Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Deep Loss and Deep Joy

Jeff Zentner’s fourth novel explores risking the life you know for the life you want

In Jeff Zentner’s In the Wild Light, best friends face a dilemma: Will they stay in their hometown forever, hanging on to the semblance of stability they’ve found? Or will they risk it all for a different life? Zentner will discuss In the Wild Light at Parnassus Books in Nashville on August 10.

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Paradise Lost

Addiction and murder run rampant in a small West Virginia town

In Paradise, WV, Nashville writer and musician Rob Rufus skillfully combines stories of lives derailed by the opioid epidemic with a tale of three teens on the trail of a serial killer.

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Americanaland the Beautiful

John Milward’s survey of Americana music positively sings

John Milward’s Americanaland: Where Country & Western Met Rock ‘n’ Roll connects the musical notes, from Jimmie Rodgers to John Prine and far beyond.

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Still Running

The team behind John Lewis’ March launches a new series

When Rep. John Lewis passed away in July 2020, a sequel to his bestselling graphic memoir trilogy, March, was well underway. Run: Book One picks up where the trilogy left off, reuniting the team of Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell, who are joined by artist L. Fury.

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You Get What You Need

Mary Gauthier delves into her life and art in Saved by a Song

In Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting, Grammy-nominated folk musician Mary Gauthier unpacks her ideas around “what makes a song matter.” This investigation takes us through Gauthier’s personal narrative as a queer woman, a survivor of addiction, and an artist who reaches deep into the wounds of her childhood to reckon with her past traumas through song. Gauthier will discuss the book at a ticketed virtual event hosted by Parnassus Books in Nashville on July 6.

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Tales of a Preservationist

A new collection of essays highlights Silas House’s life and work

The essays in Silas House: Exploring an Appalachian Writer’s Work reflect the high degree of respect and adoration that House has gained among his peers for his novels, music journalism, and plays, as well as his activism. Editor Sylvia Bailey Shurbutt gathers a thoughtful group of Appalachian scholars and literary writers to analyze House’s body of work. 

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