GVSU remembers Legends of the Fall author

Jim Harrison, acclaimed Michigan-born author and friend of Grand Valley State University, died March 26 at age 78 at his winter home in Patagonia, Arizona.

Throughout his illustrious career, Harrison wrote almost 40 books, including novels, poetry collections and essays about his passion for food and the outdoors. His novella, Legends of the Fall, was adapted into the 1994 Oscar-nominated film of the same name, starring Brad Pitt and Anthony Hopkins.

Many of Harrison's books and poems have been set in his home state of Michigan, and published in more than 20 languages.

In 2005, through the efforts of past President Mark A. Murray and the Meijer Foundation, the university acquired Harrison's complete collection of works, including manuscripts, unpublished materials, notebooks, screenplays, photographs and artwork. The $600,000 collection currently resides in the Special Collections of Grand Valley, located in the Seidman House on the Allendale Campus.

"Part of the significance of the collection is that Hank Meijer ensured that it was not divided and sold to various collectors throughout the world," said Nancy Richard, university archivist. "The collection has been used by students at Grand Valley and researchers throughout the U.S. and France."

Richard added that the collection continues to grow even today as new materials from Harrison's most recent books have been added since the author published at least one book of fiction and one book of poetry annually.

A large portion of the papers in the collection are correspondence to and from other writers, publishers, friends and family members. The earliest, from 1938, is a collaborative letter from family members written on the occasion of Harrison's first birthday and contains warm wishes for a good and happy life.

Patricia Clark, Writing Department chair, said the Harrison literary collection gives scholars and students in Grand Valley's Writing Department an opportunity to study the creative writing process from the early stages of drafts through revision and publication.

"It adds a great resource that really any level of student can use," Clark said. "As faculty, we hope the collection bolsters what we say in the classroom when it comes to the writing process. For example, in one year Jim wrote 300 poems, but only published 40. Why did he do that? By having everything, there are many different angles to look at."

Harrison's numerous appearances at Grand Valley included being the featured author during the 2003 Fall Arts Celebration, readings on campus, visits to classes, and being involved in interdisciplinary panels speaking about the importance of liberal education.

"He genuinely enjoyed coming to my classes, especially when I taught an upper-level class as a 'Jim Harrison Visionary Thinker' course for three years running," said Stanley Krohmer, affiliate professor of liberal studies. "Jim mentioned to me more than once how he liked coming to talk to my students because 'they aren't wannabe writers who want to know how to publish the books they haven't written yet.'"

Harrison was born in Grayling, Michigan, in 1937. During his childhood, Harrison's family moved to Reed City, where his father was the county agricultural agent. The author's long association with Grand Rapids began after a childhood accident blinded his left eye when he was seven, landing him in Blodgett Hospital for nearly a month. Later in life, Harrison earned his bachelor's and master's degrees from Michigan State University. After teaching briefly at Stony Brook University in New York, the author returned to Michigan in 1966.