• Donald Faulkner, cq., Director of the New York State Writers Institute. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union) Photo: LUANNE M. FERRIS / 00005484A
Photo: LUANNE M. FERRIS
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Donald Faulkner, cq., Director of the New York State Writers Institute. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)
Donald Faulkner, cq., Director of the New York State Writers Institute. (Luanne M. Ferris / Times Union)
Photo: LUANNE M. FERRIS
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Don Faulkner (Elizabeth Floyd Mair)
Don Faulkner (Elizabeth Floyd Mair)
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Author Robert Patton, left, discusses his new book "Hell Before Breakfast" with Writers Institute Director Donald Faulkner. (Paul Grondahl / Times Union)
Author Robert Patton, left, discusses his new book "Hell Before Breakfast" with Writers Institute Director Donald Faulkner. (Paul Grondahl / Times Union)
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L-R: Author William Kennedy, cq., Executive Director of the New York State Writers Institute, Suzanne Lance, Assistant Director of the Institute and Donald Faulkner, cq., Director of the New York State Writers Institute. They were interviewed on the Institute's 25 year history on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Albany, NY. less
L-R: Author William Kennedy, cq., Executive Director of the New York State Writers Institute, Suzanne Lance, Assistant Director of the Institute and Donald Faulkner, cq., Director of the New York State Writers ... more
Photo: LUANNE M. FERRIS, TIMES UNION
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1987: Novelist Norman Mailer 1987 in New York.
1987: Novelist Norman Mailer 1987 in New York.
Photo: William Coupon, © William Coupon/CORBIS
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Jon Krakauer has now published seven bestselling books including the classics "Into The Wild" (1996) and "Into Thin Air" (1997). He is often referred to as the most popular writer of outdoor adventure nonfiction, but his last few books have been exceptional examples of investigative journalism. On Feb. 23, 2016, Krakauer will appear at the University at Albany as part of the New York State Writers Institute's Visiting Writers Series. (Linda Moore) less
Jon Krakauer has now published seven bestselling books including the classics "Into The Wild" (1996) and "Into Thin Air" (1997). He is often referred to as the most popular writer of outdoor adventure ... more
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Historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin spoke Monday night at the New York State Writers Institute 25th anniversary celebration at UAlbany in Albany, NY, November 16, 2009. FOR CHRISTEN DEMING STORY. (Philip Kamrass / Times Union) less
Historian and author Doris Kearns Goodwin spoke Monday night at the New York State Writers Institute 25th anniversary celebration at UAlbany in Albany, NY, November 16, 2009. FOR CHRISTEN DEMING STORY. (Philip ... more
Photo: PHILIP KAMRASS
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Times Union Staff photograph by Philip Kamrass -- Filmmaker and screenwriter Spike Lee addresses an informal gathering of several hundred students at UAlbany as part of a New York State Writers Institute appearance at the school in Albany, NY Tuesday October 11, 2005. FOR KEN AARON STORY. less
Times Union Staff photograph by Philip Kamrass -- Filmmaker and screenwriter Spike Lee addresses an informal gathering of several hundred students at UAlbany as part of a New York State Writers Institute ... more
Photo: PHILIP KAMRASS, DG
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Times Union Photo by James Goolsby-May 4, 2004-Dave Barry, humorist/author. Speaks to a large crowd at the New York State Writers Institute's 20th anniversary final event. At Ualbany Page Hall in Albany.
Times Union Photo by James Goolsby-May 4, 2004-Dave Barry, humorist/author. Speaks to a large crowd at the New York State Writers Institute's 20th anniversary final event. At Ualbany Page Hall in Albany.
Photo: JAMES GOOLSBY
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Manil Suri will speak at the New York State Writers Institute. (Nina Subin)
Manil Suri will speak at the New York State Writers Institute. (Nina Subin)
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SPECIAL TO THE TIMES UNION PHOTO BY WILL WALDRON--11/18/98--SUNY ALBANY PAGE HALL--ACCLAIMED COMPOSER AND LYRICIST STEPHEN SONDHEIM FIELDS QUESTIONS DURING FREE LECTURE SPONSORED BY THE NEW YORK STATE WRITERS INSTITUTE AND THE GREATER CAPITAL REGION TEACHER CENTER. less
SPECIAL TO THE TIMES UNION PHOTO BY WILL WALDRON--11/18/98--SUNY ALBANY PAGE HALL--ACCLAIMED COMPOSER AND LYRICIST STEPHEN SONDHEIM FIELDS QUESTIONS DURING FREE LECTURE SPONSORED BY THE NEW YORK STATE WRITERS ... more
Photo: WILL WALDRON
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George Saunders, a visiting writer at the New York State Writers Institute, speaks Thursday evening at the Recital Hall at the University at Albany in Albany. (Michael Janairo / Times Union)
George Saunders, a visiting writer at the New York State Writers Institute, speaks Thursday evening at the Recital Hall at the University at Albany in Albany. (Michael Janairo / Times Union)
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Virgin Islander Tiphanie Yanique's debut novel, "Land of Love and Drowning" (Riverhead, 2014) is the story of two newly orphaned and impoverished sisters who each must find her own way to survive. It's the story of the dark family secrets running through each sister's life and echoing down through three generations of an extended family amid the Americanization and modernization of the Virgin Islands during the 20th century. Yanique will be at University at Albany on Thursday to read from her work and offer an informal seminar, as part of the New York State Writers Institute's program of visiting writers. Appearing with her will be debut novelist Jacinda Townsend. (Debbie Grossman) less
Virgin Islander Tiphanie Yanique's debut novel, "Land of Love and Drowning" (Riverhead, 2014) is the story of two newly orphaned and impoverished sisters who each must find her own way to survive. It's the ... more
Photo: Debbie Grossman
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New motherhood is not always the warm and fuzzy babymoon it's cracked up to be. It certainly isn't in Elisa Albert's new novel, "After Birth" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February 2015). Albert, an Albany resident and former visiting writer at The College of Saint Rose, will read from the novel at the University at Albany on Thursday, March 26, 2015, as part of the New York State Writers Institute program of visiting writers. (Hulya Kilicaslan) less
New motherhood is not always the warm and fuzzy babymoon it's cracked up to be. It certainly isn't in Elisa Albert's new novel, "After Birth" (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, February 2015). Albert, an Albany ... more
Photo: Photo by Hulya Kilicaslan. No reproduction without creditline.
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Alice McDermott's novel "Someone," the story of one woman's "ordinary" life across the decades of the 20th century in an Irish-American enclave in Brooklyn, will be the focus of the Times Union Book Club, which is being held on April 8 in conjunction with the New York State Writers Institute. (Jamie Schoenberger/Epic Photography) less
Alice McDermott's novel "Someone," the story of one woman's "ordinary" life across the decades of the 20th century in an Irish-American enclave in Brooklyn, will be the focus of the Times Union Book Club, which ... more
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Local poet Joan Murray, who lives in Chatham, will read from her work at the University at Albany on Thursday, April 23, as part of the New York State Writers Institute program of visiting writers. She will read from her new book, "Swimming for the Ark: New and Selected Poems 1990 – 2015" (White Pine Press, 2015). less
Local poet Joan Murray, who lives in Chatham, will read from her work at the University at Albany on Thursday, April 23, as part of the New York State Writers Institute program of visiting writers. She will ... more
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Cameroonian-American writer Imbolo Mbue, author of the highly anticipated first novel "Behold the Dreamers" (2016), will speak at the New York State Writers Institute on Thursday, October 6, 2016. (Kiriko Sano)
Cameroonian-American writer Imbolo Mbue, author of the highly anticipated first novel "Behold the Dreamers" (2016), will speak at the New York State Writers Institute on Thursday, October 6, 2016. (Kiriko Sano)
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Bestselling and critically acclaimed horror writer Peter Straub will speak at the University at Albany on Thursday, as part of the New York State Writers Institute. Also appearing will be the novelist Bradford Morrow and poet Ann Lauterbach. (Courtesy of the author) less
Bestselling and critically acclaimed horror writer Peter Straub will speak at the University at Albany on Thursday, as part of the New York State Writers Institute. Also appearing will be the novelist Bradford ... more
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Today Randall Horton is a professor at New Haven College, a poet who has published two well-respected collections, and a writer of the new memoir "Hook" (Augury Books, 195 pages, $18). The book describes his dramatic recovery from being an incarcerated felon to earning a Ph.D in English at the University at Albany, where he'll appear on Feb. 16 as part of the New York State Writers Institute's Visiting Writers Series. It also dramatizes the importance of literature and writing and how it helped saved his life. (Paula Martali) less
Today Randall Horton is a professor at New Haven College, a poet who has published two well-respected collections, and a writer of the new memoir "Hook" (Augury Books, 195 pages, $18). The book describes his ... more
Photo: Stan Godlewski
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Mary Gaitskill, novelist and short story writer, will appear at the New York State Writers Institute at 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, at the University at Albany. The Times Union Book Club, held in conjunction with the writers institute, will discuss her newest novel "The Mare" at 7 p.m. Oct. 21, 2015. (Courtesy of the author) less
Mary Gaitskill, novelist and short story writer, will appear at the New York State Writers Institute at 8 p.m., Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015, at the University at Albany. The Times Union Book Club, held in ... more
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L-R: Suzanne Lance, Assistant Director of the Institute, Donald Faulkner, cq., Director of the New York State Writers Institute, and Author William Kennedy, cq., Executive Director of the New York State Writers Institute. They were interviewed on the Institute's 25 year history on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2009, in Albany, NY. less
L-R: Suzanne Lance, Assistant Director of the Institute, Donald Faulkner, cq., Director of the New York State Writers Institute, and Author William Kennedy, cq., Executive Director of the New York State Writers ... more
Photo: LUANNE M. FERRIS, TIMES UNION
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From left, Don Faulkner, Director of the NYS Writers Institute and writer William Kennedy sit at a table next to film director, screenwriter, and novelist John Sayles at a lecture at UAlbany on Monday, Feb. 27, 2012 in Albany, N.Y. (Lori Van Buren / Times Union) less
From left, Don Faulkner, Director of the NYS Writers Institute and writer William Kennedy sit at a table next to film director, screenwriter, and novelist John Sayles at a lecture at UAlbany on Monday, Feb. 27, ... more
Photo: Lori Van Buren
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Don Faulkner, who led the New York State Writers Institute for more than 20 years, died last week.

He was 66.

Faulkner, a poet who published two collections and taught at Yale before taking the helm at the institute in 1995, died on Tuesday. An obituary published in the Times Union said he died of natural causes.

Faulkner ran the writers institute until retiring in 2016.

Thousands of writers visited the Writers Institute during his two decades.

During his tenure, he drew heavyweights from the literary world. Among those who appeared at the institute were Norman Mailer, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Hunter S. Thompson, William Kennedy, Joyce Carol Oates, Maureen Dowd, Ken Kesey and Tracy Kidder and Richard Ford.