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A Literary Walking Tour of Eastside Iowa City, Spring 1990

Literary Walking Tour of Eastside of Iowa City Page 12

John Gardner, UI MA English 1956, UI PhD 1958 in classical and midieval literature. A philosophical writer who drew on this background for characters, structures and themes, Gardner taught in the UI Writers' Workshop. He had studied at the Eastman School of Music. He published 20 books of fiction (Including Grendel, The Sunlight Dialogues, Resurrection, October Light, and Mickelsson's Ghost), criticism, poetry and children's books. He received a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in 1955-56, and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1973-4. Gardner was killed in a motorcycle accident at age 49 years in his home state of Pennsylvania. (Information News From the Library of Congress, 10/28/81; Robin Goldman, Iowa City Press Citizen, 9/15/82). 

Gail Godwin, student (1967) and teacher in UI Writers' Workshop (1972), Godwin received a PhD from UI. Before coming to Iowa City as a student Godwin had been a journalist for the Miami Herald, and had lived in Europe for six years. Of her Iowa experience Godwin writes, " Iowa City was my Chung Fu .. it provided the stillness for the 'inner truth' -- learning to speak the words well, to incorporate the passion and recklessness of a young writer, with the order, stillness, and seriousness needed to become master of your own voice." (Maria Flook, Daily Iowan, 10/3/78) Her novel, Glass People, was published while she was teaching at UI. Her book, The Odd Woman has an Iowa City setting, and was nominated for a National Book Award. While in Iowa City, she lived in an apartment previously rented by Flannery O'Connor at 115E Bloomington Street. 

Jorie Graham, Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, UI Writers' Workshop. She received the Whiting Award for poetry in 1987, and had published three books of poetry, Erosion, Hybrids of Plants and of Ghosts, and The End of Beauty. Of Iowa City and the UI Graham says, " There's  a spirit about this place, a sense of belonging to history . . . we have the archaeology of writer's lives beneath u." (Teresa Hager, Daily iowan, 2-17-86) Graham is a 1990 recipient of The University of Iowa Old Gold Summer Fellowship. She lives on Sheridan Avenue. 

Allan Gurganus. " To the workers in our field, still waiting to learn to breathe then speak then sing -- I'd say, when in doubt about subject matter, common geography, a place to start -- begin with 'Right here." The truth is always local first -- and then. if true enough, it spreads. Settle in a room and read to one another. Read talkingly and -- afterwards about the poem or the story --- talk readingly . . . keep the simple, ordinary and decent at your workshop table's very very center. Maybe that will save us." (Allan Gurganus represented the 1970;s generation of Workshop alumni at the Jubilee banquet held on May 25, 1986.) He is presently on the faculty of Sarah Lawrence College. His latest publications are a novel. Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, and a collection of short stories, White People. While in Iowa City Gurganus lived at 328 N Dubuque Street. 

Elizabeth Hardwick lived In Iowa City in the mid 1950's with spouse. Robert Lowellm a visiting lecturer in the Workshop. While in Iowa City Hardwick attended the notorious Bednashek murder trial, about which she wrote a novel, The Simple Truth. 

John Irving, student (1965-67) and teacher (1972-74) at UI Writers' Workshop. He lived at 1130 E Court. Of Irving, student Ron Hansen wrote ". . . he was 30 years of age when he taught at the Workshop, and had published Setting the Bears Free.... he was

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John Gardner, UI MA English 1956, UI PhD 1958 in classical and midieval literature. A philosophical writer who drew on this background for characters, structures and themes, Gardner taught in the UI Writers' Workshop. He had studied at the Eastman School of Music. He published 20 books of fiction (Including Grendel, The Sunlight Dialogues, Resurrection, October Light, and Mickelsson's Ghost), criticism, poetry and children's books. He received a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship in 1955-56, and a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1973-4. Gardner was killed in a motorcycle accident at age 49 years in his home state of Pennsylvania. (Information News From the Library of Congress, 10/28/81; Robin Goldman, Iowa City Press Citizen, 9/15/82). Gail Godwin, student (1967) and teacher in UI Writers' Workshop (1972), Godwin received a PhD from UI. Before coming to Iowa City as a student Godwin had been a journalist for the Miami Herald, and had lived in Europe for six years. Of her Iowa experience Godwin writes, " Iowa City was my Chung Fu .. it provided the stillness for the 'inner truth' -- learning to speak the words well, to incorporate the passion and recklessness of a young writer, with the order, stillness, and seriousness needed to become master of your own voice." (Maria Flook, Daily Iowan, 10/3/78) Her novel, Glass People, was published while she was teaching at UI. Her book, The Odd Woman has an Iowa City setting, and was nominated for a National Book Award. While in Iowa City, she lived in an apartment previously rented by Flannery O'Connor at 115E Bloomington Street. Jorie Graham, Associate Professor of English and Creative Writing, UI Writers' Workshop. She received the Whiting Award for poetry in 1987, and had published three books of poetry, Erosion, Hybrids of Plants and of Ghosts, and The End of Beauty. Of Iowa City and the UI Graham says, " There's a spirit about this place, a sense of belonging to history . . . we have the archaeology of writer's lives beneath u." (Teresa Hager, Daily iowan, 2-17-86) Graham is a 1990 recipient of The University of Iowa Old Gold Summer Fellowship. She lives on Sheridan Avenue. Allan Gurganus. " To the workers in our field, still waiting to learn to breathe then speak then sing -- I'd say, when in doubt about subject matter, common geography, a place to start -- begin with 'Right here." The truth is always local first -- and then. if true enough, it spreads. Settle in a room and read to one another. Read talkingly and -- afterwards about the poem or the story --- talk readingly . . . keep the simple, ordinary and decent at your workshop table's very very center. Maybe that will save us." (Allan Gurganus represented the 1970;s generation of Workshop alumni at the Jubilee banquet held on May 25, 1986.) He is presently on the faculty of Sarah Lawrence College. His latest publications are a novel. Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All, and a collection of short stories, White People. While in Iowa City Gurganus lived at 328 N Dubuque Street. Elizabeth Hardwick lived In Iowa City in the mid 1950's with spouse. Robert Lowellm a visiting lecturer in the Workshop. While in Iowa City Hardwick attended the notorious Bednashek murder trial, about which she wrote a novel, The Simple Truth. John Irving, student (1965-67) and teacher (1972-74) at UI Writers' Workshop. He lived at 1130 E Court. Of Irving, student Ron Hansen wrote ". . . he was 30 years of age when he taught at the Workshop, and had published Setting the Bears Free.... he was