American Humorist Ian Frazier

There Went the Neighborhood: The American West Since Lewis and Clark

In his nonfiction books such as Great Plains and On the Rez, Ian Frazier combines first person narrative with in-depth research on topics such as American history and Native Americans. His books are hard to put down; he's funny, compelling, and down to earth.

The Ohio-born essayist attended Harvard University and was on the staff of the Harvard Lampoon. After graduating he began his writing career as a magazine writer in Chicago, and later joined the staff of the New Yorker magazine.

Frazier is a researcher. He is thorough, detailed, and observant. 25,000 miles of trekking back and forth over the broad expanse of prairie east of the Rocky Mountains produced the National Best Seller, Great Plains in 1989; careful and sensitive research combined with the dedicated time and commitment brought us On the Rez in 2000. Other works include his 1997 compilation of humorous essays, Coyote V. Acme, and another collection of essays, also in 1997, Better than Nobody, Nobody Better, further demonstrates Frazier's care as an essayist.

His breadth as a writer can be seen from such early works as Family,1994, and The Fish’s Eye: Essays About Angling and the Outdoors which just came out in 2003. And while he doesn't often do speaking engagements, Frazier accepted an invitation to come to Portland to speak for Lewis & Clark College on the legacies related to the cross-country expedition of Lewis and Clark, some two hundred years ago.

Ian Frazier will close out Lewis & Clark College's four year examination of the Lewis and Clark story with his presentation, "There Went the Neighborhood: The American West Since Lewis and Clark," at the Newmark Theatre on Saturday, September 30, 2006, 7:30 p.m.

Tickets for this presentation can be purchased through TicketsWest, www.ticketswest.com, or by calling 503-224-8499. Tickets are $20. for General Admission, $15. for Seniors and Students.

Click here for tickets