Q & A

June 2, 2011 Once upon a time, the humble strip of bacon had yet to become a culinary fetish object, and mac and cheese was simply a side item on the meat-and-three menu, not a concept for modish urban restaurants. Then a young man named John T. Edge began to roam the back roads of the American South in search of good, authentic meals. His journeys mark a stirring new chapter in the evolution of Southern food culture, as Edge has helped to inspire a renaissance in Southern food—its celebration and documentation, its public perception, its dreams for the future. Edge spoke by phone with Chapter 16 before heading to Tennessee to moderate the shrimp-and-grits cookoff at Savor Nashville on June 5 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Hutton Hotel.

June 1, 2011 It’s no secret that stuff doesn’t bring happiness, but that doesn’t stop people from trying. Many of us, according to Sam Davidson, are trapped in meaningless jobs, meaningless relationships, and meaningless lives, all the while accumulating more possessions to cram into our garages and closets. And for Davidson, a motivational speaker and author, even less tangible distractions—long commutes, bucket lists, and complaining—can also keep us from following our bliss. In his new book, 50 Things Your Life Doesn’t Need, Davidson recommends pursuing a life of passion and purpose––one that not only leads to fulfillment but may also result in a better world. Davidson will appear at BookMan/BookWoman in Nashville on June 2 at 5 p.m.

May 20, 2011 Challenged Lives: Artistic Vision, a colorful new art book by the Creative Arts Project, is bringing attention to a number of Middle Tennessee creators, showcasing their work as well as their personalities and their thoughts on the creative process. Years in the making, it’s the latest effort by this Nashville-based organization to raise awareness about mental illness and addiction, and to draw attention to the life-changing benefits of art therapy. Jane Baxter, director of the Creative Arts Project, recently answered questions via email about the book, the artists it showcases, and the value of creative therapy.

May 17, 2011 Hamilton Cain is a natural storyteller. During his adolescence in Chattanooga, his way with words convinced his conservative family that he was anointed to preach. But it also gained him entry into a wider and more challenging world than the one offered by his strict Southern Baptist childhood: after college at the University of Virginia, Cain became a journalist in New York City. But the discovery that his first infant son had been born with a debilitating and degenerative genetic disease sent Hamilton Cain on a search to discover what liberation and affirmation can be found in a childhood he thought he had left behind forever. This Boy’s Faith is the story of a father who learns what it means to be faithful through raising his medically fragile son.