dazzling… Macdonald reminds us how marvelously unfamiliar much of the nonhuman world remains to us, even as we continue to diminish it.”
In an interview about Vesper Flights, considering her frequent subjects of wildness and grief, Macdonald told the Guardian, “I really like to think my subject is love. Love of the world and the things in it...” But, she continues, “Love and death and loss are all part of one thing, really, particularly now with the climate emergency. It is really hard to write about the natural world without writing about grief.”
Macdonald writes often for the New York Times Magazine. She lives in a cottage in the village of Hawkedon, in Suffolk county, near Cambridge. She has been weathering lockdown this year in the company of her green-cheeked conure (a small parrot), Birdoole, and recently got her first tattoo, a seraph inspired by a nineteenth-century screen in St. Peter’s Church, Ely.
Elena Passarello is an actor, writer, and recipient of a 2015 Whiting Award. Her first collection Let Me Clear My Throat (Sarabande, 2012), won the gold medal
for nonfiction at the 2013 Independent Publisher Awards and was a finalist for the 2014 Oregon Book Awards.
In 2017, she published the essay collection Animals Strike Curious Poses, which was one of the New York Times 100 Notable Books of 2017, one of Publishers Weekly Best Books of 2017, and won the 2018 Oregon Book Award for Creative Nonfiction. Helen Macdonald said in the New York Times
Book Review that it “might be the best book on animals I’ve ever read.”
Her essays on performance, pop culture, and the natural world have been published in Oxford American, Slate, Creative Nonfiction, and The Iowa Review, among other publications, as well as in the 2015 anthologies Cat Is Art Spelled Wrong and After Montaigne: Contemporary Essayists Cover the Essay.
Passarello has performed in several regional theaters in the East and Midwest United States, and in 2011, she became the first woman to win the annual Stella Screaming Contest in New Orleans. She lives in Corvallis, Oregon and teaches at Oregon State University.
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LITERARY ARTS’ LEGACY SOCIETYFIND YOUR STORY, LEAVE A LEGACY
Join these founding members of the Legacy Society who have made a phenomenal statement of support—naming Literary Arts in their estate plans—and help secure literature as a cornerstone of the future.
Carole AlexanderJan BarossC. B. BernardRick W. ComandichGinnie Cooper & Rick BaumanJoseph & Lydah DeBin
Jodi Delahunt Hubbell & Todd Hubbell
Nancy & Ronald P. GronowskiSara GuestSusan HammerUrsula & Charles Le GuinKatherine O’Neil
& Toby Graff
Diane PontiAmy ProsenjakHalle M. SadleBob ScanlanDennis SteinmanCarl WilsonTom & Marcia Wood
Literature asks a reader to experience what it means to be another human being. It is an immersive and empathetic art form, and essential to the fabric of healthy civic life. Becoming a member of the Legacy Society at Literary Arts is an excellent opportunity to make a significant impact and ensure our work can continue for generations. Your commitment to a legacy gift to Literary Arts helps us endure the fluctuations of today’s environment while protecting our ability to develop plans for tomorrow.
“ I enjoy Literary Arts as a reader, Delve seminar participant, Portland Arts & Lectures subscriber, and board member. When I did my estate planning, I included a bequest to the organization to show my appreciation for their important work. I am happy to give a gift, both now and in the future, and I am proud that Literary Arts will be a mainstay in the community for years to come.”
— Amy Prosenjak
LEAVE YOUR LITERARY ARTS LEGACYWe welcome the opportunity to meet with you and your advisors to help determine the type of gift that works best for you, your family, and Literary Arts. Your Legacy Society membership celebrates your dedication as a community leader and will inspire others to follow in your footsteps to support the future of Literary Arts.
For more information about joining Literary Arts’ Legacy Society or to schedule a confidential consultation, please contact Lydah DeBin, Director of Development, at [email protected] or visit literary-arts.org/legacy.
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THANK YOU TO OUR SUPPORTERS108 members of the Portland Arts & Lectures audience made a gift of $200 or more in response to our call for support during the 2020/2021 Season Renewal period. Together, the audience raised a total of $28,400. Your generosity will help Literary Arts continue to implement our mission in the uncertainty of COVID-19.
Geri AbereBeverly Aldinger
& Kirk GibsonBrijesh & Ann
AnandSally & John
AndersonAnonymousElizabeth Ash &
David MorgansternJoan BaldwinDanielle BeauvaisLinda BergJoe BlountKim & Randy
BoehmLarry & Jan BrutonShelly & Paul
BuchananKelley Burkett
& Nicholas KuhnEllyn ByeChristine CarrDiane CherryConnie ChristopherHoward & Rosemary
CohenJanie and Richard
CohenElizabeth CookJoan CorcoranMarian CreamerMartin & Anne
DavidsonSharon DawsonTerrence Dolan &
Catherine BlosserJustin Dune & Carol
Sanders
Tina Edlund & Sydney Edlund-Jermain
Ann & Ron Emmerson
David & Kendra Farris
Bob GeddesDiana GerdingThomas & Elizabeth
GeweckeMichele GoodmanEmily GrothKen & Paula HaleJon M. HanifinPhil HarrisBianca HartDebra Turner
HatcherSusan Hathaway-
Marxer & Larry Marxer
Mary Patt Hawthorne
Molly HiroMary E. Hirsch
& Yoshiaki ShimizuLynette & Donald
HoughtonAntje HowardSandra JacksonSteven JacobsonSusheela JayapalBarbara Jennings &
Richard TeutschTeri Jensen FreemanMaurice & Dori
KingJames KnollEva Kripalani
Paula KurshnerAnn LanfriRobert & Susan LeebStacy LewisKathryn Madison
& Jeffrey WertzKathryn MahaffyLinda MaletisPhillip M. MargolinRobert MathesonPete McDowellLora & Jim MeyerJustice Adrienne
NelsonBarry & Jane
NewmanBarbara
NiedermeyerAmy O’Neill & Larry
StaverCorrine Oishi &
Lindley MortonJan & Steve OlivaAlfred & Eileen OnoTraci ParkerKelly PerlewitzMari Margaret Piva
Raaf & John RaafDavid & Shirley
PollockLeslie Rennie-Hill
& Ken HillRae RichenDebbie RinkJanine RobbenRobin Roberts
& John L. BackesRosemarie F.
Rosenfeld
Michele RoyCharlotte RubinBarbara & Charles
RybergJane Sage & Tom
OlbrichBob ScanlanKathleen SchmidtJanet Schultz &
Dawn LloydBarb & Norm
SepenukMary ShawShirley Skidmore
& Ron QuantShauna SmithLeonie & Richard
SmithMerri Souther WyattEllen & Charles
StearnsBonnie Pomeroy
SternJohn & Sandra
SwinmurnAlice Trower KirkAnn & Tom UsherVera H. VacekEllen Vanderslice
& Scott ParkerStephanie & John
VolkmanRandi Wexler &
Malcolm CampbellKim WeylerClif & Patty WhiteAnne WoodburyMorton & Audrey
Zalutsky
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ABOUT LITERARY ARTSOur mission is to engage readers, support writers, and inspire the next generation with great literature.
ENGAGE READERS:
Portland Arts & Lectures brings the world’s most celebrated writers, artists, and thinkers to our community and connects readers and writers of all ages through classroom visits and workshops.
Portland Book Festival brings writers and readers of all ages together to celebrate a shared passion for books. This year’s festival will be all online and free for all, running from November 5–21, 2020. Find out more at literary-arts.org/PBF.
Delve Readers Seminars cultivates community around the shared experience of reading. By gathering around books, we engage in dialogues with authors we love, and artists who show us new perspectives.
The Archive Project Radio Show and Podcast features the most sought-after recordings from our Portland Arts & Lectures series, the Portland Book Festival, and other community events. Each week, new lectures are available to stream for free. Listen on OPB Radio Sunday evenings at 7:00 p.m., on our website at literary-arts.org/archive, or wherever you get your podcasts.
SUPPORT WRITERS:
Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships supports, promotes, and celebrates Oregon’s writers and publishers. In addition to awards and fellowships for emerging and established writers, the program also offers writing classes and literary events at our downtown center and produces the Oregon Book Awards Author Tour, which connects writers and readers throughout the state. In 2020 we awarded 150 Oregon writers, who were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, emergency funds of $1,000 each, with priority given to BIPOC writers.
INSPIRE THE NEXT GENERATION:
Youth Programs inspires public high school students to write, publish, and perform their own creative writing. Writers in the Schools residencies bring working writers into classrooms. Students to the Schnitz gives young people access to great books and influential authors. The College Essay Mentoring Project pairs mentors with college applicants. And the annual Verselandia! and East Side Slam poetry slams showcases high school spoken word artists.
For more information, or to make a gift in support of our programs, visit our website at literary-arts.org.
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Literary Arts: 925 SW Washington Street, Portland, OR 97205Phone: 503-227-2583 Online: literary-arts.orgFind us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram @literaryarts.
WHO WE ARELiterary Arts
StaffAndrew Proctor,
Executive DirectorSophie AlbanisMaggie AllenAmanda BullockLydah DeBinAlanna FaelanJennifer GurneyHunt HolmanOlivia Jones-HallBrandon LenziAllegra LopezJessica Meza-
TorresSusan MooreJules OhmanLiz OlufsonEmilly PradoValeria I. RamirezJyoti Roy
Literary Arts Board of Directors
Amy Prosenjak, Chair
Jill AbereDavid AngeliJoan CirilloGinnie CooperAmy DonohueAnn EdlenSarah GibbonBetsy HenningJonathan HillDeidra MinerAnis MojganiJustice Adrienne
NelsonCorrine OishiKatherine O’NeilRamon PaganBob SpeltzDennis SteinmanChabre VickersAmy Wayson
Strunk & White Society
An honorary society of distinguished advisors
Gwyneth Gamble Booth
Nancy BragdonLarry ColtonTheo Downes-
Le GuinBart EberweinBrian GardDiana GerdingMolly GlossCarrie HoopsJodi Delahunt-
HubbellCecelia
HuntingtonSusheela JayapalBarry LopezJulie ManciniBrenda MeltebekeJessica MozeicoDiane PontiMichael PowellAmy ProsenjakPer RamfjordHalle SadleSteven TaylorJacqueline
WillinghamSteve Wynne
Development Council
Bob Speltz, ChairJill AbereAnn BardenJoan CirilloGinnie CooperAmy DonohueAnn EdlenSara GuestJan OlivaAndrew ProctorAmy ProsenjakJon Raymond
Chabre VickersJacqueline
WillinghamCarl WilsonThomas Wood
Patron Advisory Council
Katherine O’Neil, Chair
Jill AbereSeth AlleyKim BissellMarian CreamerKieran CurleyRebecca DeCesaroMarilyn EpsteinSarah GibbonSusan Hathaway-
MarxerEarl HinesKristi Wallace
KnightPhillip M.
MargolinKatherine McCoyCarolyn McKinneyVanessa
McLaughlinLora MeyerNancy PonziAnna RamanJim ReinhartBarbara SepenukRoslyn SutherlandKate TuominenKim WeylerMarcia Wood
Oregon Book Awards & Fellowships Advisory Council
Anis Mojgani, Chair
Tom BoothNancy BoutinJulie Dixon
Abbey GaterudBetsy HenningRhonda HughesCecelia
HuntingtonLinda LeslieMeghan MoranJyothi NatarajanCorrine OishiDennis SteinmanArmin Tolentino
Youth Programs Advisory Council
Jonathan Hill, Chair
Carmen Bernier-Grand
Sandra ChildsJacque DixonBob GeddesAndre GoodlowMary HirschBriana LindenAndre MiddletonDeidra MinerAnis MojganiKarena SalmondClaudia SavageCatherine
TheriaultAmy WaysonTracey WyattSharon Wynde
Portland Book Festival Advisory Council
Jon Raymond, Chair
Edward Ash-MilbyKathi Inman
BerensKatie BolandJulie BunkerJoan Cirillo Liz Crain
Sarah GibbonElina LimJosha NathanJustice Adrienne
NelsonOlivia OliviaKatherine O’NeilSteph OpitzCraig PopelarsSarah RothenfluchHeidi SchulzRob SpillmanAlicia TateSage Van WingLidia YuknavitchGail Zuro
Brian Booth Writers’ Fund Endowment Campaign Task ForceGwyneth Gamble
BoothTom BoothBart EberweinBarnes Ellis Sr.Jim FavilleBrian GardJudy HummeltCecelia
HuntingtonSusheela JayapalSen. Betsy JohnsonTheo Downes-
LeGuinJulie ManciniJim MeyerSuzanne Storms
MillisCarole MorseCorrine OishiTom PalmerJohn RussellBob ScanlanGary WhiteJacqueline
Willingham
Literary Arts is supported in part by:
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+ many more!
literary-arts.org/PBF
100+ authors, writing workshops, book events in all genres for kids, teens, and adults. All online and free to all!
+ many more!
literary-arts.org/PBF
100+ authors, writing workshops, book events in all genres for kids, teens, and adults. All online and free to all!
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+ many more!
literary-arts.org/PBF
100+ authors, writing workshops, book events in all genres for kids, teens, and adults. All online and free to all!
+ many more!
literary-arts.org/PBF
100+ authors, writing workshops, book events in all genres for kids, teens, and adults. All online and free to all!