I wish all of you could be here in our little town to hear Steve Harvey talk about his writing and his new book just out. You can find his book on Kindle if you read e-books or at Amazon.com
I have enjoyed reading it and stayed up way too late last night because of it.
Steve was one of my first writing teachers at the John C. Campbell Folk School a couple of decades ago when I came to this enchanting part of the world. He is one of the best essayist, and I have read his previous books. Bound for Shady Grove is my favorite, I think, because in it he takes us on a tour of the music he likes and the musicians he admires with the theme of banjo which he plays in a delightful group called, Butternut Creek and Friends. Barry and I followed their music and loved their concerts here in western NC and in North Georgia.
Steve is quiet and soft spoken but always seems to have a twinkle in his eyes, like he knows something we don't know. I am very excited that he, now retired from teaching at Young Harris College, is going to hold a workshop for us at my studio this summer.
His memoir, The Book of Knowledge and Wonder, includes details that enrich the already haunting story of his mother's suicide when he was a young boy. She caught him and his little friend looking at a Playboy magazine. Instead of scolding and making him feel like a bad kid, she sent his friend home then sat down with a book of artists' paintings and taught him to appreciate the beauty of a woman's body. She told him the Playboy pictures degraded women, but it was natural that he enjoy seeing nude pictures of women.
That gave such insight into the love she had for him and her wonderful parenting skills in spite of her deep dark depression.
I admit, I'm very excited about his talk on Saturday, March 28, and even more excited about having another class with this teacher I have always admired.
Author Chat with Steven Harvey
Joe’s Coffee House and Trading Post
82 Main Street, Hayesville, NC 28904
Nonfiction Author Dr. Steven Harvey will Speak in Hayesville
Saturday, March 28, 4:30 p.m. Joe’s Coffee House and Trading Post, in Hayesville, NC will host Dr. Steven Harvey, author and University Professor, who will talk about his new memoir, The Book of Knowledge and Wonder, a memoir about coming to terms with the suicide of his mother when he was a young boy. The event is free and the public is invited to attend.
The book was published by Ovenbird Books as part of the “Judith Kitchen Select” series. A section of the memoir appeared in The Best American Essays 2013 selected by Cheryl Strayed. He is also the author of three books of personal essays. A Geometry of Lilies, Lost in Translation, and Bound for Shady Grove and edited an anthology of essays written by men on middle age called In a Dark Wood.
He is a professor emeritus of English and creative writing at Young Harris College, a member of the nonfiction faculty in the Ashland University MFA program in creative writing, and a senior editor for River Teeth magazine. He is the creator of The Humble Essayist, a website designed to promote literary nonfiction.
He lives in the north Georgia mountains. You can learn more about Steve and his work at his web site: www.steven-harvey-author.com .
This program is sponsored by Writers Circle around the Table. Contact Glenda Beall, 828-389-4441 for more information.
I need to learn more about this man, and his book. Thank you for the recommendation. :-)
ReplyDeleteHe sounds like a very interesting and learned man. I will try to attend this "talk".
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