*** Richard Wright *** Eudora Welty *** Margaret Walker *** Tennessee Williams ***
An Enrichment Institute
Sponsored by the Mississippi Humanities Council
Monday, April 13, 2009
How Shall We Celebrate?
April 13, 1909
Does anyone wish to declare a favorite Welty short story or book?
My favorite Eudora short story is by far "Why I Live at the P.O." There is such insanity and humor in that story, and it reminds me of the joke about Southern people and our crazy relatives. The image of Uncle Rondo in the flesh-colored kimono romping about in the backyard on the fourth of July resides in my mind's eye and just tickles me now and then. My students don't seem to appreciate the humor in this story nearly as much as I do, but they get a kick out of watching me get tickled by it. I can hear the voice of Sister and all her ranting about Stella Rondo and her unexpected little sidekick. I imagine my own mother and her sister going rounds with each other. Then, of course, I can see the little room at the P.O. fixed up just so, all neat and tidy, just for Sister. Masterful!
Wow! Thanks for sharing, Maurine! Why I live at the the PO is a goody! My favorite Welty is her book The Optomist's Daughter. I don't think I would stop w/ the bread board in midair. I would have to leave my mark! :D
Maryemma Graham, Ph.D.,
professor at University of Kansas, is a leading scholar on Margaret Walker Alexander. Her current project is the Cambridge History of the African American Novel.
Colby Kullman, Ph.D.,
professor at University of Mississippi, is editor of Theatre Companies of the World and co-editor of Studies in American Dreams, 1945 to present. He has for years led Tennessee Williams tours.
Noel Polk, Ph. D.,
professor of English at Mississippi State University and editor of The Southern Quarterly, specializes in Mississippi writers. His most recent book is Faulkner and Welty and the Southern Literary Tradition.
Peggy Prenshaw, Ph. D., Humanities Scholar in Residence at Millsaps College has written a number of books on Eudora Welty, Southern cultural history and women writers. She formally held the Eudora Welty Chair of Literature.
Jerry Ward, Ph.D.,
distinguished scholar and professor of English and African World Studies at Dillard University, is a recognized authority on Richard Wright, selected to write the introduction to the latest re-issue of Black Boy.
Alferdteen B. Harrison, Ph. D.
Director of the Margaret Walker Alexander Research Institute at Jackson State University and author of Black Exodus: The Great Migration from the American South.
2 comments:
My favorite Eudora short story is by far "Why I Live at the P.O." There is such insanity and humor in that story, and it reminds me of the joke about Southern people and our crazy relatives. The image of Uncle Rondo in the flesh-colored kimono romping about in the backyard on the fourth of July resides in my mind's eye and just tickles me now and then. My students don't seem to appreciate the humor in this story nearly as much as I do, but they get a kick out of watching me get tickled by it. I can hear the voice of Sister and all her ranting about Stella Rondo and her unexpected little sidekick. I imagine my own mother and her sister going rounds with each other. Then, of course, I can see the little room at the P.O. fixed up just so, all neat and tidy, just for Sister. Masterful!
Wow! Thanks for sharing, Maurine! Why I live at the the PO is a goody! My favorite Welty is her book The Optomist's Daughter. I don't think I would stop w/ the bread board in midair. I would have to leave my mark! :D
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