Why isn’t Jones a household name, and why isn’t this unputdownable book on every must-read list? “My father, James Witherspoon, is a bigamist,” reveals protagonist Dana in the opening sentence of a novel that is by turns … Continue reading →
The South has begotten some of our nation’s most important authors, including prize winners like William Styron, Eudora Welty, Flannery O’Connor, Ralph Ellison, Harper Lee, and that titan of American letters, William Faulkner. These 50 novels are a reminder … Continue reading →
Bookpage lists Tayari Jones’s 2002 debut, Leaving Atlanta, as one of the best debuts of the decade. Which signal the beginnings of a successful career? Which are flashes in the pan? It’s often hard to tell. With these 25 debuts, however, … Continue reading →
NEW YORK, NY – Girls Write Now (GWN), New York’s first and only writing and mentoring program for high school girls, celebrates its 15th Anniversary with the launch of the Girls Write Now Awards. This annual event will honor women whose … Continue reading →
Brazos Valley Reads (BVR) is a community effort organized by Texas A&M University’s Department of English with extensive support from various groups in the university and the community. It was started to encourage bridge building between Texas A&M’s students and … Continue reading →
On April 7th, Tayari Jones will deliver the closing keynote address at the 2013 Writers Digest Conference in New York City. The address, “You Already Have Everything You Need,” will be an inspirational message drawing from Jones’s own experiences as … Continue reading →
Silver Sparrow is among 154 books, nominated by libraries in 120 cities, in 44 countries, in 19 languages. The longlist, which is announced in November of each year, is the full list of all eligible nominated novels submitted by the participating … Continue reading →
The Congressional Black Caucus Foundation has selected Tayari Jones to receive the “Lifetime Acheivement Award in Fine Arts”, to be presented on Wednesday, September 19, 2012 at the annual Celebration of Leadership in the Fine Arts event to be held … Continue reading →
Compiled by a committee of Texas librarians, the annual list of Lariat award winners calls attention to outstanding fiction published during the year that merit special attention from adult readers. The main criteria for selecting books for the Lariat List … Continue reading →
Tayari Jones appeared on NPR’s “All Things Considered” this evening to discuss the tragic death of Trayvon Martin. Learning about death and dying is part of growing up. If we are lucky, we come to understand that death is natural … Continue reading →
Silver Sparrow has been named as a 2012 Honor Book by The Black Caucus of the American Library Association. BCALA serves as an advocate for the development, promotion, and improvement of library services and resources to the nation’s African American … Continue reading →
The NAACP Image Awards is the nation’s premier multi-cultural awards show celebrating the outstanding achievements and performances of people of color in the arts (television, recording, literature, motion picture and writing & directing), as well as those individuals or groups … Continue reading →
Her Word as Witness: Women Writers of the African Diaspora, a collection of photographs by Brooklyn artist Layla Amatullah Barrayn, opened at Restoration Plaza’s Skylight Gallery on December 3, 2011. In addition to Tayari Jones, the exhibit showcases images of 76 … Continue reading →
The Atlanta Journal Constitution selects Silver Sparrow as 2011’s “Best of The South”. Book Critic, Gina Webb writes: Set in Atlanta in the ’80s, Jones’ third novel opens with a startling confession: “My father, James WIthersppon, is a bigamist.” Witherspoon’s … Continue reading →
