Calvin Festival Of Faith And Writing

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6:00 pm, Sep 21

In Conversation: Rachael Lippincott, Shanna Miles, and Raquel Vasquez Gilliland

Young Adult

Join Young Adult masters Rachael Lippincott (Five Feet Apart and The Lucky List), Shanna Miles (If I Stay and For All Time) and Raquel Vasquez Gilliland (How Moon Fuentes Fell in Love with the Universe) for a conversation about writing love, truth, and the universe.

7:00 pm, Sep 21

In Conversation: Ashley M. Jones, Chioma Urama, and Crystal Wilkinson

Poetry

These three collections from remarkable Black poets explore ancestry, injustice, and the American South through verse. Featuring Alabama poet laureate Ashley M. Jones (Reparations Now!), Chioma Urama (A Body of Water: Poems), and Crystal Wilkinson (Perfect Black). This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

6:00 pm, Sep 22

In Conversation: J. Drew Lanham, Kathleen Dean Moore, and Aimee Nezhukumatathil

Environment/Climate Change

In the shadow of climate change, we marvel in the natural beauty around us with nature writers J. Drew Lanham (Sparrow Envy: Field Guide to Birds and Lesser Beasts), Kathleen Dean Moore (Earth's Wild Music) and Aimee Nezhukumatathil (World of Wonders). This event is part of the "Environments" track, which we proudly present in partnership with the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University.

6:00 pm, Sep 23

In Conversation: Mondiant Dogon and Shugri Said Salh

Memoir

Share the remarkable journeys of Shugri Said Salh (The Last Nomad) and Mondiant Dogon (Those We Throw Away Are Diamonds), who redefine what home means and open up the planet so that we can travel with them through their stories. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

7:00 pm, Sep 23

The Ministry for the Future: A Novel with Kim Stanley Robinson

Fiction

The Ministry for the Future is a masterpiece of the imagination, using fictional eyewitness accounts to tell the story of how climate change will affect us all. Its setting is not a desolate, postapocalyptic world, but a future that is almost upon us. Chosen by Barack Obama as one of his favorite books of the year, this extraordinary novel from visionary science fiction writer Kim Stanley Robinson will change the way you think about the climate crisis. This event is part of the "Environments" track, which we proudly present in partnership with the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University.

12:00 pm, Sep 27

The Killing Hills: A Novel

Mystery/Thriller

A literary master across genres, award-winning author Chris Offutt's latest novel, The Killing Hills, is a compelling, propulsive thriller in which a suspicious death exposes the loyalties and rivalries of a deep-rooted and fiercely private community in the Kentucky backwoods.

6:00 pm, Sep 28

Gonna Trouble the Water: Ecojustice, Water, and Environmental Racism with Miguel De La Torre

Environment/Climate Change

Gonna Trouble the Water considers the sacred nature of water and the ways in which it is weaponized against non-white communities. With compelling contributions from scholars and activists, politicians and theologians, Gonna Trouble the Water de-centers the concept of water as a commodity in order to center the dignity of water and its life-giving character. Firmly grounded at the intersection of environmentalism and racism, Gonna Trouble the Water makes clear the message: to deny water is to deny life. This event is part of the "Environments" track, which we proudly present in partnership with the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University.

7:00 pm, Sep 28

Bring Your Baggage and Don't Pack Light: Essays with Helen Ellis

Essays

When Helen Ellis and her lifelong friends arrive for a reunion on the Redneck Riviera, they unpack more than their suitcases: stories of husbands and kids; lost parents and lost jobs; powdered onion dip and photographs you have to hold by the edges; dirty jokes and sunscreen with SPF higher than they hair-sprayed their bangs senior year; and a bad mammogram. It's a diagnosis that scares them, but could never break their bond. Because women pushing fifty won't be pushed around.

6:00 pm, Sep 29

In Conversation: Stephan Pastis and Amy Timberlake

Middle Grade

Beloved authors Stephan Pastis (Trubble Town) and Amy Timberlake (Egg Marks the Spot) share graphic novels perfect for early readers. Through exploring animals and secret treasures, and featuring stunning art, these series are perfect for young readers and families.

6:30 pm, Sep 29

In person at Parnassus Books: Leslie Hooton, in Conversation with Kevin Wilson

Fiction

Parnassus Books is pleased to welcome Leslie Hooton, author of The Secret of Rainy Days, in conversation with Kevin Wilson, as part of the 33rd Annual Southern Festival of Books.

This is a free event which will take place IN STORE on Wednesday, September 29th at 6:30pm Central Time. Because space will be limited, registration is required to attend this event. Please register for free by filling out the form below! (Note: If for any reason you need to cancel your registration, please call the store at 615-953-2243 at least 24 hours before the event so your space can be provided to another guest.) Masks will be required during this event.

7:00 pm, Sep 29

Hummingbird Salamander: A Novel with Jeff VanderMeer

Fiction

Hummingbird Salamander is Jeff VanderMeer at his brilliant, cinematic best, wrapping profound questions about climate change, identity, and the world we live in into a tightly plotted thriller full of unexpected twists and elaborate conspiracy. This event is part of the "Environments" track, which we proudly present in partnership with the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University.

6:00 pm, Sep 30

The Prophets: A Novel with Robert Jones, Jr.

Fiction

With a lyricism reminiscent of Toni Morrison, Robert Jones, Jr., fiercely summons the voices of slaver and enslaved alike, from Isaiah and Samuel to the calculating slave master to the long line of women that surround them, women who have carried the soul of the plantation on their shoulders. As tensions build and the weight of centuries - of ancestors and future generations to come - culminates in a climactic reckoning, The Prophets masterfully reveals the pain and suffering of inheritance, but is also shot through with hope, beauty, and truth, portraying the enormous, heroic power of love. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

7:00 pm, Sep 30

Jesus and John Wayne with Kristin Kobes Du Mez

Non-Fiction

From Kristin Kobes Du Mez, a professor of history at Calvin University, Jesus and John Wayne has been called a sweeping account of the last 75 years of white evangelicalism, showing how American evangelicals have worked for decades to replace the Jesus of the Gospels with an idol of rugged masculinity and Christian nationalism. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

7:30 pm, Sep 30

In Conversation: Janisse Ray and Amy Wright

Essays

Be inspired by the creative process in this conversation between writers Janisse Ray (Wild Spectacle) and Amy Wright (Paper Concert).

10:00 am, Oct 2

Women's National Book Association Presents Patti Callahan Henry, Kelly Mustian, Jennifer Saint, and Leah Weiss

Fiction

The Women's National Book Association of Nashville presents its annual National Reading Group Month celebration, featuring authors Patti Callahan Henry, Kelly Mustian, Jennifer Saint, and Leah Weiss.

11:00 am, Oct 2

In Conversation: Kathi Appelt, Elizabeth Bunce, and Jessica Young

Middle Grade

How do you make a lifelong reader? By creating beautiful, interesting, engaging books for all ages! Join us for a conversation with three authors who create picture books, early reader books, and books for middle grade readers. Kathi Appelt, Elizabeth Bunce, and Jessica Young will share their creative processes and how they create books that help to create lifelong readers.

6:30 pm, Oct 2

In Person at Parnassus Books! Bluebird with Sharon Cameron

Young Adult

Join us for the launch of Sharon Cameron's new novel, Bluebird! Cameron's debut novel The Dark Unwinding was awarded the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators' Sue Alexander Award for Most Promising New Work and the SCBWI Crystal Kite Award, and was named a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection. Sharon is also the author of its sequel, A Spark Unseen; Rook, which was selected as an Indiebound Indie Next List Top Ten selection, a YALSA Best Fiction for Young Adults selection, and a Parents' Choice gold medalist; and The Forgetting, a #1 New York Times bestseller and an Indie Next Pick of the List selection, and its companion novel, The Knowing. She lives with her family in Nashville, Tennessee. This is a free in-store event with registrations required. https://www.parnassusbooks.net/event/store-sharon-cameron-ya-author-bluebird-joined-j-t-ellison

Madness and Society presented in partnership with the Brooklyn Book Festival

Readings and Panels

What forces—both internal and external—cause a mind to dangerously fray and unravel? For the groundbreaking scientists in Chilean author Benjamin Labatut's When We Cease to Understand the World, knowledge comes at a high cost. In Brazilian writer Beatriz Bracher's Antonio, meanwhile, social constraints and family secrets combine to doom an idealistic, wayward son to madness; and in Catalan poet Eva Baltasar's debut novel, Permafrost, a fiercely independent woman's search for personal freedom nearly drives her over the edge. Moderated by author and translator Adrian Nathan West.

Presented in partnership with the Brooklyn Book Festival. Free but session registration is required at https://brooklynbookfestival.org/event/madness-and-society/.

6:30 pm, Oct 4

In Person at Parnassus Books! The Cold Millions with Jess Walter

Fiction

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Beautiful Ruins comes another "literary miracle" (NPR)—a propulsive, richly entertaining novel about two brothers swept up in the turbulent class warfare of the early twentieth century. NOTE: This event will be held in person at Parnassus Books. The event is free but advance reservation is required due to space limitations: For tickets, please visit: https://www.parnassusbooks.net/event/store-jess-walter-author-cold-millions

5:30 pm, Oct 5

In person at National Museum of African American Music: King of the Blues: The Rise and Reign of B.B. King with Daniel de Vise

Biography

From noted music scholar Daniel de Visé, King of the Blues presents the vibrant life and times of a trailblazing giant. Witness to dark prejudice and lynching in his youth, B.B. performed incessantly (some 15,000 concerts in 90 countries over nearly 60 years)—in some real way his means of escaping his past. This event will take place in person at the National Museum of African American Music, in conversation with curator Steven Lewis. Admission to the talk is free.
Attendees will have an opportunity to tour the museum at a discounted price. Information and event registration here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/king-of-the-blues-the-rise-and-reign-of-bb-king-tickets-178186439437

6:30 pm, Oct 5

In person at Parnassus Books! A Spindle Splintered with Alix Harrow

Fantasy

USA Today bestselling author Alix E. Harrow's A Spindle Splintered brings her patented charm to a new version of a classic story. Featuring Arthur Rackham's original illustrations for The Sleeping Beauty, fractured and reimagined. This event is free but registration is required. https://www.parnassusbooks.net/event/store-alix-harrow-author-spindle-splintered

11:00 am, Oct 6

In Conversation: Elizabeth Eulberg and Gayle Forman

Middle Grade

These middle-grade novels from beloved authors Elizabeth Eulberg (The Worst Best Summer) and Gayle Forman (Frankie and Bug) contain all the best pieces of summer stories: secret boxes, family trips, new friendships, and growing up.

12:00 pm, Oct 6

A Ghost in the Throat with Doireann Ni Ghriofa

Fiction

Winner of multiple Irish book awards, Doireann Ní Ghríofa joins us from Ireland to discuss her acclaimed novel. Moving fluidly between past and present, quest and elegy, poetry and those who make it, A Ghost in the Throat is a shapeshifting book: a record of literary obsession; a narrative about the erasure of a people, of a language, of women; a meditation on motherhood and on translation; and an unforgettable story about finding your voice by freeing another's.

6:00 pm, Oct 6

In Conversation: Sarah Hollowell and Erica Waters

Young Adult

Join Young Adult authors Erica Waters (The River Has Teeth) and Sarah Hollowell (A Dark and Starless Forest) for reading and conversation about books featuring mystery, enchantment, thrills, and girls fighting back.

7:00 pm, Oct 7

Look Both Ways with Jason Reynolds

Middle Grade

PRESENTED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS AND THE TENNESSEE CENTER FOR THE BOOK

Jason Reynolds, Library of Congress National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, discusses his ambassador platform, GRAB THE MIC: Tell Your Story, and his award-winning book Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in Ten Blocks, in addition to demonstrating new ways educators can connect to kids. Presented in collaboration with Humanities Tennessee Southern Festival of Books. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

7:30 pm, Oct 7

Southern Foodways Alliance presents the John Egerton Prize with Dara Cooper, Jasmine Mans, Zaire Love, and Alice Randall

Food culture

The Southern Foodways Alliance presents the 2021 John Egerton Prize to Dara Cooper, national organizer with the National Black Food and Justice Alliance. Dara will be in conversation with poet Jasmine Mans. The event will be introduced by author Alice Randall and moderated by Zaire Love, documentary filmmaker with the Southern Foodways Alliance. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Virtual Fundraiser featuring Alice Waters and Laurie Woolever in Conversation with Lisa Donovan

Food culture

At Humanities Tennessee, we look forward to the day when we can all gather again for the "Authors In The Round" dinner to celebrate outstanding writers and their works, while we enjoy community and a terrific meal, together.

Until then, we are thrilled to bring you a special virtual event featuring Alice Waters and Laurie Woolever in conversation with Nashville's own Lisa Donovan. Everyone who contributes a tax-deductible gift of $50 or more will be able to join Alice, Laurie, and Lisa in the 'Zoom* Room' for a lively conversation about their books, culinary experiences, travel adventures, and so much more!

• $50: Virtual Event + Alice Waters Signed Book

• $100: All of the above + Woolever Book

• $250: All of the above + Special Prize Pack

• $1000: All of the above + Curated Thank You Gift

Every donor and every gift has our gratitude and appreciation! Your support — 100% of your contribution — goes directly toward Festival expenses such as author honoraria, technology platforms, production, and more to ensure the 2021 online author sessions remain free-of-charge to anyone in Tennessee (or beyond) who wants to participate.

MAKE A GIFT

*Zoom link for the event will be sent to all donors of $50 or more Oct. 7/8 (prior to the start time).

We are also grateful to our event partner, Bookfinity and Page & Pairing, divisions of Ingram Content Group, for their support of the Festival and this special event.

9:00 am, Oct 9

In Conversation: Jesse Graves, Clay Matthews, and Anna B. Sutton

Poetry

Exploring the Appalachian world we know, and think we know, poets Jesse Graves (Merciful Days: Poems), Clay Matthews (Four-Way Lug Wrench), and Anna B. Sutton (Savage Beauty) share new works.

9:15 am, Oct 9

Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery

Middle Grade

PRE-RECORDED

Join Ally Carter as she discusses, with Tracy Barrett, her middle-grade book, Winterborne Home for Mayhem and Mystery.

10:00 am, Oct 9

In Conversation: Margaret Renkl and Ann Patchett

Essays

Margaret Renkl's new book, Graceland, at Last, features pieces from her body of work as a New York Times opinion columnist. In them she explores the culture, social justice, and politics of the South that has always been her home. She will be joined in conversation by acclaimed novelist Ann Patchett.

11:00 am, Oct 9

In Conversation: Helene Wecker and Sanjena Sathian

Fiction

Helene Wecker (The Hidden Palace: A Novel of the Golem and the Jinni) and Sanjena Sathian (Golddiggers: A Novel) bring fantasy and magical realism in these bestselling new novels. Through layers of complex and strange characters, known and unknown lands, and even a little alchemy, transport yourself to different worlds through these novels.

11:00 am, Oct 9

In Conversation: KB Ballentine, Jack Bedell, and George Ella Lyon

Poetry

In moving and lyrical new collections, KB Ballentine (Edge of the Echo), Jack Bedell (Color All Maps: New Poems), and George Ella Lyon (Back to the Light: Poems), share with us wisdom of the earth, return to dreams, and the arc of lives.

11:30 am, Oct 9

Sisters in Crime presents Debra H. Goldstein, J.T. Ellison, and Lisa Wysocky

Mystery/Thriller

From the Sisters in Crime Nashville chapter comes a lively conversation titled "Character Assassination: When is the Right Time to Say Goodbye?" Mystery lovers and others struggling with the character on the page, join us!

12:00 pm, Oct 9

In Conversation: Adrian Matejka and Major Jackson

Poetry

In brilliant new collections, Adrian Matejka (Somebody Else Sold the World) and Major Jackson (The Absurd Man: Poems), look for stability and hope amid a complex and challenging world. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

12:00 pm, Oct 9

In Conversation: Georgann Eubanks and Cynthia Kaufman

Environment/Climate Change

Climate change headlines tell of devastating floods and wildfires, but there are important grassroots stories to share as well. Georgann Eubanks (Saving the Wild South) and Cynthia Kaufman (The Sea is Rising and So Are We) share how to preserve disappearing fauna and take a more active role in combating climate change at the local level. This event is part of the "Environments" track, which we proudly present in partnership with the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University.

12:45 pm, Oct 9

Remembering William Gay with Michael White, Rick Bragg, Ron Rash, Sonny Brewer, Suzanne Kingsbury, and Joe Taylor

Fiction

Friends and colleagues of the late William Gay will discuss his last posthumous novel, "Fugitives of the Heart," and share stories of the storied writer whose remain an important voice in the Tennessee literary landscape.

1:00 pm, Oct 9

In Conversation: Andrew Maraniss, Jamie Sumner, and Kristin Tubb

Middle Grade

Great middle grade writers remember what it's like to be between childhood and teenage years. These three great writers share funny, inspiring, and moving stories, both true and truthful. Featuring Jamie Sumner (One Kid's Trash), Andrew Maraniss (Glenn Burke: Singled Out) and Kristin Tubb (Luna Howls at the Moon)

1:15 pm, Oct 9

Late City: A Novel with Robert Olen Butler

Fiction

A 115-year-old man lies on his deathbed as the 2016 election results arrive, and revisits his life in this moving story of love, fatherhood, and the American century from Pulitzer Prize winner Robert Olen Butler.

2:15 pm, Oct 9

I'll Take You There: Exploring Nashville's Social Justice Sites with Learotha Williams and Amie Thurber

History

Before there were guidebooks, there were just guides--people in the community you could count on to show you around.
I'll Take You There is written by and with the people who most intimately know Nashville, foregrounding the struggles and achievements of people's movements toward social justice. The colloquial use of "I'll take you there" has long been a response to the call of a stranger: for recommendations of safe passage through unfamiliar territory, a decent meal and place to lay one's head, or perhaps a watering hole or juke joint. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

2:15 pm, Oct 9

Last Chance Texaco: Chronicles of an American Troubadour with Rickie Lee Jones

Memoir

Last Chance Texaco is the first ever no-holds-barred account of the life of one of rock's hardest working women in her own words. With candor and lyricism Rickie Lee Jones takes us on the journey of her exceptional life: from her nomadic childhood as the granddaughter of vaudevillian performers, to her father's abandonment of the family and her years as a teenage runaway, her beginnings at LA's Troubadour club, to her tumultuous relationship with Tom Waits, her battle with drugs, and longevity as a woman in rock and roll. Jones will be in conversation with Ann Powers, music critic for National Public Radio.

3:15 pm, Oct 9

In Conversation: Anjali Enjeti and Shruti Swamy

Fiction

Join novelists Anjali Enjeti (The Parted Earth) and Shruti Swamy (The Archer) for a discussion about works centered Bombay and New Delhi, exploring art, family, and the search for answers. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

3:15 pm, Oct 9

In Conversation: Destiny Birdsong, Janisse Ray, and Marianne Worthington

Poetry

The fundamental questions might incude: What makes a place? What are the luckiest moments? What is the self? Three poets explore these questions and more. Featuring Destiny Birdsong (Negotiations: Poems), Janisse Ray (Wild Spectacle), and Marianne Worthington (The Girl Singer)

3:15 pm, Oct 9

The Speckled Beauty: A Dog and His People with Rick Bragg

Memoir

Speck arrived in Rick Bragg's life at a moment of looming uncertainty. A cancer diagnosis, chemo, kidney failure, and recurring pneumonia had left Rick lethargic and melancholy. Speck helped, and he is helping, still, when he is not peeing on the rose of Sharon. Written with Bragg's inimitable blend of tenderness and sorrow, humor and grit, The Speckled Beauty captures the extraordinary, sustaining devotion between two damaged creatures who need each other to heal.

4:15 pm, Oct 9

In Conversation: Brian Broome, Anjali Enjeti, and Nichole Perkins

Memoir

Through these powerful memoirs and essay collections, writers Briane Broome (Punch Me Up to the Gods), Anjali Enjeti (South-Bound), and Nichole Perkins (Sometimes I Trip on How Happy We Can Be), tell their stories in funny, moving, and brilliant prose. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

4:15 pm, Oct 9

In Conversation: Wiley Cash, Bobbie Ann Mason, and Ron Rash

Fiction

On the page and in conversation, writers Wiley Cash (When Ghosts Come Home), Ron Rash (In the Valley), and Bobbie Ann Mason (Dear Ann), blend storytelling traditions with new ideas of the South and beyond.

5:00 pm, Oct 9

Reckoning: Tennessee Writers on 2020 with Delaney Gray, Margaret Littman, Nicholas Bush and Susannah Felts

Essays

RECKONING invites readers to bear witness to 2020 from diverse angles, from a front porch in Knoxville to a virtual classroom in Johnson City; from the tornado-ravaged neighborhood of East Nashville to the sidewalks of Memphis. These writers find surprising moments of joy and solace and humor in the midst of crisis, but they do not shy from expressing grief and acute longing. Their essays, stories, and poems give us vivid glimpses of an unforgettable year, one in which we were all challenged to reckon with ourselves, our sense of community and safety, our commitment to justice, and our place on this planet. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

5:15 pm, Oct 9

I Take My Coffee Black: Reflections on Tupac, Musical Theater, Faith, and Being Black in America

Memoir

In I Take My Coffee Black, Tyler tells hilarious stories from his own life as a black man in America. He talks about growing up in a multi-cultural community and realizing that he wasn't always welcome, how he quit sports for musical theater (that's where the girls were) to how Jesus barged in uninvited and changed his life forever (it all started with a Triple F.A.T. Goose jacket) to how he ended up at a small Bible college in Santa Cruz because he thought they had a great theater program (they didn't). Throughout his stories, he also seamlessly weaves in lessons about privilege, the legacy of lynching and sharecropping and why you don't cross black mamas. He teaches readers about the history of encoded racism that still undergirds our society today. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

5:30 pm, Oct 9

Small Changes: A Rules-Free Guide to Add More Plant-Based Foods, Peace, and Power to Your Life

Environment/Climate Change

Author and actor Alicia Witt isn't here to dole out lists of dos and don'ts. But she is here to show how adopting the "small changes philosophy" allows you to find balance, eat healthier, and feel better physically and emotionally. She also invites you into her adventurous life, both on and off the set, in stories infused with candor and humor. This event is part of the "Environments" track, which we proudly present in partnership with the Robert Penn Warren Center for the Humanities at Vanderbilt University.

Will not take place as scheduled: Poetry Hour with Taria Person and Friends: Heather Davis, Jason Frisby, Drew Drake, Rhea Carmon, Joseph Woods

Poetry

We hope to present this event in the near-ish future!

Join this phenomenal group of poets, hip-hop artists, spoken word champions, and authors for an evening of words and music curated by Taria Person. Person has won multiple 1st place regional Spoken Word and Hip-Hop Slam Champion titles from (2012 -2017), performed at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival (2019), and produced and performed their original works Hangers at the Arkansas Theatre Festival 2020.

7:30 pm, Oct 9

Riff and Draw Challenge

Readings and Panels

PRE RECORDED

Eight Festival authors, with no prior knowledge about the challenge at hand, undertake the most difficult, the most arduous, the most harrowing assignment of their lives ...

No doubt Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max will be engaged in a bidding war this weekend to bring this to full series ...

12:00 pm, Oct 10

In Conversation: Orville Vernon Burton, Armand Derfner, and Joshua Rothman

History

Scholars Josha Rothman (The Ledger and the Chain), Armand Derfner and Orville Vernon Burton (Justice Deferred), explore the legal and judicial systems that protected and upheld systemic racism for centuries. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

12:00 pm, Oct 10

When the Stars Go Dark: A Novel with Paula McLain

Mystery/Thriller

From bestselling author Paula McLain, author of The Paris Wife, comes her first foray into mystery. Weaving together actual cases of missing persons, trauma theory, and a hint of the metaphysical, this propulsive and deeply affecting novel tells a story of fate, necessary redemption, and what it takes, when the worst happens, to reclaim our lives—and our faith in one another.

12:15 pm, Oct 10

In Conversation: John Shelton Reed and Adrian Miller

Food culture

Few topics engender such strong opinions as barbecue. Experts John Shelton Reed (On Barbecue) and Adrian Miller (Black Smoke) help us break it down; the history, the technique, and the reason this ancient cooking technique create such passionate scholarship and discussion today. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

1:15 pm, Oct 10

Faithful Presence: The Promise and Peril of Faith in the Public Square with Bill Haslam

Memoir

Two-term governor of Tennessee Bill Haslam reveals how faith - too often divisive and contentious - can be a redemptive and unifying presence in the public square. For Christians ready to be salt and light, as well as for those of a different faith or no faith at all, Faithful Presence argues that faith can be a redemptive, healing presence in the public square - as it must be, if our nation is to flourish. For Christians ready to be salt and light, as well as for those of a different faith or no faith at all, Faithful Presence argues that faith can be a redemptive, healing presence in the public square - as it must be, if our nation is to flourish. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Hot, Hot Chicken: A Nashville Story with Rachel Louise Martin

Food culture

These days, hot chicken is a "must-try" Southern food. Hot, Hot Chicken recounts the history of Nashville's Black communities through the story of its hot chicken scene from the Civil War, when Nashville became a segregated city, through the tornado that ripped through North Nashville in March 2020. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

1:30 pm, Oct 10

In Conversation: Bradley Sides and Andrew Siegrist

Short Stories

In short story collections, Bradley Sides (Those Fantastic Lives: And Other Strange Stories) and Andrew Siegrist (We Imagined It Was Rain), explore masculinity, home, transformation and loss.

2:30 pm, Oct 10

In Conversation: Denny S. Bryce, Joy Jordan-Lake, Alana White, and Julia Claiborne Johnson

Fiction

Women's Fiction is an expansive category that includes historical, literary, contemporary, romance, and more. It is one of the most enduring and popular genres through which many authors share meaningful, untold stories about female protagonists with emotion, humor, and a healthy dose of research. Featuring Denny S. Bryce (Wild Women and the Blues), Julia Claiborne Johnson (Better Luck Next Time), Joy Jordan-Lake (Under a Gilded Moon), and Alana White (Come Next Spring).

2:30 pm, Oct 10

In Conversation: Tracy Baptiste and Andrea Williams

Middle Grade

Tracey Baptiste (African Icons) and Andrea Williams (We Are Family) inspire and educate young readers with stories of African icons and contemporary families who encourage achieving dreams through perseverance. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

2:30 pm, Oct 10

Wilmington's Lie: The Murderous Coup of 1898 and the Rise of White Supremacy

History

This book, the 2021 recipient of the Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction, uses contemporary newspaper accounts, diaries, letters and official communications to create a gripping and compelling narrative that weaves together individual stories of hate and fear and brutality. This is a dramatic and definitive account of a remarkable but forgotten chapter of American history. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

3:30 pm, Oct 10

In Conversation: Simon Van Booy and Ed Tarkington

Fiction

Fate and fortune play a role in these new novels that feature indelible characters and precisely beautiful prose, from Ed Tarkington (The Fortunate Ones) and Simon Van Booy (Night Came with Many Stars).

3:30 pm, Oct 10

Just A Few Miles South: Timeless Recipes from Our Favorite Places with Ouita Michel and Sara Gibbs

Food culture

For twenty years, diners in the Bluegrass have been able to satisfy their cravings for Ouita Michel's sustainable, farm-to-table cuisine at her many acclaimed restaurants. Each restaurant―from Wallace Station to Holly Hill Inn―features dishes that combine Kentucky's bounty with Michel's celebrated vision. Diners can enjoy traditional southern staples like buttermilk biscuits, country ham, and Po-Boy sandwiches, or opt for unique variations on international favorites and American classics. Now, readers around the country can experience what makes Ouita Michel a culinary and cultural treasure.

3:30 pm, Oct 10

Seek You: A Journey Through American Loneliness with Kristen Radtke

Graphic Novel

This one is for admirers of the art of graphic novels and humans who are living through the Covid era, In Seek You, Kristen Radtke's wide-ranging exploration of our inner lives and public selves, Radtke digs into the ways in which we attempt to feel closer to one another, and the distance that remains. Through the lenses of gender and violence, technology and art, Radtke ushers us through a history of loneliness and longing, and shares what feels impossible to share. This session is part of our "A More Perfect Union" track, supported in part by the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Will not take place as scheduled: Poetry with Taria Person and Friends: Dominique Robinson, Chris Barton, Calvin Ockletree, Ryan Andrews, Boris Rogers

Poetry

We hope to present this event in the near-ish future.

4:35 pm, Oct 10

Riff and Draw Challenge

Readings and Panels

PRE RECORDED

Eight Festival authors, with no prior knowledge about the challenge at hand, undertake the most difficult, the most arduous, the most harrowing assignment of their lives ...

No doubt Netflix, Hulu, and HBO Max will be engaged in a bidding war this weekend to bring this to full series ...