Q & A | Chapter 16

Time Savers

Jim McCann and Janet Lee save the day—and the night—with their big-buzz graphic novel

By Joe Nolan | December 9, 2010

December 9, 2010 Hear that buzzing sound? No, it’s not Rudolph’s nose on the fritz. It’s what’s happening as an author and artist with Nashville connections give Santa a run for his sleigh with Return of the Dapper Men, one of the season’s hit holiday gifts. Jim McCann and Janet Lee will sign copies of their new graphic novel at Art & Invention Gallery in Nashville on December 9 at 5:30 p.m.

It's the Dressing, Dummy

Devon O’Day talks with Chapter 16 about what makes Thanksgiving Thanksgiving

By Serenity Gerbman | November 24, 2010

November 24, 2010 “No one who cooks, cooks alone,” wrote the great food writer and novelist Laurie Colwin. “Even at her most solitary, a cook in the kitchen is surrounded by generations of cooks past, the advice and menus of cooks present, the wisdom of cookbook writers.” Drawing forth stories and recipes for the everyday cook who wants not only to feed the family, but also to nourish them, Devon O’Day’s My Southern Food: A Celebration of the Flavors of the South is a book in which the memories and voices of generations of family cooks are ever present. With the holidays approaching, Chapter 16 talked with O’Day about everything from what’s in a dump cake to her first food memories.

Cooking for the Occasion

Patsy Caldwell and Amy Lyles Wilson organize their recipes by what life calls for

By Serenity Gerbman | November 23, 2010

November 23, 2010 The first sign of Southern originality in Bless Your Heart: Saving the World One Covered Dish At A Time comes right in the table of contents. Authors Patsy Caldwell and Amy Lyles Wilson haven’t created chapters based upon the course or the main ingredient, as most cookbooks are arranged. Rather, chapters are drawn from everyday life experiences because there truly is a proper type of dish for every occasion. From book-club meetings to family reunions, the two authors provide a wealth of Southern standby recipes for the home cook to enjoy and, more importantly, to share. Caldwell and Wilson took the time to answer a few questions from Chapter 16 about their first collaboration.

Counting the Ways

Nashville-area artists create a picture book that simultaneously celebrates the city and raises funds for flood relief

By Margaret Renkl | November 19, 2010

November 19, 2010 Artists Vadis Turner and Matthew Parker were living in New York and watching helplessly as the flood waters rose around their hometown last May. Their idea for helping from afar is finally coming to fruition: a children’s picture book, Nashville Counts!, celebrates the highlights of life in Music City and simultaneously showcases the work of some of its finest artists. Turner answered questions from Chapter 16 prior to the opening reception for Nashville Counts!, which will be held at the Rymer Gallery in Nashville (235 5th Avenue North) on November 27 at 6:30 p.m. Proceeds from both book sales and a silent auction of the original art will aid in flood relief through Hands On Nashville.

The Book Lady of Sevier County

Dolly Parton talks with Chapter 16 about why she gives books to hundreds of thousands of children

By Susannah Felts | November 18, 2010

November 18, 2010 Dolly Parton is almost universally adored, not just for her songs but for her sunny, shiny, sweeter-than-sweet-tea persona, her gusto, and her wit. It’s virtually impossible to name another member of Music City royalty who can claim a following of such diversity. But even Parton’s biggest fans may be unaware of her less flashy role as “The Book Lady.” To children, she’s a nearly magical figure who leaves books in the mailboxes of boys and girls everywhere. In more realistic terms, she’s the founder of the Imagination Library, a rapidly growing program which sends free books to kids. She recently spoke with Chapter 16 about the program and about the childhood that inspired it.

Writing the World

Kate Daniels talks with Chapter 16 about her new poetry collection, A Walk in Victoria’s Secret

By Charlotte Pence | November 16, 2010

November 16, 2010 Poet Kate Daniels recently published her much anticipated fourth collection, A Walk in Victoria’s Secret. A professor in Vanderbilt’s creative-writing program, Daniels has received numerous honors, including the 2011 Hanes Award for Poetry, which has been given by the Fellowship of Southern Writers. She recently answered questions about her work via email prior to her reading on November 17 in Nashville at Vanderbilt’s Buttrick Hall, room 102, at 7 p.m. The event is open to the public.

The Rise and Fall of Treason in English History

By Allen Boyer and Mark Nicholls
Routledge
340 pages
$180

The book “explores the reasons why treason coalesced around specific offences agreed by both the monarch and the wider political nation, why it became an essential instrument of enforcement in high politics, and why, over the past three hundred years, it has gradually fallen into disuse while remaining on the statute book.”

~the publisher