Nonfiction | Chapter 16

Grounded

By Margaret Renkl

November 30, 2012

November 30, 2012 In 1999, the Land Trust for Tennessee was chartered to “preserve the unique character of Tennessee’s natural and historic landscapes and sites for future generations.” So far, more than 200 landowners have partnered with the Land Trust to create conservation easements that now protect 75,000 acres in Tennessee—family farms, historic buildings, rural lands, even an arboretum. Home to Us, a lavish new coffee-table book by Varina Willse, with photos by Nancy Rhoda, features the stories of six very different families who have preserved their lands through conservation easements. Willse recently answered questions about the project from Chapter 16.

A Captivating Caper

By Michael Ray Taylor

November 29, 2012

November 29, 2012 Molly Caldwell Crosby, author of two science-based works of historical nonfiction, The American Plague and Asleep, turns to crime in The Great Pearl Heist: London’s Greatest Thief and Scotland Yard’s Hunt for the World’s Most Valuable Necklace. In her satisfying tale of a true 1913 caper, readers encounter two unforgettable heroes, one a master detective, the other a master thief. Molly Caldwell Crosby will discuss The Great Pearl Heist at The Booksellers at Laurelwood in Memphis on December 4 at 6 p.m.

How They Played the Game

By John Egerton

November 14, 2012

November 14, 2012 Two of the most celebrated sportswriters in American history were born a generation apart and attended the same university: Grantland Rice graduated from Vanderbilt in 1901, and Fred Russell followed in 1927. Russell idolized his predecessor and emulated him in some ways, but their differences were significant, and most of them bend in Russell’s favor. Andrew Derr’s new biography, Life of Dreams: The Good Times of Sportswriter Fred Russell, brings some needed balance to a comparison of the illustrious careers of these two Vanderbilt icons.

Under Attack

By Ralph Bowden

November 6, 2012

November 6, 2012 While Grant gathered his forces and defeated Bragg in Chattanooga, Confederate James Longstreet tried to retake Knoxville from Union forces under Ambrose Burnside. The struggle for Knoxville, usually regarded as a sideshow to the more strategically vital Chattanooga battle, has been comparatively understudied, but in The Knoxville Campaign: Burnside and Longstreet in East Tennessee, Earl J. Hess has given it the scholarly but readable treatment it deserves. Hess will discuss and sign his book at the Frank H. McClung Museum on the University of Tennessee campus in Knoxville on November 11 at 2 p.m.

Love and Other Art Forms

By Melinda Baker

November 1, 2012

November 1, 2012 From Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter to Ilya and Emilia Kabakov, the twenty-nine stories in Artists in Love range from affirmations of enduring love and artistic collaboration to Shakespearean-esque tragedy. But as author Veronica Kavass demonstrates, inspired works of art were conceived no matter the arc of the love story, and many are beautifully displayed throughout her new book alongside intriguing photographs of the artist-couples. Kavass will discuss Artists in Love on November 11 at 2 p.m. at Parnassus Books in Nashville.

When All Hell Broke Loose

October 29, 2012

October 29, 2012 On October 30 at 7 p.m., John Seigenthaler will speak on “First Amendment Challenges Posed by New Media Technology” at the Massey Performing Arts Center on Belmont University campus in Nashville. The event is free and open to the public. Click here for ticket details. On November 8 at 11:30 a.m., Seigenthaler will receive the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee’s 2012 Joe Kraft Humanitarian Award. Tickets to that event are $75. Click here for details.