Jean Auel Is Frison Institute Speaker |
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Sept. 22, 2003 -- Three months after earning her master's degree in 1976, Jean Auel, a mother of four children, still hadn't found a job that suited her. About that time she got an idea for a short story about a prehistoric girl.
"The 'short story' led me to do some research; the research fired my imagination, and the wealth of material made me decide to write a novel," says Auel, who will speak Thursday, Sept. 25, at 3 p.m. in the University of Wyoming College of Arts and Sciences auditorium.
"The first draft turned out to be more than 450,000 words and fell into six parts. On rewriting, I realized each of these six parts was a novel in itself. I have used that rough draft as the outline for the series."
She finished the first novel, "Clan of the Cave Bear," in 1978. In September 1980, the book was released and became an instant success. Within a month more than 100,000 copies sold, after which it was on the best-seller lists for eight more months.
Since then, in writing her next four books, she has learned, through various sources, how to knapp flint, construct snow caves, tan hides, gather and prepare wild foods, medicinal plants and herbs. She worked with the Malheur Field Station in the high desert steppe country of central Oregon and took aboriginal life skills classes from anthropologist and instructor, Jim Riggs. She worked with professionals in many different fields and countries to gain firsthand knowledge of recent discoveries and new theories.
Among her other consultants was George Frison, the University of Wyoming's renowned anthropologist. Frison has a distinguished career in unlocking the secrets of prehistoric Wyoming, and the world. He has written more than 80 journal articles, seven books, including "Prehistoric Hunters of the High Plains," and presented more than 70 papers at professional meetings. In 1998, UW established the George C. Frison Institute of Archaeology and Anthropology.
Auel's free lecture, "30,000 Years Ago: The Way the World Was Then," is sponsored by the Frison institute. Auel will sign copies of her books at 4:30 p.m. in the A&S building lobby. Posted on Monday, September 22, 2003
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