Contemporary writers series honors Don Lee with award

Novelist Don Lee opened his first book “Yellow” with a poet telling Dean, the main… Novelist Don Lee opened his first book “Yellow” with a poet telling Dean, the main character, to “Come in. Sorry. I’m not quite awake yet.”

Like the poet, Pittsburgh’s Contemporary Writers Series is trying to do the same for both students and emerging writers.

This year, Lee received the first Fred. R. Brown Literary Award as part of the Pittsburgh Contemporary Writers Series.

The award recognized emerging fiction writers and is the newest addition to the series. It aims to boost Pitt’s writing programs as well as the series in general by inviting authors to speak about their works at Pitt.

“This is an occasion for hope founded by the readers and connoisseurs of literature,” executive director of the writers series Lynn Emanuel said.

Pitt alumni Fred R. and Melanie Brown funded the $3,000 honorarium to Lee after reading his work, according to managing director of the series and Pitt poetry professor Jeff Oaks. They have pledged $25,000 over the next five years to fund the award for future recipients.

In Alumni Hall, Lee read selections from his newest work “Wrack and Ruin,” to be released in April.

“It’s an opportunity supporting the unique collaboration between Fred R. Brown and the Contemporary Writers Series,” Emanuel said.

The Contemporary Writers Series, which began in 1998, brings accomplished writers to Pitt to meet with students.

“We are here to acknowledge such a unique event because one has to look in newspapers to get a weekly reminder of the little amount of fiction reviewed and read,” Emanuel said.

Pitt’s fiction writing faculty, in conjunction with the director of the Contemporary Writers Series and the director of the writing program, selected Lee to receive the award.

“There are moments in his works that are surprising and emotional,” said Geeta Kothari, creative writing teacher and director of the writing center. “His characters are flawed and complicated and still, after rereading the stories, I continue to fully realize his ideas.”

This was the series’ final reading seminar for the fall semester.

The Contemporary Writers Series is currently working on its schedule for the spring term. Approximately eight writers are expected to read portions of their works.