Confident Men
I can't decide whether Jeff Sharlet's "C Street: The Fundamentalist Threat to American Democracy" (Little Brown, 2010, $27) is pulp nonfiction about a scholarly topic, or scholarly nonfiction about a pulp topic. It's hard to write a book that hinges so heavily on three extramarital affairs--those of Mark Sanford, Chip Pickering and John Ensign--without a hint of the tabloid, but Sharlet manages to do it by writing with a generous spirit that lets him find the humanity in these insecure and narcissistic men. That is, in fact, the book's main accomplishment: Sharlet looks at Washington fundamentalists' sacred self-image, contrasts it with their profane behavior and meets them at a halfway point of tragicomic human fallibility.
Alabama, Apes and Adam Perry
I recently had a chance to sit down with Adam Perry, account and distribution manager for the Jackson Free Press, to talk about his first novel, "Boxing Gorillas." The story is a well-paced and fun read that deftly blends elements of suspense, comedy and action into an engaging romp through Alabama.
Hometown Heroes
Like a proud parent showing off a scrapbook of your child's accolades, "Mississippians" (Nautilus Printing, 2010, $45) is a collection of photographs and vignettes of notable individuals from the state of Mississippi.
Spiritual Exploration
Check out these titles to learn how different people worship (or don't) and how to co-exist harmoniously with your newfound knowledge. All books available at Lemuria Books (Banner Hall, 4465 Interstate 55, Suite 202, 601-366-7619)
Country's Queen
Tammy Wynette once said, "I believe you have to live your songs," but too often the life of this country-music superstar takes a backseat to her hit, "Stand By Your Man."
Back to the Source
About this time 150 years ago, Abraham Lincoln was elected president, an event so fraught with peril for southerners that within months, 11 states had seceded from the Union. While the cause of that secession was clear to everyone back in 1860 and 1861, the topic provokes all kinds of argument and disagreement today.
Fabulous Beats Reality
Americans prefer myth to history, asserts Jacksonian and Hinds Community College history professor Benjamin Cloyd. In a new book examining the realities of prisoner-of-war camps during the Civil War, Cloyd shows how our preference for fables inhibits a candid assessment of the evils committed during the Civil War and beyond.
Playing it Straight
Anyone who enjoys zombie movies and fiction with more than a passing interest should recognize John Russo's name and won't be disappointed to read "Undead" (Kensington Publishing, 2010, $14.95). He is the co-creator of the classic horror film that gave birth to the specific genre of zombie horror: "Night of the Living Dead."
Horror Hit List
If you choose to stay in on All Hallow's Eve, here are some suggestions for frightful listening, creepy reading and horrific viewing.
Rich Enough
I've heard it all my life: America is the best country in the world. Within that framework, it's nearly impossible to understand why conditions for many Americans are so bad.
How to Make Enemies
When award-winning journalist Curtis Wilkie sets out to cover the downfall of Mississippi's foremost trial attorney, he goes at it like a neurotic terrier digging in a graveyard--with a macabre cloud of grotesque tidbits flying out over his furry back. And unlike partisans who try to twist the saga their direction, he then lets the bits fall where they may.
One Less Knight
When I brought "Glubbery Gray" (Pelican Publishing, 2010, $16.99) home, my 8-year-old son, Mateo, couldn't wait to take a look. If it's a story about space, superheroes or knights, he's all over it. "That was a really funny book," he concluded, after we'd read it together.
Gateway City Classic
Sometimes I read fiction that I can't accurately describe without sounding like I'm shilling for it. Jabari Asim's "A Taste of Honey" (Broadway Books, 2010, $13) falls into that category.
The Summer of ‘64
The 1960's remains pivotal in Mississippi's bloody road to ethnic equality. Had it not been for a group of college students and a handful of volunteer organizations, though, Mississippi's leap forward may have been postponed for years.
Things we don't know
The Civil War can be a tumultuous topic. Perhaps because it's the source of anguish for some and shame for others, southerners often avoid talking about it at all. The effects of the deadliest war for American soldiers and the decades that followed left an indelible mark on the societal landscape of Mississippi and other former Confederate states.