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After joining the non-profit Yosemite Association in 1999, Vice President Beth Pratt was struck by the lack of popular writing about Yosemite. "It's one of the most beautiful places in the world, but most people associate the park with John Muir's writings- not any present day authors."
She
formulated an idea for a forum that would bring artists together in the park,
and make Yosemite a contemporary literary landmark. "It came to me one
winter day while sitting in the Ahwahnee Hotel lounge, reading a book and
watching the snow fall outside on the granite cliffs, that this was the perfect
setting for a literary event. Yosemite provides such a natural inspiration
for art that I wanted to hold an event that would connect people to the park
creatively."
Jack Hicks, Director of Creative Writing at the University of California at Davis, and organizer of the long-running Art of the Wild writer's program, agreed to direct the conference, and with the help of Yosemite Association board members Malcolm Margolin, publisher of Heyday Books, and Gerald Haslam, author of Coming of Age in California, the Yosemite Winter Literary Conference became a reality in February of 2001.
Past presenters have included writers from all literary genres: Terry Tempest Williams, Gary Snyder, Robert Hass, Al Young, David Mas Masumoto, Louis Owens, and Jane Hirshfield. Although some authors have a strong focus on nature in their work, this isn't a necessary requirement.
Ms. Pratt explains "the goal is to attract writers and artists from diverse backgrounds to explore the landscape of Yosemite and the west. Even authors who have traditionally written about an urban setting have a different creative perspective that brings new energy to traditional nature writing. Al Young, during his presentation last year, delighted all when he sang jazz standards in between his poetry readings."
Now in its third year, the conference continues its tradition of excellence with an impressive list of presenters for 2003. Maxine Hong Kingston, author of Woman Warrior and China Men, writes about growing up as the daughter of Chinese immigrants, blending fact and fiction to address the important issues of racism and sexism.
Award-winning author Pam Houston explores the idiosyncrasies of relationships in her work, and her short story "The Best Girlfriend You Never Had" was selected by John Updike for Best American Short Stories of the Century. Poet and performer Quincy Troupe has authored over 13 books, including Miles: The Autobiography and the children's book, take it to the hoop, Magic Johnson.
The list of presenters also includes Chicano poet Francisco Alarcón; cartoonist/writer and "Farley" creator Phil Frank; noted poet Brenda Hillman; California author Gerald Haslam; and publisher of Heyday Books, Malcolm Margolin.
The Yosemite Winter Literary Conference is sponsored by the Yosemite Association, a non-profit organization dedicated to the support of Yosemite National Park, in conjunction with the John Muir Institute for the Environment, UC Davis, and Yosemite Concession Services, Corp. For more information, call 209-379-2646 or go online to www.yosemite.org.
November 18, 2002
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