OXFORD, MISSISSIPPI
Music touches us emotionally, where words alone can’t.
― Johnny Depp
We were in Oxford, Mississippi last week and we were not there for the football game.
It was the last stop of the first two weeks of our multi-week book tour.
I’ve never met a bookstore didn’t like, but there are a dozen or so on the planet that stand out above the rest. Square Books in Oxford, MS is such a place. It’s not just the fearless and relentless way that owner Richard Haworth curates it, or the fact he is ever present and meticulous in all that he does. His infectious love of books and all things literary has somehow penetrated the small college town. There are in fact three Square Book Stores scattered around the town square. When you consider that many towns fifty times the size don’t have one bookstore, it’s quite staggering.
It is an example of when you follow your bliss and you can make anything happen.
One of the highlights of any author’s book tour is a stop in Oxford at Square Books. If you get really lucky you don’t just get to read, but you get a chance to be a part of Thacker Mountain Radio.
Thacker Mountain Radio is a live radio show featuring weekly author readings and a wide array of musical performances from the Square in Oxford, Mississippi. The free show is taped and broadcast every Thursday at 6:00 p.m. during the fall and spring and rebroadcast every Saturday night on Mississippi Public Radio.
Sometimes they tape it in one of the stores and three times a year they move it to the historic Lyric Theatre.
I got to do Thacker with my last book Between A Rock and Hot Place, and had a great time. But no question, because of Paul this time we got booked into the Lyric Theatre.
Talk about a great night. The place was packed. To the rafters. They Mississippians are an enthusiastic lot. They love the music, which gets them in a good mood for the reading. After some opening numbers by the local band The Shoe Birds, we answered few questions and read for ten minutes. Then Paul sang Rainbow Connection.
There was some more music from local Tyler Keith and then some amazing singers got on stage and sang If You Give a Little Love, Paul’s hit from Bugsy Malone.
We jumped on the stage and joined in. It has an electricity and energy that it will be hard to top. Love, laughter, Music and Joy. Thank you Square Books and the fine folks of Oxford for giving us a night to remember. #grateful
Square Books – Oxford, MS
The Square in Oxford.
Happy on the porch.
We stayed at a cute B and B called the Z – bed and breakfast. My door said Laugh. Paul’s said LIVE.
This is Annie who owns the Z. She does all the work herself.
Homemade southern breakfast in the Z- Bed and Breakfast.
A morning walk to us to William Faulkner’s house Rowan Oak, where we were given a private tour by William Griiffith.
Paul had fun swinging Faulkner’s golf club.
Getting ready for us.
The best iced coffee ever from The Snackbar. Their food is amazing too.
Oxford was getting ready for something huge, their square off with Alabama State this weekend. THEY WON! Incase you didn’t hear.
The theatre was packed.
Sound check with the band.
The Shoe Birds.
Reading from Gratitude and Trust on stage at The Lyric Theatre.
Paul singing Rainbow Connection.
The finale stage packed with people singing You Give A Little Love.
Southern farewell. Annie left us a little food for the road.
Tracey Jackson is a screenwriter and blogger at traceyjacksononline.com. Her book Gratitude and Trust is now available.