Bruce Isaacson

Bruce Isaacson (1956 - ) became the first poet laureate of Clark County (Nevada) in June 2015. He was born in Castro Valley, California to Betty Griffin and Bernard Isaacson, and spent his childhood in Oakland.  He received his bachelor’s degree from Claremont McKenna College with majors in economics as well as drama, and continued studying for his Masters of Business Administration at Dartmouth College.  After receiving his MBA, Isaacson started a career in finance, focusing on mergers and acquisitions.  In 1995, he moved to Las Vegas to pursue a real estate career alongside his father.

 

Isaacson’s passion for poetry began at a young age. He attributes much of his interest to his Jewish upbringing. He furthered his concentration when he attended Brooklyn College for a Masters of Fine Arts and studied with famed poet Allen Ginsberg. Isaacson is known in the San Francisco Bay Area as organizer and poet in the Cafe Babar readings in the 1980s.  He is also a co-founder of Zeitgeist Press, where he remains publisher and co-editor.

 

Sources:

Kachelriess, Rob. “In the Heart of the Las Vegas Poetry Scene.” David Magazine. https://davidlv.com/content/bruce-isaacson

Kiraly, Andrew. “Bruce Isaacson, Clark County poet laureate.” Nevada Public Radio Desert Companion. June 25, 2015. https://knpr.org/desert-companion/2015-06/bruce-isaacson-clark-county-poet-laureate

Przybus, John. “Clark County’s poet laureate talks about the power of poetry.” Las Vegas Review-Journal. May 23, 2016. https://www.reviewjournal.com/life/clark-countys-poet-laureate-talks-about-the-power-of-poetry/

Isaacson, Bruce. Interview, 2017 March 24. OH-03159. Transcript. Oral History Research Center, Special Collections, University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Las Vegas, Nevada.