Chapter 16
A Community of Tennessee Writers, Readers & Passersby

Cuss Away, Junior Ray

The third installment in John Pritchard’s series features a foul-mouthed deputy

July 24, 2014 John Pritchard’s Sailing to Alluvium may be one of the most profane novels ever published, but it’s a distinctly Southern profanity, delivering surprisingly sophisticated social commentary. It is also a real hoot. John Pritchard will appear at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville October 10-12, 2014. All festival events are free and open to the public.

Read more

Leaving the Maid to Clean up the Mess

Ariel Lawhon’s debut novel reveals a plummy, pernicious mystery

July 23, 2014 The Wife, The Maid, and The Mistress, the debut novel by Nashville resident Ariel Lawhon, revisits the real-life mystery surrounding the 1930 disappearance of New York Supreme Court judge Joseph Crater. Ariel Lawhon will appear at the Southern Festival of Books in Nashville October 10-12, 2014. All festival events are free and open to the public.

Read more

Couples Therapy at the End of the World

Edan Lepucki’s California is a uniquely domestic turn on the post-apocalyptic novel

July 17, 2014 Thanks to an unexpected bump from comedian Stephen Colbert, Edan Lepucki’s debut novel has been lifted up from the crowded field of post-apocalyptic novels to wide notice and acclaim. A unique take on the form, California focuses less on the sensational aspects of Armageddon than on the complications of domesticity in a crumbling world. Lepucki will appear at Parnassus Books in Nashville on July 29, 2014, at 6:30 p.m.

Read more

Crime and Punishment in the Wyoming Wilderness

C.J. Box, author of the Joe Pickett novels, explores evil and vengeance in a new story collection

July 16, 2014 C.J. Box’s first collection of short fiction, Shots Fired, offers a fair introduction to the author’s preoccupation with irredeemable evil. While only four of the stories feature Joe Pickett, the intrepid Wyoming game warden who appears in fourteen of Box’s novels, the rest retain Box’s fascination with sudden violence, exotic animals, and rough justice. C.J. Box will appear at The Booksellers at Laurelwood in Memphis on July 28, 2014, at 6 p.m.

Read more

Defending the Homeland—Harvath Style

Brad Thor’s latest thriller pits his super-agent against a Chinese plot to destroy the U.S.

July 14, 2014 Among bestselling authors of thrillers, one of the biggest names is Brad Thor. With Act of War, Thor has proven once again why he is a favorite of the genre—and of American political conservatives. The fictional exploits of super-agent Scot Harvath provide a thought-provoking look at how far the U.S. should go to protect itself. Thor will sign copies of Act of War at the Brentwood Costco on July 19, 2014, from 12:30 to 2:30 pm.

Read more

Greater Than the Sum of Its Parts

One Plus One by Jojo Moyes is a comedy, family drama, and unexpected romance of happy accidents

July 10, 2014 In One Plus One, the new novel by British author Jojo Moyes, a surprising romance is set into motion by a series of mistakes. On the surface, Jess and Ed share nothing but the fact that Jess regularly visits Ed’s vacation home in order to clean it, but over the course of a hilarious, foul-smelling car trip, romantic mayhem ensues. Moyes will discuss One Plus One at Parnassus Books in Nashville on July 18, 2014, at 6:30 p.m.

Read more
TAKE THE SHORT READER SURVEY! CHAPTER 16 SURVEYOR SURVEYING