David Hann

David Hann retired from the University of Kansas in 2009, where he administered the university’s Institutional Review Board. He is a Marine Corps veteran, Vietnam 1966. His interest in Kansas history prompted him to write two nonfiction books on little-known people, places, and events in Kansas, Sampling Kansas: A Guide to the Curious, and Kansas Past: Pieces of the 34th Star. Hann’s interest in Kansas history led him to discover a remarkable character, Marshall Cleveland, from the Kansas/Missouri Border War years. Anamcara Press published Hann’s story about him in The Jayhawker Cleveland: Phantom Horseman of the Prairie in November 2021. Other writings include a collection of short stories: River Memoir and other stories, and some poems, including The Ballad of Jake Brakes, published in The Great American Poetry Show, Vol. 3, 2015, and The Way to Reznicek’s Farm, winner of a narrative poetry contest sponsored by the Kansas Author’s Club. Based on experiences as a teacher of Tai Chi He has written two articles for Tai Chi Magazine, “Back to the Stable Syndrome,” Vol. 34, No. 2, Summer 2010, and “Making Tai Chi Accessible to the Disabled” Vol. 36, No. 3, Fall 2012. David Hann has been a community volunteer for several years at the Lawrence Public Library and the Social Service League of Lawrence.

The author began writing what may be called biographical nonfiction after recording several stories told to him by great uncles and other relatives, initially transcribed for family members. Encouraged to write about his own experiences, he did that and acquired more biographical nonfiction from interviewing people whose stories intrigued him. These come together in Bluebirds to Tikal and other stories.

David Hann lives in Lawrence, Kansas with his wife, Rose and two cats.