Poet Jenny Qi on what shapes her work
FROM THE CHAPTER 16 ARCHIVE: The child of Chinese immigrants, Jenny Qi entered Vanderbilt at 16, lost her mother while she was still an undergraduate, and went on to earn a Ph.D. in biomedical science while pouring her grief into poetry. Her award-winning debut collection, Focal Point, explores sorrow, death, and what we owe to each other.
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Andrew Maraniss on his new series of biographies for young readers
In his books Strong Inside, Singled Out, and Inaugural Ballers, Andrew Maraniss explored the intersection of sports, identity, and social justice. Now he’s bringing those themes to Beyond the Game: Athletes Change the World, a new series of biographies for young readers. Maraniss will appear at Parnassus Books in Nashville on March 5.
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Characters can’t escape the past in Jill McCorkle’s Old Crimes
Jill McCorkle’s new story collection resonates with sympathy for characters struggling to make peace with themselves and those they love. McCorkle will appear at Parnassus Books in Nashville on January 23.
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David Dark on resisting “deferential fear”
In We Become What We Normalize, David Dark considers the societal cost of going along to get along. Dark will discuss the book at Parnassus Books in Nashville on November 10, Union Ave. Books in Knoxville on November 12, and Novel in Memphis on November 19.
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Poet Anders Carlson-Wee on his new collection, Disease of Kings
Anders Carlson-Wee’s second poetry collection, Disease of Kings, explores a story of friendship, loneliness, and survival. Carlson-Wee will appear at the 2023 Southern Festival of Books in Nashville on October 21-22.
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Carrie Tipton traces the complex origins of college fight songs
In From Dixie to Rocky Top, musicologist Carrie Tipton reveals the surprisingly complex history behind SEC football fight songs. Tipton will discuss the book with former sportscaster Rudy Kalis at the Tennessee State Museum in Nashville on September 9.
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