Nautilus Publishing, the publishing company located in Oxford, is releasing four books this autumn for which we're hosting events.
- Thacker Mountain Radio Show's favorite host, Jim Dees, is releasing The Statue and the Fury. In 1997, Oxford, Mississippi sought to build a statue to honor the 100th birthday of Oxford native William Faulkner. In this funny and heartfelt memoir, Dees chronicles the year-long civic contretemps that erupted over a magnolia tree that was cut down to make room for the sculpture. The same year, Oxford became embroiled in a “trees versus development” dispute that saw citizens arrested for blocking bulldozers. Meanwhile, the University of Mississippi pursued plans to discourage use of the Confederate flag, the song “Dixie” and the Col. Rebel mascot setting off protests and death threats. Dees brings his signature wit and insight to these pivotal events and includes interviews with James Meredith, Shelby Foote, Willie Morris, Mrylie Evers and… Willie Nelson. Jim Dees will be at Off Square Books for a book signing on Tuesday, October 18th at 5pm.
- The other book is a compilation of notable quotes by Mississippians called The Mississippi Book of Quotations by David Crews. One Square Books bookseller describes the volume as being "honest and sharing what's beautiful about the state as well as what is wretched about it." It's sure to become a classic reference book for all quotes regarding Mississippi, bringing together the artistry and cadences of the world’s greatest storytellers. It blends powerful insights on love, truth, lies, race, women, war, humor, failure, fear, humility, evil, politics, religion, law, the Blues, violence, drinking, death, endurance, and sacrifice—the wide breadth of themes and emotions that make up life well-lived and poorly-lived. David Crews will be at Off Square Books for a book signing on Tuesday, October 25th at 5pm.
- Al Povall follows up his popular Ole Miss sports oral history book with an inside look at the culture and social mores of the day in A Time Remebered, Ole Miss 1945-1970. Over 100 contributors tell us a wider story of Ole Miss during the same period, an era roughly embracing the tenures at Ole Miss of football coach John Howard Vaught and Chancellor J. D. Williams. Rebels and non-Rebels alike will not want to miss these stirring accounts of that time period. Al Povall will be at Off Square Books for a book signing on Wednesday, November 9th at 5pm.
- During its two hundred year history, Mississippi has been governed by fifty-three men who have held the state’s highest office, and whose authority and tenure were defined by the state’s four constitutions of 1817, 1832, 1868, and 1890. Noted Mississippi historian David Sansing brings each governor to life in these illustrated, never-before-published biographical sketches in his new book, Mississippi Governors. David Sansing will be at Off Square Books for a book signing on Thursday, December 1st at 5pm.