Rhythm and Books

Mr. Peanut

A conventional mystery novel presents a puzzle that the reader and protagonist must solve by asking the right questions and collecting the right answers.  And then there are murder mysteries like Mr. Peanut, in which the novel itself is a puzzle and there are no pat answers.  The debut novelist, Adam Ross of Nashville, who signs and reads here this Thursday, July 1, at 5:30 p.m., seems less interested in whodunnit and more intent on leaving his mark on the reader.

Being lovers of the unconventional, we marveled at this novel, which loses no darkness or mystery for all its craftiness and intellect.  This isn't smarty-pants trickery but genuine psychological suspense, created with humor, kinkiness and inspiration.

It sounds like a crack plot:  the police are called to the home of Alice Pepin, sufferer of severe food allergies, who has died of anaphylactic shock from a mouthful of lethal peanuts.  Her husband David, a video game designer and a bit of a desperate creep, is brought in for questioning.  Theirs was a difficult marriage.  The novel he's writing opens: "When David Pepin first dreamed of killing his wife, he didn't kill her himself.  He dreamt convenient acts of God."  Yet David swears it was suicide.  Two detectives alternately question him, learning more about the ill-fated marriage.  But the detectives have their own dark secrets and their own warped marriages, one of which is soaked in a murderous mystery all its own.

Perception plays a big role here, and the prevailing symbol seems to be the work of M.C. Escher, the artist whose famous drawings of distorted reality represent visual tricks and infinite deceptions that are the core mystery of this thriller.  "Just as Escher's etch­ings con­tain forms inter­locked with oth­ers, so too is every marriage's suc­cess inter­locked with its poten­tial destruc­tion," said Ross in an interview from his publisher.  "Time and cir­cum­stance and every other unfore­see­able thing can send the hap­pi­est cou­ples spi­ral­ing into mis­ery and, espe­cially in the novel, poten­tial vio­lence."

While it may not be the wisest gift for newlyweds, this is an entertaining and often troubling contemplation on marriage.  But Ross lends a perverse playfulness to these ruined lives.  Likewise his fearless honesty and dark imagination is bound to make your skin crawl.  Imagine the moral depravity of Jim Thompson crossed with the sociological scrutiny of Raymond Carver.

We recently relaunched the Backporch Book Club with a lively discussion of Yann Martel's Beatrice and Virgil, a novel that seemed to equally confound and entice readers.  We detected a similar quality in Mr. Peanut and wager it will bring about some great discussion, so we selected it for our next book club selection, which we'll discuss Tuesday, August 3.

But first, we encourage you to come out and meet Mr. Ross, a prodigious new talent, and hear him read from and discuss his debut novel.  We'll sweeten the deal with some live music, featuring members of the Cleveland, Mississippi jazz-rock ensemble Amalgamation.  The fun starts at 5:30 p.m.  If you won't be in town and would like a signed copy, pre-order online.

Star Sighting

Congratulations to our pal Carolyn Haines, whose new novel, Bone Appetit, has just arrived in the store.  And what luck, it's set in Greenwood! 

Perhaps it's only fitting then that we host the book launch party here July 8.  Among the day-long events in honor of Carolyn and her colorful universe of eccentric Delta characters, ever beset by danger and murder, is a cooking class at the Viking Cooking School, where much of the novel's mayhem takes place.  There are still a few spots open, so sign up to hear Carolyn tell stories while a gourmet lunch is prepared.  This will be a steal at $25, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. (And no cockroaches.)

Turnrow will host the official book signing that evening.   In addition to signing her new Delaney mystery, Carolyn has invited friends and contributors to the recent book she edited, Delta Blues, a compilation of crime stories set in the Mississippi Delta.  The authors will sign from 5-6 p.m., at which time Carolyn will speak and read from Bone Appetit.  After that, we'll invite everyone to join us next door at the Alluvian for a party in the lobby bar, complete with music and a special Haines-themed beverage.

We were proud to receive this recent starred review for Bone Appetit in Publishers Weekly:

Distinctive characters and a clever cooking background make Haines's 10th Sarah Booth Delaney mystery (after 2009's Greedy Bones) the best yet in this Southern cozy series. Sarah Booth, who's seeking solace after a miscarriage, and her best friend and fellow PI, Tinkie Bellecase Richmond, come to Greenwood, Miss., to attend classes at the Viking Cooking School, but soon get involved in a beauty contest/cook-off and mayhem. The trouble begins when contestant Karrie Kompton bites into a chocolate-covered cockroach. Next, Babs Lafitte falls to the stage and goes into convulsions. After Brook Oniada suffers fatal burns during her flaming baton routine and Janet Menton dies after eating poisoned pastry, suspicion falls on Janet's roommate, Hedy Lamarr Blackledge, who hires Sarah and Tinkie to clear her name. Sarah's ever-entertaining ghost companion, Jitty, provides support as Sarah winds up finding the crazed beauty contest gone bad a blessing in disguise.

Civil Rights Jazz

We recently hosted an event with Mississippi native Alex Heard, an author and journalist who wrote The Eyes of Willie McGee, a fascinating new book about a nearly forgotten Mississippi murder trial that was pivotal in organizing civil rights support.  (C-SPAN sent a crew to tape the reading and discussion for Book TV, which airs the program this Saturday, June 19, at 2 p.m. central.)

Willie McGee was a black man in Laurel, Mississippi, who, in 1945, was accused of raping a white housewife, found guilty and sentenced to death.  Nothing about the incident was cut-and-dry.  McGee proclaimed his innocence, stating it was a consensual, while worldwide public outrage demanded that even if he was guilty, the punishment was too severe.  Heard compellingly confronts the secrets, lies, and debate surrounding this sensational trial and execution, which had become, up until now, all but forgotten.

Mississippians today are used to resurrecting the painful history of this era, which continues to sadden and frustrate, but it got us thinking about some of the other lesser known, more uplifting aspects of the civil rights era, which in addition to inciting fear, rage and sweeping social change, contributed greatly to our national culture.

Music of the civil rights movement is most often identified through the topical pop songs of the 1960s, judging by the lasting impact of Bob Dylan's "Blowin in the Wind" or Sam Cooke's "A Change is Gonna Come," but our resident music expert and jazz aficionado Ben was intrigued by the movement's contribution to the legacy of jazz music and compiled for us this incomplete list of the greatest jazz recordings spawned by the civil rights movement:

"(What Did I Do to Be So) Black and Blue" (1929) — Louis Armstrong, from Hot Fives and Sevens
Written by Fats Waller as part of the Broadway musical Hot Chocolates, Louis Armstrong turned this song into a seminal piece about racial inequality.  When Armstrong re-recorded the composition in 1955, he did so following Brown v. Board of Education, placing the song further in context.  Armstrong’s work is also mentioned in the beginning of Ralph Ellison's Invisible Man. 
Further Listening: Satch Plays Fats.

"Strange Fruit" (1939) — Billie Holliday
The poem "Strange Fruit" was penned by Abel Meeropol which graphically describes the lynching of two black men.  Set to music, it would become a staple of Billie Holiday’s repertoire and one of the most important songs of the 20th century.  Although many artists have covered this song, it belongs to Billie.  It was her biggest hit and despite her numerous performances of the song, it is said that she was moved to tears after every performance.  One listen to this song should demonstrate why. 
Further Listening: Lady Sings the Blues.

 "Come Sunday" (1958) — Duke Ellington, from Black, Brown and Beige
Duke Ellington is one of the most important composers of the 20th century and this is his masterpiece.  The suite depicts the historical journey of African Americans from Africa to enslavement, from Emancipation to assimilation.  This particular recording offers a unique perspective to the composition Ellington struggled with for many years by presenting Mahalia Jackson as the featured singer.  Rarely heard outside of sacred settings, she is profound in her interpretations of Ellington's suite.  
Further Listening: anything by Duke Ellington. 

Freedom Suite (1958) — Sonny Rollins
Freedom Suite, is Sonny Rollins' first attempt at an extended composition.  For an African American performing jazz in the late 1950s, the term "freedom," has many connotations.  Rollins explores the idea of freedom in the work, commenting not on a specific event but encompassing the idea of freedom. 
Further Listening: Saxophone Colossus.

We Insist! Freedom Now Suite (1960) — Max Roach
Recorded in 1960, this may be the first jazz recording explicitly about civil rights.  The cover of We Insist! Freedom Now Suite, depicting a lunch counter sit-in, makes it clear.  The suite is moving both as a jazz composition and as an intellectual concept.  Utilizing some of the best musicians of the era — including Booker Little, Abbey Lincoln and Coleman Hawkins — Max Roach made sure this album had purpose.  There are moments that are brutal, especially the duet between Roach and Lincoln in which he is pounding the drums and she allows her singing to progress to screaming.  There are also moments evoking Africa, Jazz, peace and most importantly change. 
Further Listening: M'Boom Re:Percussion.

"Original Faubus Fables" (1960) — Charles Mingus, from Charles Mingus Presents Charles Mingus
Charles Mingus wrote this tune as a direct protest against Arkansas Governor Orval Faubus, whose crimes against humanity included sending the National Guard to stop the integration of nine African-American students into Little Rock Central High School in 1957.  This song was released by Columbia records in 1959 although they would not allow the lyrics on the recording.  Mingus recorded the song a year later on Candid records with the lyrics intact. 
Further Listening:  Mingus Ah Um.

"Alabama" (1963) — John Coltrane, from Live at Birdland
This classic live album from John Coltrane is probably most known for the opener, "Afro Blue," yet one cannot dismiss this introspective, sad song, a proper jazz elegy for the struggle in Alabama.  When asked if "Alabama" had any significance to the racial issues in the Deep South, Coltrane responded, "It represents, musically, something that I saw down there translated into music from inside me." 
Further Listening: A Love Supreme.

"Mississippi Goddam" (1964) — Nina Simone, from Nina Simone in Concert
Recorded at Carnegie Hall, this album documents the beginning of Simone's long career promoting civil rights.  The crowning moment is "Mississippi Goddam," which she wrote to express her outrage over Medgar Ever's death and the infamous 1963 Alabama church bombing.  It is clear that the up-tempo groove and unclear title confuses the mostly white audience as they laugh upon hearing the title of the song.  After singing it for a minute, Simone tells the audience, "This is a showtune but the show hasn't been written for it yet."  This is followed by more laughter from the audience.  After another fiery verse — "Lord have mercy on this land of mine/ We all gonna get it in due time/ I don't belong here/ I don't belong there/ I've even stopped believing in prayer" — Simone addresses the audience again, stating, "Bet you thought I was kidding didn't you?"  The audience is silent. 
Further Listening:  Forever Young, Gifted and Black.

From the Plantation to the Penitentiary (2007) — Wynton Marsalis
Offering a fresh look at the societal problems that plague us today, Wynton Marsalis used this opportunity to remind us of the struggles that have been before, how far we've traveled and how little has changed.  Marsalis challenges all of us struggling today to make a change for the better lest we fall into damnation.  This album is the Freedom Now Suite for the new millennium, a reminder that despite the struggles, we continue in chains. 
Further Listening: Blood on the Fields (winner of the Pulitzer Prize).

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the End of Times....

Summer is here.  What better time to contemplate the world's demise?

We recently read Justin Cronin's The Passage, due out today.  It's one of the rare science fiction novels that reaches beyond the genre, and thanks to publisher buzz, a high-profile endorsement from Stephen King, and the fact that it's a genuine page-turner, Cronin's novel is positioned to be the novel of the summer.

The Passage is broken into three very distinct sections.  The opening section describes how the world, in a not-so-distant future, is drastically altered by a US government experiment gone horribly wrong.  As with all secret government experiments, the result is disastrous — in this case, releasing a group of 12 superhuman vampirian creatures into the countryside.  

The second section of this book begins 92 years after the virus has disseminated throughout America. Forced to protect themselves against all forms of the virus, a small colony of survivors have tried their best to continue civilization under intense circumstances.  All seems well until a strange girl appears at the gate of the colony.  Wounded and unable to speak, the stranger's presence soon disrupts the natural order of the colony.  A series of events cause a faction to escape with the young girl, hoping that she may be the antidote to the viral infection.

Section three follows the colonists as they journey from California to Colorado where they hope to find out the true destiny of this child in their care.  Along the way, the gang faces enormous struggles leading to an enthralling and unexpected climax.

While we are partial to doomsday fiction, this novel is accessible to lovers of thrillers, horror, mysteries and literary page-turners.  It was just the apocalyptic angle that hooked us instantly.  We read the 250 pages in one sitting it was so compelling.  We recommend stocking up on coffee to aid in your late night reading, for this is a large book, and just what summer calls for — a page-turner that lasts longer than a day.

Who needs the terrible evening news to scare you this summer?  Here is an incomplete list of some other noteworthy, post-apocalyptic novels for end-time summer reading.

Book of Revelation — John (95 AD give or take a few years)
The Last Man — Mary Shelley (1826)
After London — Richard Jefferies (1885)
The War of the Worlds — H.G. Wells (1898)
Anthem — Ayn Rand (1938)
The Plague — Albert Camus (1947)
Earth Abides — George Stewart (1949)
I Am Legend — Richard Matheson (1954)
On the Beach — Nevil Shute (1957)
A Canticle for Leibowitz — Walter Miller (1959)
The Stand — Stephen King (1978)
This is the Way the World Ends — James Morrow (1985)
The Handmaid's Tale — Margaret Atwood (1985)
The Children of Men — P.D. James (1992)
Blindness — Jose Saramago (1995)
Oryx and Crake — Margaret Atwood (2003)
The Road — Cormac McCarthy (2006)
World War Z — Max Brooks (2006)
World Made by Hand — James Howard Kunstler (2008)
Year of the Flood — Margaret Atwood (2009)