Editor's Note
Father’s Day is coming up, and we’re marking the occasion with a trio of pieces that feature stories of fathers and their children. “July 16, 1944,” an essay by longtime contributor Chris Scott, is the story of “a curious man,” as Chris puts it, who saved himself and his yet-to-be-conceived offspring when a moment of caution overcame his natural inquisitiveness. Faye Jones reviews Otherwise, I’m Fine, Barbara Presnell’s memoir about a journey that helped her heal and restore ties to her family decades after her father’s death. And Aram Goudsouzian interviews Michael Nelson about How College Presidents Succeed, which explores the lessons to be found in a multigenerational legacy of academic leadership.
On the subject of legacies, we note the recent passing of Edmund White, sometimes referred to as one of the fathers of modern queer literature. White, who died on June 3 at the age of 85, spoke with Liz Garrigan for Chapter 16 ahead of a 2014 visit to Nashville. He talked about his health struggles and writing process, and he offered some advice on how to nurture a relationship with your neighborhood bakery in Paris. You can read their conversation here.
News Roundup
- James Cherry’s poetry collection Between Chance and Mercy was reviewed by Whitney Rio-Ross for Psaltery & Lyre.
- Poems by Connie Jordan Green appeared in Cutleaf.
- Virginia Tech has opened an immersive exhibition on the work of Nikki Giovanni.
- Madville Publishing is accepting submissions through September 1 for the Arthur Smith Poetry Prize, open to full-length poetry collections by a single poet. This year’s judge is Columbia poet Jeff Hardin.
- A story by Roy Burkhead appeared in the latest issue of The Louisville Review, and he wrote about the almost-lost art of letter-writing at his Substack, The Old Man and the Manuscript.
