Yellowfish

In 1979 and 1980, I was working on my masters in English at Eastern Washington University. EWU is not known as a flagship university, but there were some good teachers there and I enjoyed my two years.

Among them was John Keeble, a young author and faculty member. I took his course in literature of the Northwest and learned a thing or two about the notables from my region: William Kittredge, William Stafford, Wallace Stegner, Ursula LeGuin, Ken Kesey, and some lesser knowns such as Native American writer James Welch. Welch was a guest in class and gave a reading and answered questions. It was a great night that I still remember rather well.

Keeble himself had just published a novel called Yellowfish, which wasn’t assigned but which I read. It was released to good reviews and I thought it was a fine novel.

I see in the Sunday Oregonian that Keeble has written a number of other books and articles, and the University of Washington is now re-releasing Yellowfish, a story about smuggling illegal Chinese immigrants into the US over the Canadian border. I’ll root around in the boxes in my basement and see if I still have it. If not I might spring for the $18.95 for old time's sake.

Keeble has a website, but unfortunately no contact link. I have a notion (a Great notion) that he might even remember me, but then I realize I can only remember about four students I’ve had over the last thirty years, and probably none of them by name.

Five, maybe.