Chapter 16 - Part 19

Astronomical Adventure

Andrea Wulf captures the danger and daring of an eighteenth-century scientific quest

By Michael Ray Taylor | May 17, 2012

May 17, 2012 In a book that is part scientific history (in the mode of Holly Tucker’s Blood Work) and part international quest (a la National Treasure or The DaVinci Code), Andrea Wulf circumnavigates the globe with a story of Enlightenment-era derring-do. Wulf will read from and discuss Chasing Venus at the Nashville Public Library on May 24, as part of the Salon@615 series. The event will begin with a reception at 6:15 p.m., followed by a reading at 6:45. Both are free and open to the public.

Inside the Story

Sebastian Junger talks with Chapter 16 about his latest book, War, and the dangerous business of reporting it

By Michael Ray Taylor | March 15, 2012

March 15, 2012 Sebastian Junger, bestselling author of The Perfect Storm and A Death in Belmont, discusses his 2010 book War and the difficulties of writing within combat zones. Junger will appear at Middle Tennessee State University’s Tucker Theatre in Murfreesboro on March 20 at 2:40 p.m. to deliver a free public lecture entitled “Dispatches from War: Stories from the Front Lines of History.”

Sad Song

Cyril E. Vetter riffs on the troubled times of Louisiana bluesman Charles “Butch” Hornsby

By Michael Ray Taylor | March 6, 2012

March 6, 2012 In an experimental “novel” combining fictionalized biography, recorded music, and artwork, Cyril E. Vetter, a writer and occasional record producer, recounts the life of Louisiana musician Butch Hornsby amid the frantic music scene of the late sixties and early seventies. Vetter will discuss Dirtdobber Blues on March 8 at 6:30 p.m. at Parnassus Books in Nashville.

“Vivid, Strange, and Reveals Much about Modern Medicine”

Chapter 16 tallies the critical accolades falling to Holly Tucker’s Blood Work

By Michael Ray Taylor | December 6, 2011

December 6, 2011 The 1660s saw an intense scientific race between England and France, a rivalry every bit as heated and fervently nationalistic as the race to the moon that occurred between the United States and the Soviet Union three centuries later. This first scientific contest was to demonstrate an understanding of the nature of blood by performing the first successful transfusion involving a human being. The often gruesome experimentation conducted by the eccentric geniuses at the center of this quest is the subject of Blood Work: A Tale of Medicine and Murder in the Scientific Revolution by Holly Tucker. Soon after publication in March, the book was named a Scientific American Book of the Month, a History Book Club pick, and a Book of the Month Club pick—all fitting choices, as the book offers something to satisfy scientists, historians, and general readers alike. Chapter 16 takes a tour of the book’s critical reception.

A Master of Fact

Legendary nonfiction writer John McPhee heads to Tennessee to accept the Nashville Public Library Literary Award

By Michael Ray Taylor | November 8, 2011

November 8, 2011 John McPhee is known for taking obscure topics and making them fascinating. As McPhee heads to Tennessee this week to accept the eighth annual Nashville Public Library Literary Award, Chapter 16’s Michael Ray Taylor considers the legendary author’s influence on the craft of creative nonfiction. McPhee will give a free public reading at the Nashville Public Library on November 12 at 10 a.m.

Spooky Smart

Chris Bohjalian’s literary ghost story transcends genre, just in time for Halloween

By Michael Ray Taylor | October 13, 2011

October 13, 2011 Chris Bohjalian, bestselling author of Secrets of Eden and Midwives, discusses the genesis of his latest novel, The Night Strangers, a delightfully creepy New England ghost story. Bohjalian will appear at the 2011 Southern Festival of Books, held October 14-16 in Nashville. All events are free and open to the public.

Tias and Primas: On Knowing and Loving the Women Who Raise Us

By Prisca Dorcas Mojica Rodríguez, illustrated by Josie Del Castillo
Seal Press
304 pages
$30

“Within these pages, I found my abuela, my tías and my primas — laughing, crying, and nodding alongside me. This book is a gift of understanding, and loving one’s family, even when our families are complicated and painful. It’s a beautiful reminder of the power of storytelling and the profound connection of kinship.”

~ Paola Mendoza, author, organizer and filmmaker