Alumna co-authors Jones' book

BY EMILY BREWER

PERSPECTIVES EDITOR

I do a lot of commercials. That has become an important facet of my career. More and more often, however, I find myself being invited to functions and awards ceremonies to deliver speeches. I am still not good at speeches. The stage is what I do best. I have a problem with anything that is not well scripted. I don't plan to shun all public life. I just want to choose events which are personally important to me -- to put my voice where it really counts.

James Earl Jones,

James Earl Jones: Voices and Silences

As a renowned figure on the American stage and an inter-generational favorite, James Earl Jones receives a massive number of invitations for appearances and speeches all over the country.

And as he said himself, he prefers things to be "well scripted." So how did the university secure this theatrical great as its keynote speaker for the annual Founder's Day Convocation?

The school can in part thank Penelope Niven. Jones co-authored his autobiography with Niven, an alumna who earned her masters in American literature from the university in 1962.

Since working with Jones on the book James Earl Jones: Voices and Silences (published in 1993 by Scribner's), Niven says she has been his close and dear friend. She may have had a role in his choosing to come to the university.

"I certainly encouraged him to accept the invitation," Niven said. "I like to think that one reason he (is coming) is that he knows my regard for Wake Forest. I know he's going to enjoy it. I sense a great deal of excitement," she said.

While anyone can see him on stage or on the big screen, Niven has the inside track and shares an intimate bond with Jones and his family.

The private life of James Earl Jones is by definition a private one, Niven said. He enjoys the countryside and the serenity of nature and playing with his son.

"He's one of the most extraordinary people I've ever known. For all of his great success, (there is) this humility about him. He's very shy. He's a very thoughtful friend to me and my daughter. It's hard to put him into a few words. He's genuine," Niven said.

Niven notes that while the younger generation is probably more familiar with Jones' film career, which accelerated later in life, she first loved his career in the theater.

"There's a kind of reality in him; never before or since have I seen that kind of power on stage," she said.

"I've always admired his work tremendously ... He's a splendid classical actor. He got a significant start in his career performing Shakespeare in the Park in New York as Othello."

Currently, Niven is authoring a biography of poet Carl Sandburg. She will be coming to DeTamble Auditorium at 7 p.m. Feb. 28 to talk about biography-writing.

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