BOOK NOTES.

Byline: The Register-Guard

Governor names Medford writer state poet laureate 

Lawson Inada of Medford has been named to a two-year appointment as poet laureate of Oregon.

Inada will be the fifth poet laureate the state has had, and the first to be so honored since William Stafford died in 1983.

`Lawson Inada is a beloved teacher and someone who involves people in reading, listening, and writing poetry," said Gov. Ted Kulongoski, who made the appointment. "He has a long record of involvement in community projects in the arts and humanities, and he has done distinguished work in reclaiming the cultural heritage of Asian-Americans.

`He is a wonderful poet and a great communicator.'

Nominations for the Poet Laureate were solicited from Oregonians.

First lady Mary Oberst chaired an evaluation group of writers, poets and cultural leaders who considered the work of eight nominees.

Inada, a third-generation Japanese-American, was born in 1938 and raised in Fresno, Calif. He is a significant figure in Asian-American poetry and literature.

In his 1994 autobiographical volume, "Legends From Camp," he wrote memorably about his boyhood experience of internment during World War II.

Inada studied writing at the University of Iowa, and then moved to Oregon. He is an emeritus professor of writing at Southern Oregon University, where he has taught since 1966.

He won the American Book Award for "Legends From Camp" and was named Oregon state poet of the year in 1991.

Poets Favilla and Wendt

to read at Tsunami today

Bandon poet Candice Favilla will read from her book "Things That Ease Despair" and Eugene poet Ingrid Wendt will read from her book "Surgeonfish" at 4 p.m. today at Tsunami Books, 2585 Willamette St.

Born in Chico, Calif., Favilla was reared in a family of almond farmers. She is the first member of her immediate family to have graduated from high school and the first to attend college. Favilla teaches literature and creative writing at Southwestern Oregon Community College in North Bend.

Favilla's first book of poems, "Cups," won the University of Georgia's Contemporary Poetry Series Competition in 1992. Her poems have been anthologized in "Extraordinary Tides: New Poems by American Women" and have appeared in many magazines.

Wendt is the author of five books of poems, two anthologies, a book-length teaching guide, numerous articles and reviews, and more than 200 poems in literary journals and anthologies.

One of the founders of the Lane Literary Guild, Wendt has taught American literature and poetry writing at all educational levels.

Friends of Library banquet will be held on Friday

Northwest Christian College will host the Friends of the Library Annual Banquet on Friday. The speaker is Oregon author Jane Kirkpatrick.

Kirkpatrick lives in rural Eastern Oregon. She has written 14 books, including the 1995 novel, "A Sweetness to the Soul," which won the Western Heritage Award, and "A Land of Sheltered Promise."

The banquet is at 6 p.m. in NCC's Burke-Griffeth banquet room, 12th Avenue and Alder Street. Kirkpatrick will speak to a general audience at 7:45 p.m. in the Evans Chapel, 11th Avenue and Kincaid Street, followed by a book signing in the chapel foyer.

Cost for the banquet is $15. For reservations, contact Vicki Becker at 684-7235. Admission for the speech is $3.

Jean Auel to sign books

on UO campus on Monday

Portland-based historical fiction author Jean Auel will be at the University of Oregon's Museum of Natural and Cultural History, 1680 E. 15th Ave., for a book signing and reception at 6:30 p.m. Monday.

Earlier in the day, Auel will visit students and faculty in the anthropology department and lecture to students.

The author transformed her love of European archaeology and an idea for a short story into a five-part series starting with "The Clan of the Cave Bear" in 1980. She is working on a sixth installment in the series.

- The Register-Guard