Tranströmer Wins Nobel Prize

Poetry fans, rejoice:  Swedish poet Tomas Tranströmer has just won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Literature.  The 80 year-old has published more than 15 poetry collections, and been translated into 60 languages.  You can follow the link below to the NY Times article.  A big congratulations to Mr. Tranströmer!

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/07/arts/swedish-poet-wins-nobel-prize-for-literature.html

Jackson Wins Eric Hoffer Award

A big, happy congratulations to Richard Jackson (one of my writing mentors), who has just won the 2011 Eric Hoffer Award, for his book of poetry, Resonance.  This annual award "recognizes outstanding writing in a variety of categories, including short prose and book awards for works published by independent presses, i.e., small, micro, and academic presses," and "was established as the 21st century began with the purpose of 'opening a door to writing of significant merit,' as a memorial to the American philosopher Eric Hoffer."

Dr. Richard Jackson "is the author of 10 books of poems, most recently Resonance Unauthorized Autobiography: New and Selected Poems and, Svetovi Narazen: Selected Poems, and several chapbooks of translations. Last Journey: Selected Poems of Giovanni Pascoli appeared from Red Hen Press (2010), co-translated with Susan Thomas and Deborah Brown, and his translation of Potovanje Sonca (Journey of the Sun) from Slovene by Aleksander Persolja appeared in 2009. His own poems have been translated into 15 languages."

Again, congratulations, Rick.  Can't think of anyone who deserves it more!  Here's a link to the story:

http://blog.utc.edu/news/2011/06/dr-richard-jackson-awarded-writing-prize/