Smiley published many of her novels as a professor in the ISU English department. She is a good friend and former colleague whose presence in my department and at Iowa State is missed,Œ he says. Nakadate, who has done a critical study of Smiley¡s work and knew her during her years at Iowa State, says she has been missed on a professional and personal level by those who worked with her. Smiley is intelligent, provocative, sometimes even funny.Œ Whenever possible, students should take advantage of the opportunities to learn from anyone whose work is interesting and important, and speaks to issues important to Iowa and the world,Œ he says. The chance to see two Smiley presentations is a boon in which students should take part, says Neil Nakadate, university professor of English. Smiley will be accompanied by John Cole, director of the National Center for the Book in the Library of Congress, on Friday to aid in discussion about writing in the Midwest. The program will open with an Introduction from Iowa First Lady Christie Vilsack, followed by a panel discussion and book signing.

on Friday in the Sun Room of the Memorial Union. In addition to her Thursday night reading, Smiley will also be presenting at the Third Annual Iowa Writer’s Celebration event, Voices from the Prairie,Œ at 2 p.m. In addition to the reading, a birthday celebration for the esteemed author will take place, as the day of the reading and her birthday coincide. This series focuses on the effect of place and geographical region on culture and narratives. on Thursday as a highlight for the ISU Creative Writing Program¡s Imagining the LandŒ poetry and literature series. Smiley will be reading a piece of her choosing at the Brunnier Gallery in the Scheman Building at 7 p.m. A fter a long absence, dearly missed award winning writer and former ISU professor Jane Smiley returns to visit and share some of her work with the ISU community.

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