Devil's Dream
At first glance, a novel on the life and times of Nathan Bedford Forrest may seem like a polarizing tale, but in "Devil's Dream" (Pantheon Books, 2009, $26) Madison Smartt …
"Kings of Tort": A Royal Hit Job?
The authors of the recent book "Kings of Tort: The True Story of Dickie Scruggs, Paul Minor and Two Decades of Political and Legal Manipulation in Mississippi" don't mince words …
The Correction
Neil White, a Mississippian who published newspapers and magazines in Oxford and on the Gulf Coast, was arrested in the early 1990s for "kiting" checkspassing them back and forth between …
Saw a Train a Comin'
If you are a fan of Johnny Cash, or are curious about the nature of the iconic "Man in Black," you owe it to yourself to make time to read …
Kathryn Stockett
The Mississippi Library Association's Authors Award Committee will honor author Kathryn Stockett tonight at a banquet held in the University of Southern Mississippi's Thad Cochran Center.
Hot Author, Cold Biscuits
We know a few things to be constant in the South: Coworkers are extended family members, porch swings are adult-sized cradles, the weather changes its mind at the drop of …
Quentin Whitwell
Quentin Whitwell, 37, is a local political advisor and the go-to guy for many campaigns in the state. He co-founded the largely Republican government-relations firm The Talon Group in 2004, …
From Blues to Hip-Hop
When I heard about Ali Neff's book on the Clarksdale hip-hop scene, I was relieved that someone had finally decided to talk about something other than the blues. Someone was …
Tired Shoes
Jill McCorkle's short story collection, "Going Away Shoes,"reads like a short soap opera. Narrated by a parade of middle-aged women sharing their fantasies and failures in love, the 11 stories …
Author Harry MacLean on Mississippi
When author and lawyer Harry MacLean arrived in Jackson from Denver to chronicle the federal kidnapping trial of ex-Klansman James Ford Seale, he was prepared to confront a dark history …
Real Mississippi
With the title "The Past is Never Dead", Harry MacLean invokes the famous Faulknerian quotation: "The past is never dead. It's not even past." This theme is the foundation of …
Dr. Cora Norman
Cora Norman took on the role of executive director for the Mississippi Humanities Council at the organization's 1972 inception, staying with the group for 24 years. Her new book, "Mississippi …
Kicking It Up
I have a confession; lately I haven't been living in the moment. Here at the JFP we have a million ideas and staff members who work insanely hard because of …
Less Traveled Roads
At first glance, David Magee's "The Education of Mr. Mayfield" (John F. Blair, 2009, $21.95) gives the impression of a "Good Will Hunting" knock-off set in the rural South. Race …
A History of Defiance
To determine whether or not to read a new book of history, examine the footnotes. If the notes reference previous books and journal articles, you've got a rehash. If, on …
