Author Archives: Camille Dungy

“UNESCO City of Literature awards Paul Engle Prize to Iowa City West High alum”

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“Camille Dungy, a 1991 alum of Iowa City West High School, has collected a number of prestigious titles and awards through her career: University Distinguished Professor at Colorado State University in Fort Collins, Academy of American Poets fellow, Guggenheim fellow, National Endowment for the Arts fellow in prose and poetry, and the American Book Award among them.

The one she received this week was different, though. Not because of the $25,000 prize or the custom M.C. Ginsberg art that comes with it, but because of the full-circle ties it represents to the hometown that built the foundation for her career.”

Read more from The Gazette here!

“The Art of Research” Interview by Christopher Outcalt for Colorado State University

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“This summer, I walked across a quiet Colorado State University campus to meet Professor Camille Dungy at her third-floor office in Eddy Hall. When I arrived, Dungy greeted me warmly and offered to sign a copy of her latest book, Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden. Published in 2023 by Simon & Schuster, and released in paperback this spring, the book is partly a memoir and partly a meditation on the extraordinary significance of our environment. One reviewer described Dungy’s work in part as ‘deeply felt, fluidly written, and never boring.’ Given that Dungy’s home garden features prominently in the narrative, we had discussed having our conversation outdoors, amid the wildflowers, native plants and vegetable garden beds that populate her Fort Collins backyard. An early summer heatwave drove us inside.”

[…]

Read the full interview with Camille here!

Soil: The Story of a Black Mother’s Garden, has been selected for the 2024 Award of Excellence in Garden and Nature Writing from The Council on Botanical and Horticultural Libraries! 

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A statement from Camille:

“I am deeply honored by this recognition from The Council on Botanical & Horticultural Libraries. And even more honored to learn that SOIL is receiving the 2024 Award of Excellence in Garden and Nature Writing!

One of the things I consider in SOIL is why seeking out and supporting more expansive, interconnected, and diverse representations of the living world might take us a long way toward supporting a more sustainably vibrant planet.

It means the world to me to receive this recognition, for the subject matter and writing of SOIL, from a group dedicated to libraries (one of my great loves!) and botanical and horticultural matters (another great passion!) Truly, I am deeply honored. Thank you!”

The paperback of SOIL is due in early May!

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It has an extended Reader Guide and an afterword. Camille will be working with Old Firehouse Books to provide signed copies. You can use this link for a 15% discounted preorder by April 23. If you want the book signed or personalized, be sure to add a request in the comments section.