New Books in African American Studies

Constance Bailey, "Conversations with Kiese Laymon" (UP of Mississippi, 2025)


Listen Later

This is a very special episode of the New Books Network, as the editor of Conversations with Kiese Laymon (UP of Mississippi, 2025), Dr. Constance Bailey, discusses the process of selecting, compiling, and publishing the volume with the subject himself, award-winning author, Kiese Laymon.

Conversations with Kiese Laymon provides an in-depth look at Laymon as an educator, creative writer, activist, family member, and Mississippian. Interviews capture surprising insights into Laymon’s life and craft. Within the book’s pages, Laymon talks about his engagement with other writers, including Richard Wright, William Faulkner, and Eudora Welty. These revelations situate his memoir, Heavy, among other great Mississippi autobiographies and memoirs, such as Anne Moody’s Coming of Age in Mississippi, Welty’s One Writer’s Beginnings, Jesmyn Ward’s Men We Reaped, and Natasha Trethewey’s Memorial Drive. In other interviews, he discusses his obsession with revision and deftly fields questions about pop culture, politics, and Black masculinity, along with a host of other pressing contemporary issues.

As the first collection of its kind, Conversations with Kiese Laymon serves as the perfect introduction to studying Laymon. The cross section of interviews included reflects Laymon’s humility, while simultaneously celebrating his accomplishments. Most importantly, the interviews reflect his stature as a major American literary figure. With topics ranging from hip-hop and family to politics and everything in between, Conversations provides an unfiltered look at the prolific Southern writer in his own words.

And the same can be said of this episode.

You can find Dr. Constance Bailey at her website, and on Instagram.

Find host Sullivan Summer at her website, on Instagram, and on Substack.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/african-american-studies

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

New Books in African American StudiesBy New Books Network

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

163 ratings


More shows like New Books in African American Studies

View all
Democracy Now! Audio by Democracy Now!

Democracy Now! Audio

5,697 Listeners

New Books in History by Marshall Poe

New Books in History

212 Listeners

New Books in Psychoanalysis by Marshall Poe

New Books in Psychoanalysis

189 Listeners

New Books in Military History by Marshall Poe

New Books in Military History

161 Listeners

New Books in Anthropology by New Books Network

New Books in Anthropology

50 Listeners

New Books in Political Science by New Books Network

New Books in Political Science

64 Listeners

New Books in Sociology by New Books Network

New Books in Sociology

47 Listeners

New Books in Philosophy by New Books Network

New Books in Philosophy

110 Listeners

New Books in Native American Studies by Marshall Poe

New Books in Native American Studies

104 Listeners

New Books in Critical Theory by Marshall Poe

New Books in Critical Theory

150 Listeners

New Books in Intellectual History by New Books Network

New Books in Intellectual History

61 Listeners

Jacobin Radio by Jacobin

Jacobin Radio

1,445 Listeners

Reveal by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX

Reveal

8,287 Listeners

The Dig by Daniel Denvir

The Dig

1,564 Listeners

Code Switch by NPR

Code Switch

14,583 Listeners

Rev Left Radio by Revolutionary Left Radio

Rev Left Radio

3,300 Listeners

Pod Save the People by Crooked Media

Pod Save the People

8,779 Listeners

Teaching Hard History by Learning for Justice

Teaching Hard History

589 Listeners

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily by American Public Media

The Slowdown: Poetry & Reflection Daily

1,207 Listeners

The Red Nation Podcast by The Red Nation

The Red Nation Podcast

998 Listeners

Home Cooking by Samin Nosrat & Hrishikesh Hirway

Home Cooking

4,849 Listeners

What's Left of Philosophy by Lillian Cicerchia, Owen Glyn-Williams, Gil Morejón, and William Paris

What's Left of Philosophy

261 Listeners

Lever Time by David Sirota

Lever Time

559 Listeners

Ordinary Unhappiness by Patrick & Abby

Ordinary Unhappiness

219 Listeners