Confluence: A Celebration of Reading and Writing in Moab, UT

October 14th-19th, 2008

The life and work of Edward Abbey is our theme, as it is the 40th anniversary of Desert Solitaire. Recounting Ed Abbey's time as a seasonal park ranger at Arches National Park, this classic and enduring book is loved , or conversely hated, by many. "Like a ride on a bucking bronco . . . rough, tough, combative. The author is a rebel and an eloquent loner. His is a passionately felt, deeply poetic book . . . set down in a lean, racing prose, in a close-knit style of power and beauty."-- The New York Times Book Review. It is around this work and this man that we will seek to find common language concerning our own environments and wild spaces around us.

Confluence consists of intensive writing workshops and a weekend community celebration. Come improve your writing skills during our intensive writing workshops, October 14-17th, 2008. Study with authors Amy Irvine McHarg, Jack Loeffler, and Craig Childs. Workshops include over 20 hours of class time with guest teachers, and classes are taught both indoors and out. See events for more information and to register.

Bring the whole family to the weekend community celebration, Oct. 17-19th, 2008, for there will be something for everyone: arts activities for children, street corner readings, radio interviews, poetry slams, art exhibits, and writing contests. Guest authors will read from their books, and Confluence will host a series of panel discussions about Edward Abbey's influence and current issues of the West. See events for up to date information.

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A little information about us:

The idea of Confluence began with a goal of resurrecting Canyonlands Field Institute's Desert Writers Workshop. For 19 years CFI brought renowned writers, such as Terry Tempest Williams, Ellen Meloy, and Scott Russell Sanders, to southern Utah to discuss and teach writing. With the 40th anniversary of the publication of Desert Solitaire, we seek to reengage the community in the joy of the written word. Confluence will combine a writer's workshop with other local literary events to inform, inspire, and encourage significant literary and cultural forces to heal nature and community.

Who is involved?

Moab Poets and Writers; Back of Beyond Books; the Moab Arts and Recreation Center (Moab City); Canyonlands Field Institute; Grand County Public Library; and several interested community members

Want to know more about Edward Abbey? Or about Moab, UT? Or about the artists' work you see on this website? See Learn.