A Gathering of Stones: Journeys to the Edges of a Changing World

By Carol Ann Bassett
September 2002: Oregon State University Press
ISBN: 0870715453

Assistant Professor Carol Ann Bassett’s first book is A Gathering of Stones: Journeys to the Edges of a Changing World, a collection of essays about nature, culture and change that earned Bassett a first-runner up designation for nonfiction in the 2003 Oregon Book Awards. Award Judge Paul West noted Bassett’s “gift for snapping up unconsidered trifles,” and “metaphysical cast of mind rare in the anecdotal journalist,” while comparing her literary technique to that of poets T.S. Eliot, Seferis and St. John Perse. Bassett, who teaches in the school’s literary nonfiction and magazine writing programs, traveled widely to live among traditional cultures, collecting their stories of survival in the face of change. In April, she joined the Oregon Book Awards tour in Burns and Bend. Her next book is Organ Pipe: Life on the Edge, due out in August from the University of Arizona Press.

Why did you write this book?

The idea came when I realized I had a working body of narratives that had a common theme: Change. I found it among all the cultures I visited—for example in Basarwa the Bushmen were forcibly relocated into government camps where they wore donated clothing and were no longer allowed to farm. The theme of change recurred through work I’d done for the xx as a journalist and is combined with new essays about traditional cultures and their relationships with the environment.

Why is that such a fascinating subject for you?

I grew up in foreign countries—my father was a fighter pilot for the air force. We lived in Japan for four years, in Madrid for four years. Even as a young girl it was second nature for me to travel and get to know other cultures. As a sensitive child I found it enriching to learn about people in the cultures we lived among.

This is your first book—how did it feel to see it in print?

In many ways, writing this book has completed me as a writer. And it inspired me to write more.

Your book was a first runner up in the 2003 Oregon Book Awards. How does it feel to know your book is considered among the best in the state?

The nomination came as a very big surprise. And of course, I was thrilled.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on two books—the first is an edited collection of works by other writers. The other is about natural and cultural history in central Oregon—it’s a good excuse to go to the Deschutes.

Has this book changed the way you teach writing?

Absolutely. I place even more emphasis on encouraging students to immerse themselves—to get out of the classroom and into the field—and to exploring something they care passionately about.