Washington post columnist, thriller writer who writes about the cia and such. This month, Pulitzer Prize winning author, Colson Whitehead as our guest. His most recent book is the under ground railroad. Mr. Whitehead, whats the appropriate response new book is appraised by oprah, president obama, you won the National Book award, what is the appropriate response . If only it took the pain aw away. [laughter] has taken off in a way thats unexpected and startling and wonderful. Just try to enjoy it despite my best efforts. Why does it put you in a better mood . Ive been writing for 20 something years doing fiction 20 some years, sometimes we write a book and people dig it and understand it sometimes write a book and no one cares and its sort of disappears so i have the pride the job i did with the book. Either you dig the groups of two prospectors or you dont and so you are either along for the ride description or not. Definitely when i was writing was my second attempt at a novel. My fir
Pleased to have with us Toni Morrison for indepth conversation about her lifes work. Toni morrison, as he began, ive seen several citations that you told people that its easiest best most apt to describe you as a black woman novelist. Is that correct . Absolutely. What are we the public to take away from your choice of those three words . I think it was an attempt on my part to choose to be given the status of honorary white male writer. Generally speaking, womens work has been reduced to regional or merely or people complement ethnic writers by saying or implying that they are as good as mainstream writers and whereas i understand the complement, i thought it would be better for me to, at least in the late 60s early 70s to establish once and for all that all three of those things play, and black, i am a woman, and im a writer and they go together. Youve also always been a teacher. Yes. Why is that important to who you are and what you do . Edit quite know what else to do when i gradua
Hes also author of prelude to cruise which is winner of the penn joyce author award for poetry and at the 2015 stonewall literature award. Poetry collection is also a finalist for the 2015 National Book critics circle award as well as awards lambda literary and the publishing triangle in 2015. Saeed jones served as cohost of buzzfeeds morning show and served as buzzfeeds lgbt and culture editor. He grew up in lewisville texas and earned a ba at Western Kentucky University and an mfa at Rutgers University in newark. He lives in new york city and tweets at the ferocity. Thank you for being here saeed jones. As a side note, the southern festival of books remains completely free because of Strong Community support and we want to keep it that way. So you can donate on the web. Humanities tennessee. Org or by the southern festival of books or by the collection plate thats been passed around. Saeed is going to read for us. We will have a q a and when we get to the q and aplease use the microp
Youre watching booktv on cspan2 with top nonfiction books and authors every weekend. Booktv, television for serious readers. [inaudible conversations] hello, everyone. Thank you for joining us. My name is tashib graham, and i am outreach librarian at vanderbilt library. Im so excited to chat with saeed jones about how we fight for our lives. He is also the author of preruled to bruise prelude to bruise, 2015 stonewall Barbara Giddings literature award. Also a finalist for the 2015 National Book critics circle award as well as awards from lambda literary and the publishing triangle in 2015. Saeed serves as cohost to buzzfeeds morning show and also as lgbt and culture editor. He was born in tennessee and grew up in texas. He earned a ba at Western Kentucky University and an msa at rutgers universitynewark. He lives in new york city. Thank you for being here, saeed. Thank you so much. Thank you. Thank you. [applause] u so as a side note, as a sie note, the southern festival of books remai
Will commute this afternoon i am live in alexander i am chair of humanities tennessee board of directors. We are very glad we are here at this festival today. The festival is free but it depends on donations from people like you to keep it that way. If you know enjoying the festival, and you enjoy the session and you have a chance, if you look at our website, our facebook page, the app or go by the tenth in the plaza, we would love to have you help support the festival. After the session, paul will be signing books at the signing tent that is on the plaza and the books are for sale at the parnassus tent and a portion of those to sales go directly to the festival. We are here today, to hear paul talk about his latest book. He has published numerous works of fiction. In 1991, he was awarded the james black memorial prize. This was for his work the Mosquito Coast which was adapted into a movie in 1986. After moving to london in 1972, he said often in epic journey by train from Great Brita