Al Young
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Al Young (May 31, 1939, Ocean Springs, Mississippi) is an American poet, novelist and writer of musical memoirs. He was named poet laureate of California by the governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on May 12, 2005.
Young is a graduate of the University of California, Berkeley. He lives in Palo Alto, California.
His book Bodies and Soul: Musical Memoirs (1981) won the American Book Award.
[edit] Bibliography
- Heaven: Collected Poems, 1956-90 (Creative Arts Book Co, 1992),
- The Blues Don't Change: New and Selected Poems (1982),
- Geography of the Near Past (1976),
- Some Recent Fiction (1974),
- The Song Turning Back into Itself (1971),
- Dancing: Poems (1969), which won the Joseph Henry Jackson Award.
- Conjugal Visits
[edit] Quotes about Al Young
California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said:
- "He is an educator and a man with a passion for the Arts. His remarkable talent and sense of mission to bring poetry into the lives of Californians is an inspiration."
- "California deserves to have a talented poet who can share the passion for poetry with all Californians. By serving as a mentor, the Poet Laureate can educate, enlighten, and empower our citizens by showing the power, beauty, and grace of language."
Muriel Johnson, Director of the California Arts Council, on the appointment of Al Young as California Poet Laureate, declared:
- "Like jazz, Al Young is an original American voice."
