National Willa Cather Center News

Cather Inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame

On Friday, April 1, 2011 the Empire State Center for the Book will induct nine authors into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame. Willa Cather is among this prestigious group of seven deceased and two living authors whose writings have made a lasting contribution to literature. A member of the Willa Cather Foundation Board of Governors, along with a representative of the Cather family will be present to accept the honor on behalf of Ms. Cather.

The 56th Annual Willa Cather Spring Conference Coming April 29-30

Red Cloud, Nebraska, March 1, 2011 — The 2011 Willa Cather Spring Conference “Willa Cather and Her Popular Culture” will be held in Red Cloud, Nebraska April 29-30. This year's conference explores and celebrates a theme that has not been often considered by Cather's readers: her relationship to the popular culture of her day. From her enjoyment of popular music, movies, and books, to her writings about actresses and opera stars, Cather regularly engaged with the trendy, the famous, and the celebrated.

On Friday, April 1, 2011 the Empire State Center for the Book inducted nine authors into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame. Willa Cather was among this prestigious group of seven deceased and two living authors whose writings have made a lasting contribution to literature.

In May 1916, Willa Cather wrote to her friend Mabel Dodge Luhan that she just had the luck of sharing a train with a very well-known actor. When the train stopped in Albuquerque, she even got to meet him. It was Rin-Tin-Tin, the movie star dog, and Cather wrote that she had never been more excited to meet a celebrity.

Willa Cather Foundation Board of Governors Installs New Officers

Red Cloud, Nebraska, January 19, 2011 — The Willa Cather Foundation’s 29-member Board of Governors has elected new officers to continue the preservation and promotion of the life, times, settings, and work of Willa Cather.

Two longtime contributors to the Foundation recently joined forces to issue a challenge to Willa Cather devotees.

The Willa Cather: Preserving our Past, Pioneering our Future Campaign will provide resources critical to preserving the Cather archives and expanding familiarity with the author among Nebraska's school children.

Frozen plum pudding, anyone? Perhaps a French onion soup in which "there are nearly a thousand years of history"? Or some Swedish heirloom cookies? These and countless other tantalizing edibles can be found in the brand new cookbook from the Willa Cather Foundation, available here.

The Willa Cather Foundation would like to invite you to attend this year's Prairie Writers' Workshop scheduled for May 20-23. This is an exceptional opportunity for aspiring writers to gain insight from author, John T. Price. Four-hour workshops will be held throughout the residency. Participants will be encouraged to visit the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie to gain inspiration from the land and its rare forbs and grasses. The workshop will conclude with a public reception hosted by the Willa Cather Foundation Sunday afternoon at 3:00 p.m.

The 12th International Seminar focused on Willa Cather's relationship to broader formations of cultural and literary modernism. Held in June, 2009, the Seminar took place in the downtown 'University Center', Chicago, IL, and included events focused on specific literary/cultural sites within that area. Bradford Morrow was in attendance as the 2009 International Seminar keynote speaker. Morrow is the author of the novels Come Sunday, The Almanac Branch, Trinity Fields, Giovanni's Gift, Ariel's Crossing, The Fifth Turning and a short story collection, Lush.

"On my way East I broke my journey at Hastings, in Nebraska, and set off with an open buggy and a fairly good livery team to find the Cuzak farm.