Donna Seaman

Selected Works

Interview

This "Encounter" with Erik Larson illuminates many crucial aspects of the art of researching and writing creative nonfiction.

Editorial

Fifth Wednesday

It was a thrill to select stories by Christine Sneed, Joe Meno, Achy Obejas, Bayo Ojikutu, Melissa Fraterrigo, James Carpenter, Dave Schultz, and Frank Bergon.

TriQuarterly, #133

I guest edited this issue

A grand celebration of the language of the land

Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape

Edited by Barry Lopez and Debra Gwartney

Anthology edited by Alison Swan

Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes

Essays, poetry, and stories about the Great Lakes

Author Interviews

Writers on the Air: Conversations about Books

Writers on the Air brings to print Donna Seaman’s vibrant author interviews from her Chicago-based radio program, Open Books.

Fiction anthology

In Our Nature: Stories of Wildness

"These compelling short works... remind us of how important it is to go where the wild things are."

--O Magazine

Quick Links

A Conversation with Lorrie Moore

Lorrie Moore talks about her most recent novel, I Am Homeless If This Is Not My Home.

The One Book, One Chicago keynote event with Tommy Orange

What an honor and thrill to speak with Tommy Orange about his first novel, There, There, and his forthcoming novel, Wandering Stars.

One Book, One Chicago: Interview with Mohsin Hamid

Mohsin Hamid's exquisite novel, Exit West, was selected as a One Book, One Chicago read and I had the honor and pleasure of speaking with Mohsin as the season finale. I was in front of my computer in Chicago, Mohsin was in front of his in Karachi. Mohsin's eloquence is poetic and incisive and very inspiring.

Battle of the Books

I had a glorious time participating in this event with James Mustich, author of 1,000 Books to Read Before You Die. Jim invited five authors to advocate for books that are not included in his 1,000! Listen to Thrity Unrigar, me, Andromeda Romano-Lax, Anne Bogel, and Mary Bly make the case for our picks. Hosted by the Cuyohoga County Public Library.

My choice: Divine Days by Leon Forrest

Sandra Cisernos receives the Fuller Award from the Chicago Literary Hall of Fame

The American Writers Museum hosted this exuberant event at which Sandra Cisneros received the Fuller Award, a recognition of her pheneomenally creative and generous lifetime literary achievements. Here are tributes from friends and colleagues, Sandra's very literary acceptance speech, and an interview with an awed and grateful me. Congratulations, Sandra and thank you!!!

Booklist

Listen to Open Books Radio author interviews

E-mail the author

Authors Guild

My home ground. The concrete shore of Lake Michigan. Chicago, Illinois.

Oak Street Beach, Chicago, Lake Michigan
See Fresh Water.

Works

Creative Nonfiction, Issue 45

This is Creative Nonfiction's TRUE CRIME issue, and I had a very good time interviewing Erik Larson, author the bestselling The Devil in the White City and In the Garden of Beasts.

Fifth Wednesday

I was honored to serve as guest fiction editor for the Spring 2012 issue, the tenth edition of this outstanding literary magazine. Visit Fifth Wednesday at:

www.fifthwednesdayjournal.org

TriQuarterly, #133

For 45 years, TriQuarterly has published literature of high imagination and artistry. It was a great honor to edit Issue #133. I'm not alone in my dismay over TriQuarterly's demise, slated for late in 2010.

Home Ground: Language for an American Landscape

Barry Lopez seeks to preserve the diverse and splendid array of words that have evolved to describe America's gloriously varied and storied meadows, mountains, valleys, plains, deserts, forests, fields, prairies, shores, mesas, and hills. Lopez and Gwartney invited 45 writers and poets to compose fresh and new definitions of 850 landscape terms. I am honored to be beside such luminaries as Bill McKibben, Antonya Nelson, Barbara Kingsolver, Linda Hogan, Patricia Hampl, Terry Tempest Williams. I could go on. A big beautiful book replete with drawings and literary quotes, it is unique and singing.

Fresh Water: Women Writing on the Great Lakes

Fresh Water is an amazing and inspired collection about a crucial aspect of life on Earth, the glorious Great Lakes. Contributors include Annick Smith, Susan Power, Laura Kasischke, Judith Strasser, Stephanie Mills, and Jane Urquhart. Thank you so much, Alison Swan.

Writers on the Air: Conversations about Books

In conversation with Donna Seaman, fiction and creative nonfiction writers discuss their inspirations, favorite books, writing process, and convictions literary, personal, and political. Seaman also connects each writer’s books to other writing, creating constellations of related books and ideas to introduce readers to writers they might not discover on their own.

In Our Nature: Stories of Wildness

Fourteen unforgettable short stories explore our perception of nature and the conflict between wildness and civilization. We are nature, in spite of our machines, our plastics, and our artificial ingredients. Yet what do we make of our own nature? How do we explain the paradox of our urge to both exploit and protect wilderness?