On the Horizon: Brother Souls

John Clellon Holmes met Jack Kerouac on a hot New York City weekend in 1948, and until the end of Kerouac's life they were--in Holmes's words--"Brother-Souls." And from 1948 to 1951, Holmes ands Kerouac met almost daily. These two ambitious writers, Holmes and Kerouac, shared days and nights arguing over what writing should be, wandering from one explosive party to the next, and hanging on the new sounds of bebop. 

Brother Souls: John Clellon Holmes, Jack Kerouac, and the Beat Generation is the remarkable chronicle of this cornerstone friendship and the life of John Clellon Holmes.

Book Signing: Weapons of Mississipppi

Kevin Dougherty will be talking about and signing copies of his new book, Weapons of Mississippi, on Saturday, July 24 from 2 - 4 p.m. at the Barnes & Noble in Gulfport.

Weapons of Mississippi examines the roles weapons have played in twelve phases of state history. Dougherty, a history professor at the University of Southern Mississippi, not only offers technical background for these devices of weaponry but provides a unique lens for understanding the state's history.

Dougherty also updates the topic with a discussion of the modern naval shipbuilders on the Coast and interviews with hunters keen to pass on family traditions. 

Weapons of Mississippi is now available from UPM. 

Casual Questions with David Burley

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David Burley is the author of Losing Ground: Identity and Land Loss in Coastal Louisiana. Losing Ground is a collection of interviews "everday" coastal residents taken just before the 2005 hurricanes.

Burley is an assistant professor of sociology at Southeastern Louisiana University.

• What was your first job?
  My first job was working at a fabric store in my neighborhood in River Ridge, a suburb in metropolitan New Orleans. I was 13 years old and would ride my bike. It didn't last long, a few months or so. I remember having the feeling that I didn't know what I was doing and I was very shy so I had a hard time asking for assistance. I also recall that I didn't show up a couple of times and then there was some discrepancy about my pay. My dad had to come and talk to them. They then paid me whatever it was they owed me and that was pretty much it. All in all, your typical story for a suburban, middle-class kid.

Comic Artist Harvey Pekar Dies at 70

Noted comics creator was found dead early this morning at his home in Cleveland.There is no cause of death at this time.

Pekar's best known work, American Splendor, is the longest-running, and arguably the most influential, autobiographical comic book series produced in America. The series served as the basis for the 2003  movie adaptation starring Paul Giamatti as Pekar.

Under Surge, Under Siege

Ellis Anderson survived Hurricane Katrina in her town of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, and stayed there through all of the hardships to rebuild. Under Surge, Under Siege is her story of a coastal town told in the gripping, moving terms only a current resident still fighting for and living in the community can wield.

Under Surge, Under Siege is now available from UPM. For excerpts, images, and an appearance schedule please visit www.undersurge.com