Image provided by: Clackamas Community College; Oregon City, OR
About The Clackamas print. (Oregon City, Oregon) 1989-2019 | View Entire Issue (May 24, 2000)
Feature ______________ L WEdNEsdAy, M ay 24, 2000 TI h E ClAckAMAS P rìnt Instructor will read from his book on campus Staff Writer For people in New York or L.A., it’s pretty commonplace to read a book about the area they live in. But readers have to look a little harder to find books set in the vicinity of Portland. Craig Lesley, an En glish instructor at Clackamas, has not only written a book set in Portland, but also one that describes thei areas that sur round this college. On Wednesday, May 24 at noon, and Wednesday June 7at 7pm, Craig Lesley will read from his latest book Storm Riders in the Gre gory Forum. Lesley has written four books and recently sold the screen play rights to his book Winterkill. Storm Riders is die story of Clark Woods and his son Wade. It starts out at the University of Massachu setts, where Woods is a college in structor. In the opening scenes, Wade, the hyperactive Tlinget Indian foster son, is under suspicion in die acciden tal drowning of a young girl. Thestory then flashes back through Claik’s life and his first marriage. As Lesley moves the story past Claik’s time at UMass, he traces the difficult relationship be tween Clark and his son. Wade has many problems besides hyperactivity, including fetal alcohol syndrome and other behavioral problems that Clark feels are just labels made by psycholo gists, doctors, and so-called experts whocan’texplainwhat’sgoingon in side his son. Clark struggles to help Wade, but Wade seems to have a talent for finding the best ways to cause the most trouble in any given situation. Storm Riders is the story of a troubled young man and a fa ther who is trying desperately to help him survive in the world. In the end, Wade benefits most from living among his own Tlinget tribesmen. Storm Riders is filled with refer ences to the Portland area. He talks about ’’The Oregonian”, Sellwood, die Willamette and Columbia Rivers, Oregon City and a free elevator next to the paper mill and Portland’s re cently demolished Greyhound Bus Station. Lesley’s Actional Two Rivers Community College bears more than a passing resemblance to Clackamas. The book’s main character, Woods, even encounters a prison inmate named Knorr, and talks about a school newspaper that misreports a series of book readings on peace as readings on peaches. Craig Lesley grew up in The Dalles and Madres and pres ently lives with his wife and two daughters in Portland. Lesley teaches advanced fic tion writing at Clackamas and holds the Hallie Ford Chair (for creative writing) at Willamette University in Salem. “Craig Lesley is a writer who takes us to the edge of work ing people’s lives with the dig nity and compassion found only in the best storytelling. In his work, Lesley teaches us to live our lives better, “ says col league Jeff Knorr. r Need some assistance paying for college? UPS offers up to $23,000 towards your education while working PT for us! UPS Offers: >$500 BONUS for selected shifts on Swan Island! >Part Time hours to fit your school schedule! >Mon. - Fri. Workweek! ore^triformation : Ibd >A Paid Workout! * |R| Callàie UP$job%ne 286-7298 *>■ Calnfenni^,;yoïîÂJÏ'sfecruitëf<at ' r286«74ix£5^^^& L Ï ’ . > Visit our website, www.upsjobs.com
