2008 Woodie Awards
Visiting writer's sense of humor charms PSU audience
Krystel Pakitsos
Issue date: 11/15/07 Section: Campus Life
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The Governor's Room of the Overman Student Center often boomed with laughter on Thursday night as author Robin Hemley read some of his short stories to an audience of PSU students, faculty, staff and members of the community.
"He ... made the whole room laugh hysterically with some of the humor he came up with in his stories," said Emil Kalinkin, junior in marketing.
As part of the Distinguished Visiting Writer Series, Hemley read four short stories: "The Liberation of Rome," "All Good Things are Surprises," "Reply All" and "The List."
"I enjoyed the humor that Robin Hemley included in his stories," Jordan Stucker, sophomore in political science, said. "It made the reading very interesting."
Hemley was introduced at the reading by Karen Stolz, creative writing professor and author. She met Hemley in the early 1980s when they were both graduate students at the University of Iowa's renowned Writers' Workshop.
"I knew Robin had a singular talent for writing funny, quirky stories," Stolz said. "The kind I like best."
Hemley, a professor at the University of Iowa, has written seven books, both fiction and non-fiction. His most recent book is: "Invented Eden: The Elusive, Disputed History of the Tasaday."
Hemley's work has been published in the New York Times and The Southern Review, among other publications. He has won many awards, including The Nelson Algren Award from The Chicago Tribune, The George Garrett Award for Fiction from Willow Springs, the Hugh J. Luke Award from Prairie Schooner, and two Pushcart Prizes. "I like when I can appropriate a form that's maybe not normally associated with fiction and use it to create a story," Hemley said. "I like to think of odd situations and see how far I can push them."
Hemley explained that since he is a history professor, much of his work has a historic undertone. However, even stories that aren't intended to be funny often carry a little comic relief.
"Most everything I write has some comedy in it," Hemley said, "Even if it's ultimately a serious story."
"He ... made the whole room laugh hysterically with some of the humor he came up with in his stories," said Emil Kalinkin, junior in marketing.
As part of the Distinguished Visiting Writer Series, Hemley read four short stories: "The Liberation of Rome," "All Good Things are Surprises," "Reply All" and "The List."
"I enjoyed the humor that Robin Hemley included in his stories," Jordan Stucker, sophomore in political science, said. "It made the reading very interesting."
Hemley was introduced at the reading by Karen Stolz, creative writing professor and author. She met Hemley in the early 1980s when they were both graduate students at the University of Iowa's renowned Writers' Workshop.
"I knew Robin had a singular talent for writing funny, quirky stories," Stolz said. "The kind I like best."
Hemley, a professor at the University of Iowa, has written seven books, both fiction and non-fiction. His most recent book is: "Invented Eden: The Elusive, Disputed History of the Tasaday."
Hemley's work has been published in the New York Times and The Southern Review, among other publications. He has won many awards, including The Nelson Algren Award from The Chicago Tribune, The George Garrett Award for Fiction from Willow Springs, the Hugh J. Luke Award from Prairie Schooner, and two Pushcart Prizes. "I like when I can appropriate a form that's maybe not normally associated with fiction and use it to create a story," Hemley said. "I like to think of odd situations and see how far I can push them."
Hemley explained that since he is a history professor, much of his work has a historic undertone. However, even stories that aren't intended to be funny often carry a little comic relief.
"Most everything I write has some comedy in it," Hemley said, "Even if it's ultimately a serious story."
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