(Poster features a 1936 Works Progress Administration poster created for a monthly reading program at Illinois libraries. Source: Library of Congress.)

The 19th annual Oxford Conference for the Book kicks off this Thursday, March 22, with a lunch and lecture in the Faulkner Room of the J.D. Williams Library. The event, which celebrates books, writing and reading, will last three days, ending on Saturday, March 24.

Some of the scheduled events include: a celebration of National Poetry Month, a special Thacker Mountain Radio show featuring Charlie Winton and legendary musician Bobby Keys, the Poetry Craft Talk and Lunch with Nicole Cooley and a reading by Baratunde Thurston at Off Square Books.

Many of our own Ole Miss faculty and staff members are also participating in events, including: Chancellor Dan Jones, Beth Ann Fennelly, associate professor of English, Richard Ford, professor of English, Tom Franklin, assistant professor of fiction writing, Ivo Kamps, chair of the English Department, Rosemary Oliphant-Ingham, professor of curriculum and instruction and coordinator of secondary education, Ted Ownby, professor of Southern Studies and history and director of the Center for the Study of Southern Culture, Jack Pendarvis, writer-in-residence, Julia Rholes, dean of university libraries, Josh Weil, writer-in-residence, Charles Wilson, Cook Sr. Chair of History and Professor of Southern Studies, Claiborne Barksdale, executive director of the Barksdale Reading Institute, John Edge, Director of the Southern Foodways Alliance, Katherine Fields, assistant professor of art and Curtis Wilkie, journalism professor and fellow at the Overby Center for Southern Journalism and Politics. 

Wilkie will serve as moderator for a panel titled, "Writing Biographies," on Friday at 1:30 p.m. 

"I'm lucky to have on my panel three very well-known writers," Wilkie said. 

"John Meacham is a prize-winning author, Jack Farrell is a former colleague of mine and his biography, "Clarence Darrow," dealt with one of the most famous American lawyers in the nation's history and Ken Auletta has been writing excellent books, profiles and magazine pieces for at least the 36 years I've known him," he said.

"Writing Biographies," as well as every other panel, all readings and discussions, are free and open to the public.

For the full Oxford Conference for the Book schedule of events, along with other important information, click here.