Ishmael Reed is the author of 25 books, including New and Collected Poems, 1964–2006, which was listed as one of the four best books of poetry in 2006 by The New York Times Book Review, and Conjure, which was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. He is also a publisher, television producer, radio and television commentator, teacher, and editor of numerous anthologies and magazines. He is the founder of the Before Columbus Foundation, which annually presents the American Book Awards; the Oakland chapter of PEN; and There City Cinema, an organization that furthers the distribution and discussion of films from throughout the world. For over 30 years, Reed taught creative writing courses in the English Department at the University of California, Berkeley, before retiring in January 2005.

(location change from previous years)