A few days ago, an exciting surprise arrived in my mailbox: a glossy catalog previewing the University of Tennessee Press's spring and summer 2026 titles. The picture above displays the catalog's front and back covers side by side. Among the twenty forthcoming books is my own new title, Land of … [Read more...]

Back in my college days--a lifetime ago--I spent most of my waking hours in the school's main library. Between classes and my work-study jobs at the cafeteria and at the library itself, there just wasn't enough time to dash back to my bare-bones studio atop an uptown bar. And so I would stake out a … [Read more...]

To most Americans, obtaining a driver's license for the first time is an important rite of passage, one that ranks up there with such events as your first Prom, first kiss, first beer, your high school graduation etc. (though not necessarily in that particular order). In a mobile society like … [Read more...]

Ohio University in Athens, Ohio, was where I spent my first four years in America, from 1974 to 1978. Memories of those early years and college days are still vivid in my mind, and I'd like to share a little anecdote with you. But first, let me set the stage. The picture above is of the Class … [Read more...]

Last year, as we were emerging from the lockdown, I was inspired to attempt a top-down cleaning of my home. Not just the junk that had accumulated over the dark days of pandemic, but also all the baggage I'd been dragging around with me all these years, as I moved from place to place (Ohio, … [Read more...]