Chapter 16 - Part 9

Anything So Dangerous and Painful as Hope

Alan Gratz’s Ground Zero contrasts the terrors of 9/11 with a day in war-torn Afghanistan

By Tina Chambers | February 2, 2021

In Ground Zero, possibly his most heart-wrenching middle-grade book yet, Knoxville native Alan Gratz weaves the terror of 9/11 and the pain of the ongoing war in Afghanistan into a story whose relentless pace and nonstop suspense ensure readers feel every bit of it. Gratz will discuss Ground Zero at a virtual event hosted by Parnassus Books in Nashville on February 12.

This Is How I Saved Myself

Tina Turner shares her spiritual practice of 50 years

By Tina Chambers | January 7, 2021

Tina Turner, an American entertainment icon whose influence extends across generations, now adds life coach to her list of accomplishments. In her latest book, she turns the spotlight on her spiritual life — specifically her 50 years as a practicing Buddhist — which she credits for much of her success: “This is how I saved myself,” she says. “This is how I made my wildest dreams come true.”

Pain, Truth, and Hope

The joy of young adult literature

By Tina Chambers | December 4, 2020

In the nearly 10 years I have written for Chapter 16, I’ve reviewed more than 60 young adult and middle grade books, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. The lifeblood of a good story is the same no matter the label, and in the hands of a skilled writer, the effect can be profound for readers of any age.

More to Them Than How They Died

Allison Moorer turns family tragedy into bittersweet art

By Tina Chambers | October 23, 2020

In Blood, country music artist Allison Moorer describes the circumstances that led to her parents’ murder-suicide in 1986 and the crime’s devastating effect on her and her only sibling, fellow singer-songwriter Shelby Lynne. Moorer will appear with Silas House in a virtual event hosted by The Porch in Nashville on October 28.

Willing to Sacrifice

Country music superstar Sara Evans offers her life story and hard-earned wisdom

By Tina Chambers | October 19, 2020

“I was born with a God-given gift for music,” writes country music superstar Sara Evans in Born to Fly. Evans tells the story of her rise in the music industry and dispenses hard-earned wisdom — from qualities to look for (and avoid) in a mate to the comfort of her Christian faith.

Baking Can Save You

Lisa Donovan’s memoir is never short of passion

By Tina Chambers | September 30, 2020

As much a manifesto as a memoir, Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger by Nashville writer and pastry chef Lisa Donovan is beautifully written, fresh, and powerful — in the tradition of Anthony Bourdain’s Kitchen Confidential. Donovan will appear at the 2020 Southern Festival of Books, held online October 1-11.

Distant Sons

Tim Johnston
Algonquin Books
400 pages
$29

“Tim Johnston has once again raised the bar for the literary thriller. Distant Sons is elegant and edgy, refined and complex. It excavates the truth from the darkest recesses of the past and shines a light towards the possibility of a redemptive future.”

~ Ivy Pochoda, author of These Women and Sing Her Down