Improbable Luck: The Collected Poems of Bob Bumstead

The lyric and narrative poems in Bob Bumstead’s Improbable Luck span a variety of topics and themes, leaving no stone unturned—from speculations about love, the nature of time, contemporary culture, and the natural world to family, fly fishing, and runners’ ponytails. The author’s work draws on his early years in Southern California and his world travels, but primarily focuses on his years of living in Western Oregon.

Over the years, audiences have enjoyed Bob’s humor, surprising observations, and lyrical depictions of the natural world in public readings and a variety of publications.

Though he was raised in Southern California, Bob Bumstead has lived in Eugene, Oregon for over sixty years. There, he helped raise five children and has taught in schools and universities for forty-eight years. He has also been active in many conservation efforts related to his interest in the health of rivers and lakes and their fish and wildlife. He is now retired and lives with Carrie, his wife of forty-three years.