Chapter 16 - Part 581

Pro-Separation

In The New York Times today, Amy Greene takes on political preachers

By Margaret Renkl | August 5, 2010

August 5, 2010 Remember that quaint little rule of etiquette that cautioned people to avoid politics and religion in polite conversation? East Tennessee novelist Amy Greene breaks it today on the op-ed page of The New York Times—but only to make the point that religion has no place in a political campaign. The daughter and granddaughter of ministers who believed fervently in the separation of church and state, Greene takes contemporary preachers to task for failing to understand this basic tenet of American democracy.

Honky Tonk Devil

Eileen Sisk delivers the first in-depth biography of Buck Owens

By Paul McCoy | August 5, 2010

August 5, 2010 A tenant farmer’s son; an influential musician with more than thirty top-ten and fifteen number-one singles; a cornball, overall-wearing bumpkin who hosted a popular country-music television show; a cutthroat, razor-sharp business tycoon obsessed with dollars, sex, and power: this isn’t the latest cast description of Donald Trump’s Celebrity Apprentice. According to a new book by Eileen Sisk, all of these descriptions apply to one man: Buck Owens. On August 7, Eileen Sisk will sign copies of Buck Owens at Davis-Kidd Booksellers at 2 p.m., and at the Ernest Tubb Record Shop at 9 p.m. Both venues are in Nashville.

Tell Me a Story of Deep Delight

Algonquin’s new collection inspires a troublesome question: is Southern literature going the way of the slamming screen door?

By Susannah Felts | August 4, 2010

August 4, 2010 In its annual anthology, New Stories from the South 2010: The Year’s Best, Algonquin Books has, as usual, brought out a strong collection of compelling short stories. Too bad so few of them are distinctly, or even faintly, Southern.

A Special Relationship

Writer and translator Adria Bernardi discusses her work and her unique linguistic heritage

By Maria Browning | August 3, 2010

August 3, 2010 Adria Bernardi grew up in an Italian-American family, surrounded by a community that spoke a rich mix of English, Italian, and regional dialects. She has put that unique heritage to work in both her writing and her work as a translator. In a far-ranging interview with Chapter 16, she discusses her multi-faceted relationship with language.

Lighting Up the News

Marilyn Kallet’s poem “Fireflies” will appear this week in newspapers around the country

By Margaret Renkl | August 2, 2010

August 2, 2010 Marilyn Kallet’s poem “Firelies” is this week’s offering from American Life in Poetry. About it former Poet Laureate Ted Kooser writes, “Over the years I have read many poems about fireflies, but of all of them hers seems to offer the most and dearest peace.”

Forgotten Treasures

Nashville: Yesterday and Today is as valuable as a beloved family album

By Faye Jones | August 2, 2010

August 2, 2010 For newcomers and original descendants alike, there is much to find fascinating in Nashville: Yesterday & Today. Nicki Pendleton Wood presents an overview of the city’s history, including its economy, architecture, education, and race relations. Breaking down Nashville into its geographic components, she provides a sense of how the various parts of the city developed and inspires readers to make a visit to both well and lesser-known sites. Wood will sign copies of the book at the Metro Archives in Nashville at 5:30 on Aug. 3. Proceeds will benefit St. Luke’s Community House.

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