Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Aram Goudsouzian

Vilified and Celebrated

Charles Hughes situates hip-hop star Bushwick Bill in the history of race, sex, disability, and national politics

In Why Bushwick Bill Matters, Charles Hughes explains the impact of an iconic hip-hop artist. He roots the story in both his academic training as a historian and his personal experience as person of short stature.

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Hoop Dreams — and Nightmares

Keith B. Wood explores the meaning of basketball in Memphis

In Memphis Hoops, Keith B. Wood examines how basketball promoted racial unity in Memphis, while also reflecting the city’s persistent prejudices. It centers around Larry Finch, a local legend as both player and coach.

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Spanks for the Memories

Stephen K. Stein discusses the BDSM movement in modern America

In Sadomasochism and the BDSM Community in the United States, University of Memphis historian Stephen K. Stein explains how a sexual community organized itself and found wider acceptance.

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Traumas of the Spirit

Beverly Tsacoyianis investigates psychological trauma in Middle Eastern history

Disturbing Spirits, by historian Beverly Tsacoyianis, trains its lens on the psychological scars of war and upheaval in 20th-century Syria and Lebanon. She will discuss the book at a virtual event hosted by Novel in Memphis on June 17.

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A Good Man in a Nest of Evil

Curtis Wilkie reveals the story of a brave man who informed on the Mississippi KKK

When Evil Lived in Laurel, by legendary journalist Curtis Wilkie, tells a story of civil rights, murder, far-right lunacy, and a brave man who stood up against injustice.

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Magic, Madness, Mystery, Magnificence

W. Ralph Eubanks explores the literary tradition in Mississippi

In A Place Like Mississippi, W. Ralph Eubanks marries searching prose with stunning photographs. While touring the state, he introduces us to its writers and their intertwined legacies.

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