Podcast

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).

 

Pulitzer 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 podcast 

Oscar Hijuelos plays guitar for Lyn and Richard after his signing. 

Tom 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. 

Singer/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. 

Alejandro Escovedo

Eugene Marten

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. 

Howard Norman at Square Books

If you weren't able to be at Off Square Books for John Brandon's reading on July 14, no worries, you can now listen to it right here. John read from his excellent new novel, Citrus County--published by McSweeney's. The book will be featured on the cover of this Sunday's (July 18) New York Times Book Review. The reading began shortly after the large crowd sipped on "Citrus County Sangria" and got their new copies of Citrus County and their old copies of John's first book, Arkansas, signed. The opening act, after a brief introduction from Square Books owner Richard Howorth, was Jack Pendarvis reading from his monthly column in The Believer magazine (also published by McSweeney's). John followed by reading a section from Citrus County involving Mr. Hibma--the junior high teacher. So enough reading about the event now you can listen. 

Order your signed copy of Citrus County here.  

John Brandon & Jack Pendarvis at Off Square Books