Photo courtesy of Dickran Kouymjian.
Welcome to the William Saroyan Society. We hope our site will support your interest and research into the life and work William Saroyan. As you tour our site, we hope you will contact us with your requests for information and suggestions.
Bringing Saroyan's Works to a New Generation of Readers
Your help is needed to communicate with publishers so that such classic works as The Human Comedy and My Name is Aram are published in electronic format. While young people are but one audience, they are the ones likely to use the e-book and help the publishers receive a return on their investment. The Society has received requests for an electronic version of The Human Comedy. While work needs to be done to sort out copyright and permission issues, we would like to hear from you about this idea. If you have a title to suggest be in electronic format, send it to the Society at our email address. We will see where to go next with the information.
We have also received interest in a DVD version of The Human Comedy. At the last check there were only a VHS version of The Human Comedy movie. The DVD has replaced VHS for the most part and would be the best choice for any movie version of Saroyan's works. To help in this area, write to Ronald J. Sanders, President Warner Home Video, 4000 Warner Blvd, Burbank CA 91522. In your note request its rerelease within their Archive Collection.
Support the Society
The William Saroyan Society is now accepting contributions for the year 2012. Our organization relies on the support we receive from our community. If you wish make a contribution, please fill out the form by clicking on the link provided. Your contributions and support are greatly appreciated. Download the Support Form 2012.
Society Events
An Evening of Human Comedy held on May 9, 2011 at the Second Space Theatre
Thank you to all who joined us for a great evening with The Human Comedy and the reception following to greet the actors and connect with one another. The event is produced by New York actress Jacqueline Antaramian in cooperation with Second Space Theatre. Sponsors included the Society, the Armenian Heritage Museum, and the Charlie Keyan Armenian Community School.
The William Saroyan Story Writing Contest 2011 - Awards Presented April 14, 2011
The Society presented the 2011 Contest winners at the Awards Ceremony on April 14, 2011 at at the Woodward Park Regional Library. Photos from the ceremony. ENTRY FORM for 2012 SAROYAN WRITING CONTEST
Saroyan Town Walk - Saturday, April 28, 2012-Starts at Saroyan Theater M Street Entrance at 9:00 AM
Thank you to all who attended the 2011 Walk and to board members Brenda Magarity and Bill Secrest, Jr. who conducted the tour. An invitation to view scenes from past walks.
Saroyan Award at the Young Writers' Conference
At the 2011 conference on April 6 Borin Setha from Duncan Polytechincal High School was presented the award by Society Board member Brenda Magarity for his work of creative fiction ALONG THE ROAD.
2010 award was presented to Emily Kroeker from Clovis East High School for her work of creative fiction THE SOUND OF LIFE.
2009 award was presented to Victor Sandoval from Yosemite High School for his work of fiction entitled TRISHA.
William Saroyan Centennial Prizes for Fiction, Non-fiction & Drama
The William Saroyan Society in cooperation with the San Joaquin Valley Writers Project has not yet set a new schedule for the prize program.
Centennial Awards published in In the Grove, issue 17 Summer 2009.
Announcing the Best of the Best; 26 years of winning stories from the William Saroyan writing contests. Event details
In William Saroyan's own words
'I was born in a town called Fresno, which is now a famous town, and I don't mean I made it famous. Rasins made Fresno famous.
As the years went by and I finished more and more books I bagan to notice that I wrote more and more about Fresno. Why? I don't know. I suppose if you're going to be a writer you're going to be one no matter where you're born. Perservance is the important thing, I think. Even so, my perserverance wouldn't have helped me if I hadn't had Fresno to get away from, think about, and to go back to.'
From: I Remember Fresno Fresno County Centennial Alamanac p 159.