The ROAD Hits the Road
TRTU Intergalactic Detour Dates, and Where You Can Buy the Book
If you haven’t heard the news yet, I recently published my first photography collection, The Road to Unforgetting: Detours in the American South 1997-2022. It’s only meet and right that a book about road trips should come with a road trip of its own, which begins next week.
Because the book was published in a nontraditional way, I don’t rely on distributors and publishers to market the book and get it placed on the shelves of big box bookstores. But that’s OK, because a) you know already how I feel about warehouse bookstores, and b) this is a book about backroading, and c) I want that sensibility to extend to who carries the book, and where we do book-related events. That means it’s more work for me to contact booksellers directly and and ask if they would consider carrying my book. But in reality it’s a massive plus, because it means that I get to choose who carries my book, and form relationships with independent booksellers directly, and I would prefer it that way.
It was a little daunting at first, putting myself out there in this way (I see you, Enneagram Fives), but I am so gratified and honored by the reception of some booksellers out there who have chosen to take a chance on this book. The first of them is The Book Tavern in Augusta, Georgia, a truly excellent bookstore that I have patronized myself regularly on visits to that great city. David Hutchison, the proprietor, was the first person who agreed to carry the book in his store, so it is very fitting that The Road to Unforgetting Intergalactic Tour will begin next week at The Book Tavern. That alone would be epic enough, but it gets better: my dear friend, collaborator, and A Deeper South co-pilot John Hayes will be joining me for the event next Thursday, March 2 at 6:30 PM. If you are in or near Augusta, or near Augusta, please drop in and come see us. It’s going to be a blast.
A few weeks later, the Tour continues in Misenheimer, North Carolina. I will be on the campus of Pfeiffer University to deliver the annual Earnhardt Lecture March 27 at 10 AM, which is a truly humbling opportunity. The Earnhardt Lecture Series is named in honor of the late Gene Earnhardt, Professor Emeritus of History at Pfeiffer. I am so grateful to the Earnhardt Family and the faculty and staff at Pfeiffer for inviting me to campus.
A little further down the Road: I can’t even believe I am saying this, but I’ll be appearing at the Atlanta History Center on Sunday May 7 at 2 PM. It’s a bit of a homecoming for me, and frankly, a huge deal to come to an institution I have loved and learned from for decades. I have a deep and long-standing connection with that particular corner of West Paces and Andrews Drive, which you will hear about if you come to the event. I’m looking forward to seeing many beloved friends and family there, so let’s #packthehall on May 7.
John and I will be doing another event together in August in Canton, Georgia for the Cherokee County Historical Society. Stay tuned for more details in due course.
In the meantime, if you are near one of these fine booksellers, please buy a copy or three from them, because they all rock:
The Book Tavern
978 Broad St, Augusta, GA 30901
Old Fort Ride House
59 Commerce St, Old Fort, NC 28762
Malaprop's Bookstore/Cafe
55 Haywood St, Asheville, NC 28801
A Cappella Books
208 Haralson Ave NE, Atlanta, GA 30307
New Dominion Bookshop
404 East Main St, Charlottesville, VA 22902
Coming soon to:
The Green Ray Books
3237 B Gallatin Pike, Nashville, TN 37216
If are not near any of these bookshops, then please purchase a copy of The Road to Unforgetting here.
As always, if you like what is going down here at The DETOURIST, then do
If you already did that, please
This way or that, I would love if you would