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)
Conference for the Book will go on
Remembering Barry: Hannah, 67, dies Monday
To the world he was an author but for many in Oxford he was something more: friend and teacher, a fisherman and a dad. Writer Barry Hannah died on Monday afternoon of natural causes, according to the Lafayette County coroner, at his home in Oxford. It was just weeks shy of his 68th birthday and days before his work and life were to be honored at the 17th annual Oxford Conference on the Book.
Brandon Niemeyer contributed to this report. (March 2, 2010, Page 1)
Author Barry Hannah dies
Oxford lost one of its best-known writers Monday afternoon. Barry Hannah died just days before this year’s Oxford Conference for the Book, set to be dedicated to him and his work. He would have been 68 years old next month. Hannah was the author of eight novels and several collections of short stories, and was the director of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Mississippi.
The family will have a private funeral and graveside service. A public memorial service is planned for Sunday at 4:30 p.m. at Fulton Chapel on the University of Mississippi campus. Waller Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
Hannah helped shape many of us as writers
Oxford Conference for the Book
The 17th Oxford Conference for the Book, set for March 4–6, will be dedicated to the late Barry Hannah, one of Mississippi’s most distinguished contemporary writers. The author of nine novels and four collections of short stories, and the recipient of the Award in Literature from the American Institute of Arts and Letters, Hannah was writer in residence and director of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Mississippi. Conference sessions on Saturday will discuss his life and work. Confirmed speakers are William Dunlap and Noel Polk on a panel of “Survivors of Geronimo Rex”; fiction writers Tom Franklin and Amy Hempel; Daniel E. Williams, who taught the first course on Hannah’s work; and his former students Anne Rapp and Cynthia Shearer. (February 25, 2010)
