Calvin University historian Kristin Kobes Du Mez analyzes a toxic mythology of manliness at the heart of evangelical culture in Jesus and John Wayne: How White Evangelicals Corrupted a Faith and Fractured a Nation. Du Mez will appear at a virtual session of the 2021 Southern Festival of Books on September 30.
Rickie Lee Jones’ memoir looks back at her family, her career, and the long road to seeing the beauty in her life. Jones will appear at the online 2021 Southern Festival of Books on October 9.
Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Could Be by Nichole Perkins is a memoir fleshed out via a collection of essays. Weaving popular culture, humor, and Black-woman truths, Perkins explores themes of sexual identity and liberation, desirability, and belonging. Perkins will appear at the online 2021 Southern Festival of Books.
In How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe, Raquel Vasquez Gilliland introduces readers to 17-year-old Moon, who longs to be loved for who she is but worries that she doesn’t deserve success and happiness — especially since everyone keeps comparing her to her more popular sister. Gilliland will discuss the novel at the online 2021 Southern Festival of Books on September 21.
Kathi Appelt will appear at the online 2021 Southern Festival of Books to discuss her new novel for young readers, Once Upon a Camel, the tale of a storytelling camel and the two baby kestrels she protects.
Wiley Cash’s When Ghosts Come Home is a timely novel that, while certainly dark, also asks us to believe in hope. Cash will discuss the novel at a virtual event hosted by Novel in Memphis on September 23 and at the online 2021 Southern Festival of Books.
