Damien Echols on LIFE AFTER DEATH
Posted May 15th, 2013
A packed house at Off Square Books on May 14th greeted author Damien Echols with a standing ovation after he spoke about his experience on Death Row, and his memoir, Life After Death.
Echols, one of three Arkansas youths charged with the murders of three
children in 1993, spent 18 years in prison, a decade of which was on
Death Row. The case became well-known after two documentaries, “Paradise
Lost” and “West of Memphis,” raised questions of their guilt. DNA
evidence disproved their involvement, and with the rallying cries for
exoneration from supporters, some quite famous and influential, the
three were released from prison in 2011 -- but only by virtue of the
Alford Plea, a kind of split-the-baby-in-half knife of “justice” which
allows them to declare their innocence but maintains the guilty verdict
imposed by the State of Arkansas, thereby protecting the prosecution and
the state from the damages of civil litigation many believe they are
due. There was talk of forming a “Mississippi Alliance for Arkansas to
Do Better” that supports complete exoneration of the West Memphis Three.
Life After Death
is the story of Echols’ childhood, his imprisonment, and the spiritual
survival skills he cultivated while on Death Row (Buddhism, meditation
and reading, always reading).
Square Books Podcast: Ann Patchett (July 1, 2011)
Posted July 6th, 2011
Ann Patchett has come to Square Books for almost every one of her books, including her first book, The Patron Saint of Liars, when she was just 29 and on her first author tour, driving around the country alone. She has written seven books since then--five novels and two books of nonfiction--including Bel Canto, which won her a PEN/Fualkner award and an Orange Prize for Fiction in 2002. Most of her books have been included as part of our Signed Firsts Subscription, where each month subscribers receive a signed, first edition book. Her new book State of Wonder will be the July Signed Firsts pick. Ann was here last week to read from State of Wonder to a packed house at Off Square Books. You can listen to the reading below but be warned--if you fear snakes you can just fast forward through those parts. After her reading she talked a little about the process of writing State of Wonder which involved a trip to the Amazon for research. Ann Patchett is an avid reader and before taking questions she spoke to the crowd about two books she highly recommends, Binocular Visions by Edith Pearlman and The All of It by Jeannette Haien, both of which she more or less rediscovered and wrote forewords to their respective new editions. Click below to listen to the full reading.
Click here to order a signed a copy of State of Wonder.
Square Books Podcast: Oscar Hijuelos (June 21, 2011)
Posted June 22nd, 2011Pulitzer Prize winning author Oscar Hijuelos stopped by Off Square Books yesterday to read and discuss his new memoir Thoughts Without Cigarettes. Hijuelos is the author of eight novels including The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love, which made him the first Hispanic to win the Pulitzer Prize and was later made into a film. During his reading, as you will hear, Hijuelos discussed the inspiration and process behind writing Mambo Kings. He even played a little guitar in between chapters. After the reading Hijuelos answered questions from the audience and played some more guitar before signing books. Signed copies of Thoughts Without Cigarettes are available here. You can listen to the entire reading below.
Oscar Hijuelos plays guitar for Lyn and Richard after his signing.
Square Books Podcast: Tom Franklin & Laura Lippman read to a packed house
Posted October 8th, 2010Tom Franklin and Laura Lippman were in good company on
Wednesday as they read from their newly released novels. The packed crowd at
Off Square Books stood in line to get their books signed before the two authors
took turns reading. Some of
Oxford’s finest were in attendance to celebrate hometown writer, teacher, colleague, and friend, Tom Franklin, and
to meet his friend and fellow writer, Laura Lippman, here with her new novel,
I’d Know You Anywhere.
The overflow crowd served as a testament to the sustaining energy and quality of the Oxford literary scene. Those in attendance were some of Oxford’s finest, including fellow-writers Curtis Wilkie, Jack Pendarvis, Ann Fisher Wirth, Ace Atkins, Lee Durkee, Neil White, John T. Edge, John Brandon, Jesmyn Ward, and Tom’s wife, the poet, Beth Ann Fennelly. Also in the crowd was Laura’s husband, David Simon, creator of The Wire and Treme on HBO, with their new baby—in a turquoise tutu. The Ole Miss English Department was represented by several faculty members and Chairman Ivo Kamps, and lots of students, MFAers and otherwise. Also present was the University’s number one reader, Chancellor Dan Jones.
The crowd was not simply big. It had a very friendly, pleasant buzz about it, as if all recognized the happy anticipation of reading a very good book and the achievment of writing it--by a guy we like.
To see photos and listen to the readings from the event please click read more.
Laura Lippman reading I'D KNOW YOU ANYWHERE
Tom Franklin reading CROOKED LETTER
Signed Copies of both books are available.
Square Books Podcast: Alejandro Escovedo & Eugene Marten (September 14, 2010)
Posted September 16th, 2010Singer/Songwriter and Oxford favorite, Alejandro Escovedo, stopped by Off Square Books Tuesday afternoon, September 14, to play some songs and talk about his friend Larry Brown before playing later that night at Proud Larry's. Off Square Books was packed with fans and friends of Alejandro to enjoy this rare, candid performance. He and Larry were close friends drawn together by their love of music and writing and the processes of creating both. Alejandro's latest record, Street Songs of Love (which we have at Off Square Books), pays homage to Larry's home in Tula, Mississippi with his song aptly titled "Tula" along with other great songs featuring Bruce Springsteen, among others, as guest musician. You can listen to Alejandro's full performance by clicking below.
Eugene Marten, following Alejandro's performance, read from his latest novel published by Tyrant Books, Firework. Michael said of Firework in the latest Dear Reader that, "Marten masters a world of blue-collar minutiae with spare, striking prose and meticulous detail, a breakout achievement that also tackles issues of gender, class, race, identity and family." Eugene's reading can be heard by clicking below.
photos by Ed Wright
Square Books Podcast: Howard Norman reads from WHAT IS LEFT THE DAUGHTER at Off Square Books
Posted July 29th, 2010
Howard Norman read from his latest novel, What is Left the Daughter, at Off Square Books on Wednesday, July 28. To listen to the reading please click the play button below.
Here is a review of What is Left the Daughter from the current issue of our Dear Reader newsletter.
To purchase a signed copy of What is Left the Daughter please click here.
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