Spring Fed; Groundskeeper of Dreams
LIES AND OTHER TRUTHS – As we gather this weekend for baseball and boogie, a brief reflection on north Mississippi, this area, our dirt, this grass, our small postage stamp of native soul, is in order. In time-honored fashion, Dees’ neighbor, Smoke, went to Wal-Mart this week and bought a $150 mower and he’ll push it within an inch of its 3rd World/child labor/sweat shop/life. Check out Oxford Town this week for Jim Dees’ usual shenanigans as spring rolls in. (April 22, 2010, Page 9)
Spring of our Discontent
LIES AND OTHER TRUTHS – A helpful suggestion for the contentment impaired might be no further than their own backyards (speaking of course of the backyard fire). Out in Eden, Jim Dees and his friends look on early spring as pyro-thirty. It’s amazing how gathering with friends around a fire can inspire and help solve the problems of the world … but it happens. (March 25, 2010, Page 6)
Barry Hannah: 1942-2010
OXFORD LIVING — We invited friends, fans and students of the late Barry Hannah to share with us their memories, as the 17th Oxford Conference for the Book gets underway in Hannah’s honor. Photos of the author and a coast-to-coast collection of stories are in today’s Oxford Living. (March 5, 2010, Page 1B)
Book conference begins
University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones, author John Grisham and Square Books owner Richard Howorth paid tribute to Barry Hannah at a talk on “literary Oxford” Thursday as part of the Oxford Conference for the Book. The conference is dedicated to the late Hannah, who died Monday at age 67.Applying a master’s lessons
A CONVERSATION WITH — Jeff Stayton endured Barry Hannah’s blunt-and-brutal critiques of his fiction writing, but sees them now as grace in disguise. Today he applies Hannah’s direct approach when it comes to coaching his own students in their writing. And in both his fiction and scholarly work, he aims to look as closely at every sentence, even every word — just as Hannah taught him. (March 4, 2010, Page 3)
Hannah deserves legacy for grace as a teacher
THE GODFREY SHOW — Steven Godfrey took a creative writing class at Ole Miss under the late Barry Hannah approximately 10 years ago. What he remembers is not so much the brilliant and massive body of work Hannah cranked out, but rather Hannah’s grace as a teacher. Hannah gave everyone’s idea of literature, especially the young and disadvantaged, a “warm embrace.” (March 4, 2010, Page 6)
Stranger comes to town; Captain to the Maximus
LIES AND OTHER TRUTHS – Jim Dees developed a close, personal relationship with Barry Hannah at the Hoka, Oxford’s tin-roof cinema, in early 1982. That relationship endured over the years up until Hannah’s untimely passing on Monday. Read about their unique relationship as well as years of Hannah-isms and quotes from admirers worldwide. “Reading him made you proud to know him.” (March 4, 2010, Page 8)
Barry Hannah – entertainer, teacher, inspiration
Barry Hannah entertained many with his highly-acclaimed novels and collections of short stories, but his biggest contribution to the local community may well have come in the classroom as he’s taught, mentored and inspired countless students through the years. Editor Don Whitten admits to having his ups and downs with Hannah’s literary work, but not with all he’s seen from folks who tout Hannah’s other contributions. (March 3, 2010, Page 4)
Conference for the Book: Grisham to speak
John Grisham will speak as part of the Oxford Conference for the Book Thursday at 4 p.m. in the Gertrude Ford Performing Arts Center. Grisham is scheduled to talk about “Literary Oxford” and his own life as a writer here in town. He and Barry Hannah were good friends, and Barry did a memorable job moderating an OCB session years ago in Fulton Chapel when Grisham and Stephen King discussed surviving success as writers.(March 3, 2010)
