The Friends of the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library and Mississippi University for Women join forces on Wednesday, Sept. 24 to preview MUW’s upcoming Eudora Welty Writers’ Symposium. The theme of this year’s event, “‘Homesick for Somewhere’: Displacement, Loss, and Longing in the South,” is inspired by Eudora Welty’s short story “Kin” from her collection, “The Bride of Innisfallen and Other Stories.”
Dr. Kendall Dunkelberg, who has overseen the Welty Symposium since 2008, is well-placed to discuss the event which presents the varied works of the visiting authors. He has directed poetry and fiction workshops at MUW since 1994 and is the director of Creative Writing at MUW. A published poet since 1988 and a translator of both poetry and fiction, he was honored in 2003 as the MUW Humanities faculty member of the year.
Deborah Johnson, whose second novel, “The Secret of Magic,” came out earlier this year, will join Dunkelberg at the Table Talk.
“We welcome a diverse group of poets and writers, including local author Deborah Johnson, whose novel deals with a racially motivated murder in the aftermath of World War II, and keynote author Tim Parish, who explores family, race and class in 1970s and ’80s working-class Baton Rouge,” said Dunkelberg.
“We will feature six Mississippi authors as well as writers from Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky, and memoirist Carol Ruth Silvers, who writes about her experience as one of the Freedom Riders in Civil Rights-era Mississippi.
“The October 23-25 Welty Symposium brings a fascinating group of writers to Columbus,” said Friends member Jo Shumake, “and we’re delighted to have both Kendall and Deborah introduce us to and guide us through these diverse works. It’s always a treat to learn about the writers before they arrive at MUW for the three-day event.”
The Table Talk session will be held in the second floor meeting room at the Columbus-Lowndes Public Library, 314 Seventh St. N. Doors open at 11:30 a.m. for those wishing to bring their lunch and socialize before the program begins at noon. The Friends will serve iced tea.
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 32 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.