Losing Time in Pen and InkDoodling a detailed picture on a napkin, the architect with white hair and blue eyes concentrates while a waitress clears the plates around him.
Ray's Wife Tells TalesA storyteller came to Mississippi to weave her tales, only she didn't know it at the time. Diane Williams, 57, moved here from New Jersey because of a Mississippi farm boy.
The Head of StateAs long as there have been politics, there has been political art. From ancient times to modern, political art has found its place in society.
Back to the SourceAbout 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 …
Fabulous Beats RealityAmericans 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 …
Playing it StraightAnyone 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 …
Coming TogetherMan-about-town Edward Saint Pé is a vibrant personality who eschews labels. His accomplishments range from TV weatherman to business entrepreneur to moviemaker to film actor. Most recently, he's added to the list founder of the Mississippi Film Institute, which hosts …
Horror Hit ListIf you choose to stay in on All Hallow's Eve, here are some suggestions for frightful listening, creepy reading and horrific viewing.
Making Darkness LightShe's violent and spoiled, and no one wants anything to do with her. She's also deaf, blind and brilliant. It all plays out onstage in "The Miracle Worker," written by William Gibson.
Rich EnoughI'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 EnemiesWhen 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. …
One Less KnightWhen 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 …
Just Art, No RulesArtist and community activist Teresa Haygood says it's not uncommon for a child to look up from their work In the middle of her mosaic classes and say to her, "Ms. T, I've never done an art project before."
Gateway City ClassicSometimes 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.
Michael Matthews GuidryAs director of New Stage Theatre's Unframed Series, Michael Matthews Guidry is pushing the envelope of traditional theater by bringing mature and edgy productions to Jackson.