Seasoned Authors Read for Hunger Relief
Nine highly seasoned Oregon authors will turn stories and poems into food for the hungry at The Magic Barrel: A Reading to Fight Hunger, a benefit for Linn-Benton Food Share to help relieve hunger in the mid-Willamette Valley. This year’s reading will held Saturday, October 24, 7 pm, in the Corvallis High School Theatre.
This year’s Magic Barrel includes two OSU writers with just released books. Early reviews of Ted Leeson’s new book, Inventing Montana: Dispatches from the Madison Valley, call it “full of wit, surprise, shrewd observation, and wisdom.” John Larison’s first novel, Northwest of Normal, is a rollicking story of a small-town Oregon fishing guide. Both Leeson and Larison teach in the OSU English Department.
Other featured writers include Margaret Anderson, Geri Doran, George Estreich, Gregg Kleiner, Aria Minu-Sepehr, Cindy Smith, and Jana Zvibleman. Karen Holmberg will emcee. Sideways Portal will provide music.
Geri Doran’s poetry collection, Resin, won the prestigious Walt Whitman Award. Doran moved to Oregon last year to teach in the writing program at UO. Margaret Anderson’s most recent book Olla-piska: Tales of David Douglas was a 2007 Oregon Book Award finalist. George Estreich is the author of Textbook Illustrations of the Human Body. Gregg Kleiner’s novel Where River Turns to Sky, was a finalist for the Oregon Book Award. Aria Minu-Sepehr is at work on a memoir of his childhood during the Iranian revolution. Poets Cindy Smith and Jana Zvibleman have published their work widely.
“The wild variety of voices and stories is what makes the Magic Barrel reading so special,” said Charles Goodrich, a member of the organizing committee. “The Magic Barrel offers up fine literature while helping to relieve hunger in our community.”
All the proceeds will be donated to Linn-Benton Food Share for local hunger relief. “Requests for emergency food boxes in the local area are up about 13% per cent again this year ,” says Mike Gibson, director of Linn-Benton Food Share. “Every penny from an event like the Magic Barrel goes for food.” For every dollar raised, Linn-Benton Food Share will purchase and distribute up to15 pounds of food for the hungry in the local area.
In addition to the author readings, there will be live music starting a half hour before the show and continuing afterward, with complimentary desserts from local restaurants. Grass Roots Books and Music will be on hand with autographed books.
Admission is a suggested donation of $7 at the door, but no one is turned away for lack of funds.
Now in its 16th year, The Magic Barrel is named after the short story collection which the great American writer Bernard Malamud wrote while living in Corvallis and teaching in the OSU English Department. The event is sponsored by the OSU Center for the Humanities, with support from the Spring Creek Project, OSU Printing and Mailing, and other area donors.
For more information, call Charles Goodrich at 541-737-6198, or visit the Magic Barrel website: http://www.magicbarrel.org/
All proceeds go to Linn Benton Food Share.