Essayist and poet Jim Northrup of the Anishinaabe Indian tribe has drawn from a well of personal experiences – some wonderful, others horrible – to become one of the most respected contemporary writers of American Indian literature. Northrup visits Northeast State on Nov. 17 for two readings of his poetry and writing at 10:30 a.m. in the Wellmont Regional Center for the Performing Arts and at 7 p.m. in the auditorium. Northrup writes the syndicated column, Fond du Lac Follies, which is distributed in the The Circle, and News from Indian Country. Fond du Lac Follies was named Best Column at the 1999 Native American Journalists Association convention. He has been a mentor in the Loft Inroads Program, a Judge for the Lake Superior Contemporary Writers Series and The Jerome Fellowship, and a Member of the Minnesota State Arts Board Prose Panel. Northrup and his family live the traditional life of Anishinaabe in his home state of Minnesota. He was named Writer of the Year in syndicated columns for 2001 by the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writer's and Storytellers for his column The Fond du Lac Follies. His collection of short stories and poetry,Walking the Rez Road, was awarded a Minnesota Book Award and a Northeast Minnesota Book Award. He also won the Best Feature Story award from the Native American Press Association for the story Jeremiah, Jesse and Dan. Both appearances are free and open to the public. Information, contact Tonya Stansberry at 423.354.2431 or tfstansberry@NortheastState.edu.