May 30, 2014 Knuckleball Ned, the new picture book for young children by Nashville native R.A. Dickey, celebrates diversity and the power of friendship. Chapter 16 invited the kindergartners of Glencliff Elementary, where Dickey attended kindergarten himself, to review the story of how Ned, teased for being different, ultimately saves the day—with a little help from his friends.
April 28, 2014 Anita Norman, a junior at Arlington High School near Memphis, walked away the winner of this year’s state Poetry Out Loud competition after reciting “Early Affection” by George Moses Horton. “I never want to overpower the words,” she said. Norman will represent Tennessee in the national Poetry Out Loud semi-finals, which will be held in Washington, D.C., on April 29, 2014.
March 27, 2014 Rosie Forrest holds an M.F.A. from the University of New Hampshire, and her stories have appeared in SmokeLong Quarterly, Whiskey Island, Ampersand Review, and Bite: An Anthology of Flash Fiction. The 2013 writer-in-residence at Interlochen Arts Academy, she now serves as an academic and residential coordinator with Vanderbilt Programs for Talented Youth. Along with other winners of the Nashville Reads story contest, Rosie Forrest will read “Bless This Home” at Parnassus Books in Nashville on March 30, 2014, at 2 p.m.
March 11, 2014 In his new novel, The Door That Faced West, author and illustrator Alan M. Clark digs into the history and horror of the early Tennessee wilderness. It’s a dark story that unearths an even darker landscape in the minds of his characters.
December 5, 2013 As soon as news spread of John Egerton’s death, people who loved and admired him began to share recollections of his lasting impact on the world. In advance of a public celebration of Egerton’s life that will be held at the Nashville Public Library on December 8 at 2:30 p.m., we have gathered together some reminiscences from friends and colleagues in Nashville, as well as excerpts from the many obituaries and essays about John in the national media that have appeared during the last two weeks.
November 4, 2013 Two years after the publication of Catherine the Great, Robert K. Massie still finds his subject’s political example instructive, and he often notes parallels between Catherine’s public reputation and the treatment of today’s female leaders. Prior to his Nashville visit to accept the 2013 Nashville Public Library Literary Award, Massie spoke with Chapter 16 about his career and inspiration. He will give a lecture on November 9, 2013, at 10 a.m. at the University School of Nashville. Massie will also appear—with novelist Suzanne Kingsbury—at the Nashville Public Library on November 10 at 2 p.m. as part of the Nashville Writers Circle series. Both events are free and open to the public.
