Posted inObituaries

The man behind the Watershed Environmental Poetry Festival: Mark Baldridge, 1948-2014

Mark Baldridge, who has died. Photo: Baldridge family By Sharon Coleman For decades, Berkeley has been enriched by a vibrant literary community with poetry at its heart, as we see in downtown Berkeley’s Addison Street Poetry Walk. At the heart of the poetry community since 1972 has been Poetry Flash, a hub for reviews, articles, […]

Posted inArts

Wit and grace are hallmarks of book awards ceremony

Berkeley author Michael Pollan: “I’m not that old.” Photo: Ken Light Berkeley author Michael Pollan: “I’m not that old.” Photo: Ken Light By Karen Laws Michael Pollan, taking the stage at the 31st Annual Northern California Book Awards on Sunday June 10, accepted the Fred Cody Award for Lifetime Achievement with two caveats: first, he’s not that old. […]

Posted inArts

Legendary Beat Poet David Meltzer up for an award

David Meltzer: “Nobody can riff like him” David Meltzer: “Nobody can riff like him” By Karen Laws When Joyce Jenkins, the editor of Poetry Flash magazine, wants to describe poet David Meltzer, she uses language evoking his love of jazz music and association with the San Francisco Beat and Berkeley Renaissance poetry movements: “He’s a colorful cat,” she […]