Kelly Writers House announces 2008-2009 fellows
The Daily Pennsylvanian
June 26, 2008
The Kelly Writers House announced the 2008-2009 House Fellows last week.
Robert Coover, Joan Didion and Mary Gordon will visit the Writers House in spring 2009 to speak to Writing House Fellows seminar students – who prepare for fellows' arrival by reading their works over a month before they arrive – and deliver readings to students.
The House Fellows program is the "premier program" at the Writers House and "creates a big buzz throughout the year," said Jamie-Lee Josselyn, coordinator of the Writers House Fellows program.
This year's literary "dream team" is already earning praise, she said. "There was a big reaction within seconds after [Writers House faculty director] Al Filreis' e-mail announcement."
This year's group is diverse yet complementary. Coover – who most recently wrote A Child Again – will be at Penn February 23-24. Coover will be the most "experimental," said Josselyn, "pushing students and the community to think about novels in a way they hadn't before."
Among the awards Didion, visiting March 30-31, has won for her writing is the 2005 National Book Award.
Gordon – recently appointed New York State Author – will speak April 27-28.
Past fellows have included David Sedaris, Cynthia Ozick and Jamaica Kincaid.