In October of 1975, on the backside of the quarter shopping center, I opened Lemuria bookstore with my ex-wife Mel. We converted a 2nd floor apartment, bought books and went to work. We were located behind Poets, the best bar and hangout in town, at which I went to work quickly after opening to keep Lemuria’s doors open. Below the bookstore was a small art gallery known as The Artist 5.

One morning, I heard a commotion of some sort coming in front of the bookstore. From my front balcony, I saw people carrying on while focusing on a big pick-up truck. In the middle, Jerry Clower was holding court, loud and obnoxious. The cut up was about these raccoons the local artist had painted all over his ride. After a bit, a very pleased Clower cranked up and roared away while gaining everyone’s attention, sporting his prize coons.

Add your Jerry Clower memory in the comment section below.

Click here to see all of “Lemuria Reads Mississippians.” Editor Neil White will be signing at Lemuria on  Thursday, October 28th.

Mississippians is available now! Purchase a copy online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

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My blog day has rolled around again, and sadly I haven’t finished any books lately.  I am, however, starting on Michael Chabon’s The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, which won the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2001.

Set in Brooklyn on the brink of World War II, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay is about  Joe Kavalier (a refugee from Prague trained in the art of Houdini-style escapism)and aspiring illustrator Sammy Clay, two Jewish cousins, who seize upon their own hopes, dreams, and fears to create the comic book characters the Escapist, the Monitor, and Luna Moth.

I’m not far enough into the novel to divulge more than that—plus, why would I want to ruin the book for you?

If you love Chabon and have perhaps already read this particular novel of his, you should take note of the existence of The Amazing Adventures of the Escapist–an actual comic book based on the character that Kavalier and Clay create.  Neat stuff, huh?  -Kaycie

This is around the time of year I start snooping around for Christmas present ideas. Wanting to skip the mall rush and having little money, I’ve decided to get crafty again and awaken the do-it-myself-er.

In past years, I’ve gifted photographs or fun seasonal baked treats. And now that I’m working at Lemuria, I’ve decided this year, I’m gifting only books or things I’ve made. And because, at times, I have the type of personality to get carried away, I’ve set myself some boundaries. I’ve limited myself to these three books to pull from for inspiration: Sew It, Stuff It by Rob Merrett, The Lampshade Lady’s Guide to Lighting Up Your Life by Judy Lake, and Indie Craft by Jo Waterhouse.

Sew It, Stuff It is a great answer for your gifting needs, such as a baby shower. With several adorable designs, including “Perry the Pony” and a chapter on all kinds of “Divine Dollies”, you will be able to give a heart-felt gift for little cost. I’d be proud to give away a toy I’ve made from this book. Merrett presents so many great ideas in an easy-to-follow way. I’ve been wanting to dabble in lampshade design for a while but figured it would be too tedious.

Judy Lake, AKA “The Lampshade Lady” outlines the step-by-step process for making a wide range of uniquely personal shades in her book. Perfect for the gifting season, shades can be made from a variety of things. She suggests anything from old photos to old scarves and handkerchiefs to new kid decorated craft projects. She shows that simply updating a shade or two can change the feel of the entire space. Check out all the interesting ways you could use this fun craft to bring a personal homey feel.

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I also was really excited by Indie Craft. This book catalogs the alternative craft scene of Indie Craft: “The fantastic art and craft work being produced by artists and makers using traditional craft techniques but with a completely modern, alternative and subversive style, context and subject matter.” I think my mind was blown on every page the first time I opened it. Lots of great work to inspire the creative process. Check it out!

DEUCE!!!!

This was a common chant you would  hear when Deuce McAllister took the field in Vaught/Hemingway Stadium at the University of Mississippi on game day. It’s no wonder since he is one of the most decorated football  players in Ole Miss history and the only football player to have recorded 1,000 all purpose yards in three seasons.  I am an Ole Miss fan but I followed Deuce’s career more when he was with the New Orleans Saints.  He was a first round draft pick  in 2001 and throughout his career with the Saints he became and still is the Franchise’s all time leading rusher with 6,096 yards.  He also scored 55 total touchdowns and 49 of them were rushing touchdowns.  These are also both Saints records and he also was selected for the Pro Bowl in 2002 and 2003.

Deuce McAllister is probably one of the most loved Mississippi football players in recent history and it is really no wonder as evident from his work on the field and now that he is retired from his work off the field.  He has become a fixture in the Jackson area opening several businesses and being involved with the restoration of historic downtown buildings, The Edwards Hotel being one of them.  He also wanted to give back to the University and did so by donating $1 million dollars for a indoor practice facility for the Ole Miss football team. His Catch 22 Foundation was formed in 2002 and is dedicated to the enhancement of  children’s lives in the Gulf Coast Region. The foundation has grown by leaps and bounds throughout the years and is not only helping children in the Jackson and New Orleans area but throughout the entire states of Mississippi and Louisiana.  Oh, and of course Deuce hosts his Champions of Football Camp for children between the ages of 10-18…now you know that is a good time.

You could feel the electricity in the air in January 2010 when the announcement was made that the Saints had resigned Deuce the day before the playoff game against the Arizona Cardinals and he was going to be a honorary captain and lead the team out on the field.  I wasn’t at the game but I was watching and you have never heard a roar like that when the crowd saw Deuce.  We were even cheering at home!!  Even though Deuce formally announced his retirement from the NFL I know that he will always be in the public eye and hearts due to his philanthropic work he is doing throughout the region and to all of us, his fans–

HE IS ALWAYS A SAINT!!!!

Click here to see all of “Lemuria Reads Mississippians.” Editor Neil White will be signing at Lemuria on  Thursday, October 28th.

Mississippians is available now! Purchase a copy online or call the bookstore 601/800.366.7619.

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After other signings, talks and interviews in Jackson, Curtis Wilkie made it over to Lemuria and spoke to a packed house at our events building. Although I had finished reading the book several weeks ago, listening to Curtis talk and hearing the questions from the audience only made me want to read this intricate tragedy of Mississippi law and politics again.

Of all the things that impress me about the book, here are three:

1. Curtis conducted over 200 interviews with nearly all of the key players. I have heard people remark that Curtis Wilkie is probably one of the only people who could cover this case, having easy and open cooperation with the Scruggs family and so many others involved in the fall. Furthermore, he places the injustices on the broad canvas of Mississippi political culture of the past 40 years.

2. The FBI files had never before been made available to the public. This equals 6 months of audio and video that Curtis explored to write his book. If you have some time to spare, some video and audio are available online here.

3. The introduction of P. L. Blake to the citizens of Mississippi: So many questions still abound about Blake and it seems to be the consensus that he will never be successfully prosecuted. I wish we could get some buses together, gather crowds of curious Mississippi citizens and ride out to his house. I would like to say, “Mississippians are tired of you putting your sleazy money in our leaders pockets. It’s our state, not yours.” He doesn’t even live here anymore. He hides out in Birmingham, Alabama.

While Curtis signed books, we were lucky enough to spend a little time with him. On writing another book, Curtis talked about how much he enjoys writing and how he could have never predicted he would be writing Zeus. Regarding another book, he says, “Never say never.” Maybe we’ll hear more from Curtis.

Somehow, all of us book lovers managed to talk about our favorite books and what we’re reading. Curtis said he was reading Freedom by Jonathan Franzen and enjoying it very much despite a busy tour for Zeus. A Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet was a recent favorite read. One of the first books that made an impression on him was Lie Down in Darkness by William Styron.

Mississippians are reading Zeus now, and I have noticed that they’re recommending Zeus to their friends. Zeus is an important book for our state, and Curtis Wilkie has given us a window to a world most of us will never encounter. At the very minimum we are all a little wiser for knowing some of what really goes on in the realms of politics and law. Change will only come from the bottom up.

Many have asked if this story could happen outside of Mississippi. Curtis has said yes. It seems that anywhere greed and poor judgment are the driving force it can happen. Watch for reviews of Zeus on the national scene.

Let us hear your thoughts and reactions as you read Zeus. Post a comment on our blog or on our Facebook page.