2005 Nebraska Book Festival
October 7-8, 14th Annual
Nebraska Wesleyan University, Lincoln
“Local Wonders”
Ted Kooser, U.S. Poet Laureate and 2005 Pulitzer Prize winner, will
headline the 14th annual Nebraska Book Festival Friday, October 7 -
Saturday, October 8. This year’s festival is hosted by Nebraska Wesleyan
University in Lincoln.
The theme for the 2005 Nebraska Book Festival is “Local Wonders,”
drawn from the title of Ted Kooser’s evocative book about living in
Nebraska’s Bohemian Alps. Everyone who attends the festival on Saturday
will receive a free copy of “Local Wonders,” donated by the University
of Nebraska Press.
All Friday and Saturday events are free (except $10 for lunch on
Saturday) and open to the public.
Schedule
Friday, October 7
Student Day featuring Ron Block
4:00-5:30
- Readings: (No Name Reading Series) at the Sur Tango Café, 1228 P
Streets, Lincoln, Tyrone Jaeger (UNL); Mike Flowers & Will Holmes
(from NWU)
7:15
- Free Film: King of the Corner: At
The Ross Media Arts Center, 313 N. 13th Street, University of
Nebraska-Lincoln
Gerald Shapiro, who co-wrote the filmscript based on his book of
short stories Bad Jews, is professor of fiction writing and
Jewish-American literature at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. He
will be on hand to introduce the film, answer questions, and
autograph copies of his book.
University Bookstore will have a table with copies for sale. The
film showing is co-sponsored by The Ross Media Arts Center.
9:00
- Invited readings: At Crescent Moon Coffee, 816 P Street,
Lincoln. Hosted by Rex Walton. Barbara Schmitz, Sarah McKinstry-Brown,
Jim Reese, and Timothy Schaffert
Saturday, October 8
8:30
9:00-10:15
- Panels: “Publishing in Small Journals,” with Karen Shoemaker,
Kelly Madigan Erlandson, Lee An Roripaugh; “Life of the Book,”
sponsored by University of Nebraska Press
- Readings by Wesleyan writers: Ted Genoways, Ben Gotschall, Rick
Cypert, and Sarah Barr. Host: Scott Stanfield (Callen Conference
Center, Nebraska Wesleyan)
10:30-11:45
- Keynote address by Ted Kooser: introduced by Sen. Chris Beutler
(McDonald Theatre, Nebraska Wesleyan)
12:00-1:30
- Luncheon (Wesleyan Student Cafeteria): Tickets will be available
at the Registration table in Old Main (no reservations needed). Cost
is $10.
- Speaker: Bill Kloefkorn, Nebraska State Poet
- Emcee: Scott Stanfield, English, Nebraska Wesleyan
- Presentation of the Mildred Bennett Award
- Presentation of the Nebraska Book Awards
2:00-3:15
- Panel: “Literary Societies”: hosted by Scott Stanfield. Nancy
Gillis (John G. Neihardt Foundation), Betty Kort (Willa Cather
Pioneer Memorial and Educational Foundation), Sarah Polak (Mari
Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center) and John Wunder (Mari Sandoz
Heritage Society, and Martha McGahan (Lone Tree Society-Wright
Morris)
- Panel: “Many ways to probe a book and some books worth probing,”
Community Book Groups, hosted by Mel Krutz. Panelists include Sharon
Bishop, Bluestem, Henderson, and York Library Book Clubs; Melinda
Pearson, The Crows of the Cornfield, Lincoln; Mary Trenery, Chapter
12, Omaha; Richard Allen, Lincoln Great Books Reading & Discussion
Group; and Holly Herman, Book Group Babes and I'd Rather Read Book
Groups, Omaha.
- Readings by Prairie Schooner writers -- Twyla Hansen, Marge
Saiser, Ladette Randolph, Jonis Agee, Steve Langan; Hosted by Kelly
Grey Carlisle (Callen Conference Center, Nebraska Wesleyan)
7:00
- Invited readings, hosted by Marge Saiser, Matt Mason, Twyla
Hansen (Smith-Curtis Administration Building Lower Level, Nebraska
Wesleyan); Neil Harrison (Norfolk), J.V. Brummels (Wayne), Susan
George Bloomfield, Michael Dumanis, Charles Fort, Henry Krusciewicz
(Fremont), Greg Kosmicki (Omaha), Hadara Bar-Nadav, Benjamin Vogt,
Mary K. Stillwell, Deborah McGinn, Mel Krutz, and Fred Zydek
About the Sponsors
The Nebraska Humanities Council has provided major funding for the
festival since its inception as the Nebraska Literature Festival in
1991. Each year, the event celebrates Nebraska’s rich literary heritage
and promotes the state’s growing population of talented, contemporary
writers. Co-sponsors for the festival include the Nebraska Arts Council,
Nebraska Center for the Book, the Nebraska Library Commission, and
University of Nebraska Press. Additional sponsors are the Rogers
Foundation, the Pegler Family Foundation, Nebraska Book Company, Earl
and Patricia Scudder, and Catherine Angle. This year, Nebraska Wesleyan
University in Lincoln has organized the Festival and is hosting it.
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