The Southern Oregon Arts and Lectures Series seeks to attract a wide range of speakers to engage and entertain you and your friends. Here's a snapshot of the amazing programs we've offered to date -- and please see our upcoming events as well. Our goal is to entice your curiosity, to inspire you to use your libraries and participate in programming that supports your interests, broadens your horizons and activates your mind.
Videos of select presentations will be screened at local libraries so you won't miss a thing. Watch for announcements of screenings here and in your email...and if you are not already a recipient of our JCLF Newsletter, please sign up!

Previous SOAL Speakers

The Topic: First Descent in the Congo

Stookesberry and Korbulic described their international adventures and shared the tale of the tragedy that ended the life of their guide, Coetzee. They also shared about their passions for exploration and what drives them. Unstoppable, they have continued on with their expeditions, the latest of which is Kaiak, a reality TV series which has risen to massive fame in Brazil.

The Speakers: Ben Stookesberry and Chris Korbulic are two astounding individuals whose kayaking adventures have taken them around the globe to such locales as the Himalayas in Northern Pakistan and India, Brazil, Mexico, Costa Rica, California, British Columbia, and much of the United States. Ben was named National Geographic Adventure Hero of the Year in 2007, and was also the first to descend 70+ sections of rivers in 13 countries. Chris is another of the most accomplished expedition kayakers in the world.

Presented: April 21, 2011

The Topic: An Evening with Sam Anderson, New York Times Magazine Critic-at-Large
Sam’s lecture covered entertaining anecdotes of his reading and writing, and he explained what it is he does, why he does it, and why it matters.

The Speaker: Known for his “imitative reviews,” Southern Oregon University graduate Sam Anderson takes on the style of the writer being reviewed while working in the standard elements of a book review—summary, context, verdict. A funny guy whose reviews and essays are full of great wit and humor; he blends academia with pop culture and wise guy, off-the-cuff observations that make the reader laugh out loud.

Presented: September 29, 2011

The Topic: An Evening with Hampton Sides
Sides shared with us a lecture on the art and craft of narrative non-fiction.

The Speaker: Hampton Sides is the bestselling author of historical narratives. His books include Americana, a collection of observations and tales of the America that thrives just below the surface of our mainstream culture. Blood and Thunder, about the life and times of controversial frontiersman Kit Carson, was named one of the 10 Best Books of 2006 by Time Magazine and was adapted into a PBS documentary.

Sides was first introduced to Southern Oregon when he began research and writing for Ghost Soldiers, a World War II narrative which has sold over a million copies worldwide and has been translated into a dozen foreign languages. It was the basis for the 2005 Miramax film The Great Raid, starring Benjamin Bratt and James Franco.

Sides’ most recent novel, Hellhound on his Trail (Doubleday, April 2010), is the story of the murder of Martin Luther King, Jr. and the international manhunt for assassin James Earl Ray. Hellhound has also been optioned by Universal Studios and is currently un¬der development as a feature film.

Presented: February 29, 2011

The Topic: Vladimir Nabokov
Dr. Pyle shared his insight into Nabokov (1899-1977) and his famous literary works Lolita and Nabokov’s Butterflies. Dr. Pyle also discussed why Nabokov came to Ashland to look for and study butterflies.

The Speaker: Dr. Robert Michael Pyle is a full-time writer, a Yale-trained ecologist, and a Guggenheim Fellow. Dr. Pyle is the co-author of Nabokov’s Butterflies. He is also the author of 14 books, including Chasing Monarchs, Where Bigfoot Walks, Wintergreen, and the recently published Mariposa Road.

Presented: August 1, 2010

The Topic: Grace and Tranquility 
Named for both Eric Alan’s new book and one of Gypsy Soul’s CDs, their presentation combined literature, photography, and music. To view and listen to the Gypsy Soul song “Be The Change” click here.

The Speakers: Gypsy Soul is a Medford-based band that released their first album, Test of Time, in 1997. The band features Cilette Swann on vocals, with her haunting 5-octave range, and multi-instrumentalist and producer Roman Morykit. Gypsy Soul has sold over 110,000 CDs and 1.5 million downloads over the course of their previous ten albums.
Eric Alan is a former music director at Jefferson Public Radio’s Rhythm and News Service. During that span of twelve years he stretched the ears of listeners with a brilliant mix of rock, folk, blues, jazz world music and more. As a writer, he has published over 100 articles as well as a book called Wild Grace: Nature as a Spiritual Path, which was published in 2003.

Presented: July 17, 2010

The Topic: “Behind the Scenes of History”
Kennerly shared his award-winning photographs (such as the one above of five presidents in the Oval Office), the stories behind them, as well as his personal reflections on his work.

The Speaker: David Hume Kennerly is a Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist who has photographed over 50 covers for Time and Newsweek and has covered assignments in over 130 countries. Kennerly has published several books of his work, the most recent being Barack Obama: The Official Barack Obama Inaugural Book which he produced with Bob McWeely-President Clinton’s official White House photographer.

Presented: April 15, 2010

The Topic: Dr. Brinkley talks about his book The Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America and how President Theodore Roosevelt established National Parks like Crater Lake. To view a sample of his presentation click here.

The Speaker: Dr. Douglas Brinkley is often called “America’s new past master” and “the best of the new generation of American historians.” He is a distinguished professor of history at Rice University and a fellow at the James A. Baker III Institute for Public Policy. His writing covers a broad range of topics, including presidents, military campaigns, American leaders, Catholicism and Hurricane Katrina.

Presented: October 17, 2009

We understand various speakers appeal to different parts of our community, so we strive to bring a wide variety of speakers to SOAL. If you have any suggestions for future speakers, topics, or activities please contact Shelley Austin at 541.774.6572, and/or you can email us using our contact form.