Lisa Dale Norton
Encyclopedia
Lisa Dale Norton is an American author best known as a writer of literary nonfiction and creative nonfiction
. She is the great-niece of Evelyn Maurine Norton Lincoln
, U.S. President John F. Kennedy
's personal secretary. Norton makes her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico
.
, the daughter of Judge William Hayden Norton and Nancy Rogers Sayre Norton. Her father was a prominent member of the Democratic Party
in that state, grandson of Congressman John Nathaniel Norton, and nephew to Evelyn Norton Lincoln, John F. Kennedy’s personal secretary from his years in the Senate to his assassination in Dallas. Lisa’s mother was a gifted artist and newspaper editor. Restless and a non-conformist, she presented her two children with a broad palette of ideas and the freedom to explore them. The combination of political connections and free-thinking home life nurtured an environment of possibility that led Norton from the public schools in Osceola to Reed College
in Portland, Oregon, where she earned a B.A. degree. Norton completed her M.A. at the University of Iowa
in Iowa City, Iowa, which she attended before the development of a university nonfiction writing program. Norton submitted a creative thesis, a work of literary journalism, in the School of Mass Communications and Journalism. That piece of writing—One Horse Town—became the genesis of her book Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the Heart of the Sandhills (Picador USA/St. Martin’s Press).
in Rock Island, Illinois, from 1988-1993. During the 1990s, she lived on the Oregon coast where she founded and directed Neahkahnie Institute, an arts organization that offered writing workshops exploring landscape and creativity. The 1996 publication of her book Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the Heart of the Sandhills established Norton as a new and respected literary writer and a voice for environmental reform on the Great Plains of America by combining the genres of personal narrative and nature writing to issue a plea for conscious use of the waters of the Ogallala Aquifer
. Norton’s experience writing Hawk Flies Above led her to an investigation of the process involved in creating compelling narratives from life experience. In 2003 she joined the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles Extension Writers’ Program teaching creative nonfiction and memoir classes. This work led Norton to distill the essence of memoir Memoir
writing. In 2008, Griffin/St. Martin’s Press published Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir. At that time Norton began blogging for The Huffington Post as author and story expert. Her interest involves connections between the nature and influence of narrative and contemporary culture. Norton speaks nationally about the art and craft of writing stories and the power of narrative.
Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir (2008)
Creative nonfiction
Creative nonfiction is a genre of writing that uses literary styles and techniques to create factually accurate narratives. Creative nonfiction contrasts with other nonfiction, such as technical writing or journalism, which is also rooted in accurate fact, but is not primarily written in service...
. She is the great-niece of Evelyn Maurine Norton Lincoln
Evelyn Lincoln
Evelyn Maurine Norton Lincoln was the personal secretary to John F. Kennedy from his election to the United States Senate in 1953 until his 1963 assassination in Dallas. Mrs...
, U.S. President John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
's personal secretary. Norton makes her home in Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
.
Early life
Norton grew up in Osceola, NebraskaOsceola, Nebraska
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 921 people, 381 households, and 235 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,036.8 people per square mile . There were 417 housing units at an average density of 469.4 per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 99.57%...
, the daughter of Judge William Hayden Norton and Nancy Rogers Sayre Norton. Her father was a prominent member of the Democratic Party
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
in that state, grandson of Congressman John Nathaniel Norton, and nephew to Evelyn Norton Lincoln, John F. Kennedy’s personal secretary from his years in the Senate to his assassination in Dallas. Lisa’s mother was a gifted artist and newspaper editor. Restless and a non-conformist, she presented her two children with a broad palette of ideas and the freedom to explore them. The combination of political connections and free-thinking home life nurtured an environment of possibility that led Norton from the public schools in Osceola to Reed College
Reed College
Reed College is a private, independent, liberal arts college located in southeast Portland, Oregon. Founded in 1908, Reed is a residential college with a campus located in Portland's Eastmoreland neighborhood, featuring architecture based on the Tudor-Gothic style, and a forested canyon wilderness...
in Portland, Oregon, where she earned a B.A. degree. Norton completed her M.A. at the University of Iowa
University of Iowa
The University of Iowa is a public state-supported research university located in Iowa City, Iowa, United States. It is the oldest public university in the state. The university is organized into eleven colleges granting undergraduate, graduate, and professional degrees...
in Iowa City, Iowa, which she attended before the development of a university nonfiction writing program. Norton submitted a creative thesis, a work of literary journalism, in the School of Mass Communications and Journalism. That piece of writing—One Horse Town—became the genesis of her book Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the Heart of the Sandhills (Picador USA/St. Martin’s Press).
Career
Norton taught at Augustana CollegeAugustana College (Illinois)
Augustana College is a private liberal arts college located in Rock Island, Illinois, United States. The college enrolls approximately 2,500 students. Covering of hilly, wooded land, Augustana is adjacent to the Mississippi River...
in Rock Island, Illinois, from 1988-1993. During the 1990s, she lived on the Oregon coast where she founded and directed Neahkahnie Institute, an arts organization that offered writing workshops exploring landscape and creativity. The 1996 publication of her book Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the Heart of the Sandhills established Norton as a new and respected literary writer and a voice for environmental reform on the Great Plains of America by combining the genres of personal narrative and nature writing to issue a plea for conscious use of the waters of the Ogallala Aquifer
Ogallala Aquifer
The Ogallala Aquifer, also known as the High Plains Aquifer, is a vast yet shallow underground water table aquifer located beneath the Great Plains in the United States...
. Norton’s experience writing Hawk Flies Above led her to an investigation of the process involved in creating compelling narratives from life experience. In 2003 she joined the faculty of the University of California, Los Angeles Extension Writers’ Program teaching creative nonfiction and memoir classes. This work led Norton to distill the essence of memoir Memoir
Memoir
A memoir , is a literary genre, forming a subclass of autobiography – although the terms 'memoir' and 'autobiography' are almost interchangeable. Memoir is autobiographical writing, but not all autobiographical writing follows the criteria for memoir set out below...
writing. In 2008, Griffin/St. Martin’s Press published Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir. At that time Norton began blogging for The Huffington Post as author and story expert. Her interest involves connections between the nature and influence of narrative and contemporary culture. Norton speaks nationally about the art and craft of writing stories and the power of narrative.
Works authored
Hawk Flies Above: Journey to the Heart of the Sandhills (1996/1997)Shimmering Images: A Handy Little Guide to Writing Memoir (2008)
External links
- 2009 audio interview with Lisa Dale Norton by Connie Gotsch on public broadcasting
- UCLA Extension Writers’ Program, Lisa Dale Norton as faculty
- Nebraska Center for Writers, Biographical and book review information on Lisa Dale Norton and her book Hawk Flies Above
- Talking Across the Table, Interview with Lisa Dale Norton
- Lisa Dale Norton blogging on The Huffington Post