Al Young, Appalachian
State University’s first Rachel Rivers-Coffey Distinguished
Professor of Creative Writing, will read from his works on Thursday
at 7:30 p.m. at the Linville Falls room in Plemmons Student Union.
“I feel honored to have been invited,” Young said.
The Distinguished Professor program selects an author to teach a
six-week course and participate in the Visiting Writers Series.
Al Young teaches poetry and fiction writing at the University of
California at Berkeley and nine other colleges across the United
States.
Some of Young’s accomplishments include: the National Endowment
for the Arts Fellowships, the PEN-Library of Congress Award for
Short Fiction, the American Book Award, the Pushcart Prize and two
citations in the New York Times Notable Book Award.
Young described the Visiting Writers Series as “first rate.”
“It seems to bring out those people interested in books to
talk about writing and literature.
“A lot of writers forget that it’s not all about them,”
Young said.
Will Howell, a student in Young’s Poetry Colloquium class,
said he looks forward to attending the reading program.
“I try to keep teacher and author separate because it might
change the way I look at their work,” Howell said.
“We talk more about the art of poetry. It isn’t just straight
work shopping, though we do both,” Kim Zdanowicz, creative
writing major, said.
She said she wishes Young’s courses were longer than six weeks,
and looks forward to attending the reading Thursday.
Young said he believes stories don’t take on meaning until
people hear or read them. He also said he feels that poetry and
storytelling are some of the most important tools to look at our
selves, to reconnect and to heal.
“Read, listen and be humble in the face of those who have gone
before” is advice given to students by Young.
Young said that we live in a culture that focuses on youth, and
people are led to believe what the youths have to say is the most
important.
He said the approach or voice of a work determines a writer’s
individual style.
“Literature is a tool for looking at a society to see what
is going on,” Young said.
He said he believes stories are a good form of entertainment, but
should not have the aim of career advancement.
People can learn much from another person’s experience from
storytelling, but preoccupations with money can hinder the progress.
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