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The Third Annual The Kenneth and Geraldine Gell Poetry Prize 2010 The Gell Prize is named after Kenneth and Geraldine Gell of Rochester NY. Dr, Gell earned his doctorate in History and spent his entire career teaching in the Rochester City School District. Beginning in 1929, the Gells spent two and a half years searching for an ideal location to build a vacation and retirement home. They finally discovered it on a beautiful, secluded 24-acre parcel in the Bristol Hills situated in the Finger Lakes region of central New York. The breathtaking views, wildflowers and animal life were a wonderful contrast to their hectic life in Rochester, 35 miles away. They named their house "The Beagle," after the ship that carried Charles Darwin on his voyages. Dr. Gell was a man of diverse interests, with a passion for the arts and education. After retiring, the Gells, discussed ways in which their dream home might be used to benefit others. They wanted the spirit of creativity and the quest for learning to continue on when they could no longer live here. In 1988 Dr. and Mrs. Gell donated their home and property to Writers & Books of Rochester. Today, The Gell Center serves as a writer’s retreat, conference center and annex for the classes and programs offered by Writers & Books. The Gell Center continues the mission of nurturing lifelong learning and respect for nature that were essential values in the lives of Dr. and Mrs. Gell. The 2008 Gell Prize judge was Carl Dennis, an internationally recognized American poet and educator. In 2002 Mr. Dennis’s book Practical Gods, won the 2002 Pulitzer Prize for poetry. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Dennis attended Oberlin College and the University of Chicago prior to receiving his bachelor's degree from the University of Minnesota in 1961. In 1966, Dennis received his Ph.D. in English literature from the University of California, Berkeley. That same year, he became an assistant professor of English at the University at Buffalo, where he has spent most of his career. In 2002, he became an artist-in-residence at the school Dennis has also served on the faculty of the graduate program at Warren Wilson College. In addition to the Pulitzer Prize for Poetry, Dennis has received other notable awards for his poetry, including a Fellowship at the Rockefeller Study Center in Bellagio, Italy; a Guggenheim Fellowship (1984); a National Endowment for the Arts Fellowship in Poetry (1988), and the Ruth Lilly Poetry Prize (2000). Founded in 1981, Writers & Books is one of the oldest and largest community-based literary centers in the United States. The organization was founded on the principle that the written and spoken word are central to our lives and culture. Writers & Books’ mission is to promote reading and writing as life-long activities for people of every age, background and means |
The Bertrand Russell SocietyHosted by: Dr. David White The Bertrand Russell Society was formed shortly after Russell’s death in 1970. Russell was born in 1872 and worked in fields such as mathematical logic; philosophy; social, religious, and educational reform; anti-war protests and politics. An accomplished writer, Russell received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1950. This ongoing lecture series promises to enlighten and entertain. Monthly meetings are open to everyone, not just to members of the society. Monthly Story SlamMarch. 17, 7 pm An open mic of true loose and spontaneous stories based on one’s own life! Themes include: “Brush with the Law,” “Love Life,” “Embarassing Moment,” “True Tales from College”...but stories can be independent of the theme. This is an event where participants tell stories about their lives. The stories are loose and spontaneous, and the emphasis is on authenticity. See examples on Youtube by searching MothUp Story Slam. According to The New York Times: “Like the folk revival in the 70s or standup comedy in the 80s, all of a sudden everyone is doing it....Storytelling has exploded into a thriving genre all its own, a new avenue to prominence for writers and, increasingly, for actors and comedians.” Each performer gets approximately 5 minutes. Signup list at front desk 1/2 hour before. or sign up by emailing Carol Roberts at crobert8@rochester.rr.com with “Monthly Sign Up” in the subject line. Valley Manor Book Discussions1570 East Avenue, Rochester, NY 14610 Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. This is the “If All of Rochester Read the Same Book”. History Reading GroupHosted by Steve Huff Join Writers & Books’s history buffs as they explore the big issues and personalities of history. We do not choose particular books, but only subjects. You can read any book or other material on the subject and join the discussion. Meets on the third Wide Open MicMonday, March 22 W&B is proud to sponsor Rochester’s longest-running open mic, hosted by Norm Davis, poet and editor of HazMat Review. Known for its eclectic mix, Wide Open Mic welcomes poets, performers, and writers of all kinds. 25 & UnderTues. March 23 More than a quarter century ago W&B first opened its doors. To celebrate that milestone anniversary we initiated a monthly reading series featuring writers who are 25 and younger. Join us as we discover a new generation of writers for the next quarter century.
Click here for more March Events...
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| Writers & Books, Rochester's community literary center, inspires and instructs over 25,000 people each year through a wide array of offerings in nearly every literary genre. Believing that the written and spoken word are central to our lives and culture, Writers & Books celebrates, promotes and works to make them available to all. Writers & Books is located at 740 University Avenue, near Atlantic Avenue in the Neighborhood of the Arts. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
