On the Bus! Ed McClanahan (l.) with Wavy Gravy during the SpitFurthur Tour, November 2003. Photo by Pat Mackey.

Ed McClanahan is a native of Brooksville, KY, born in 1932. A graduate of Miami (Ohio) University (AB, 1955) and the University of Kentucky (MA, 1958), he has taught English and creative writing at Oregon State University, Stanford University, the University of Montana, the University of Kentucky, and Northern Kentucky University. His books include THE NATURAL MAN (a novel), FAMOUS PEOPLE I HAVE KNOWN (a serio-comic autobiography), A CONGRESS OF WONDERS (three novellas), and MY VITA, IF YOU WILL (a miscellany of previously uncollected fiction, non-fiction, reviews, and commentary). The first two books were published by Farrar Straus & Giroux (1983 and 1985, respectively), the latter two by Counterpoint Press (1996 and 1998). NATURAL MAN has been reprinted by Gnomon Press (Frankfort, KY), and FAMOUS PEOPLE has been reprinted by the University Press of Kentucky; both are also available from Books on Tape. In 2002, Larkspur Press (Monterey, KY) published McClanahan's memoir, FONDELLE: or THE WHORE WITH A HEART OF GOLD, in a limited edition. Forthcoming (Fall 2008) are an "implied autobiography" titled O THE CLEAR MOMENT (Counterpoint) and a CD of his reading of "Fondelle."

"Captain Kentucky, a.k.a. Ed McClanahan, 1972" Copyright © Guy Mendes Courtesy of Gnomon Press.

The title story of A CONGRESS OF WONDERS was made into a prize- winning short film in 1993, and in 1994 McClanahan was the subject of an hour-long documentary on Kentucky Educational Television. His work has appeared in many magazines, including ESQUIRE, ROLLING STONE, and PLAYBOY, and twice won PLAYBOY's Best Non-Fiction awards. He has also been awarded a Wallace Stegner Fellowship, two Yaddo Fellowships, and an Al Smith Fellowship.

He lives with his wife Hilda in Lexington, KY, and is working on a latter-day sequel to NATURAL MAN, titled THE RETURN OF THE SON OF NEEDMORE.