JARED BURLESON | The Daily Mississippian
Kiese Laymon speaks at Off Square Books to begin the Oxford Conference for the Book Wednesday night.
The first Reading Session for Oxford Conference for the Book featured author Kiese Laymon and took place Wednesday at Off Square Books.
Kicking off at 4:30 p.m., the reading was a casual gathering with complementary drinks and cream cheese and pepper jelly dips. The gathered crowd consisted of a range of students, Ole Miss faculty, Oxford locals, authors and literary enthusiasts alike.
General Manager of Off Square Books, Lyn Roberts, gave a warm introduction to Laymon, welcoming the associate professor of English at Vassar College back to Oxford after his last visit in August of 2013 and praising him in particular for his popular work, “Long Division.”
Laymon, who comes from Jackson, strolled to the podium with a warm, welcoming smile, and after only a few words, had his audience laughing and smiling right back. Laymon read a work titled “The Worst of White Folk,” which explored his experiences growing up as a black boy in Central Mississippi, from his book of essays, “How to Slowly Kill Yourself and Others in America.”
A more somber, reflective mood fell over the room as the audience listened to Laymon describe how the past issues of racism, injustice and inequality are still present in America today, in that those individuals who are the backbone of the nation are “the worst white folk” when they neglect their responsibility.
After his first reading, Laymon remarked, “I pump myself up to read this but it’s still kind of scary.”
His second reading dealt with issues Laymon believes are present particularly in the African-American community. The essay, called “Echo” was a letter written in response to a collaboration of Laymon and fellow African-American friends, which discussed social issues in the way loving relationships are treated in the black community, and the respect black women have earned, but are not fully given. A truly moving essay, Laymon’s words were honest and relatable, causing many members of the audience to react emotionally.
In the discussion that followed, several local women remarked on their racial experiences growing up in the South. One woman who witnessed the sit-ins and boycotts taking place during the Civil Rights movement in Jackson remarked, “That was the first time I ever saw black people’s lives.”
Laymon’s work primarily focuses on social and political injustices and issues in America.
“It really made me think,” said Taylor Cook, freshman integrated marketing communications major. “He was a really honest writer.”
The open discussion with the audience also allowed Laymon to answer many questions about his writing style, his goal as a writer to display characters as human and complex rather than superhuman and flawless and the struggles he faces as a writer and English professor.
When asked about what message he most hopes to get across when writing, Laymon responded, “I want people to see the importance of black women in their community and to recognize and call attention to the people the nation hasn’t taken responsibility for. Love is so important; love is not the solution to all the problems but it is a solution to building stronger families and communities.”
After leaving the audience with so much to reflect on following his reading and discussion, Laymon commented on whether or not he believed he would ever return to Mississippi.
“I think I know where I need to be learning and to be teaching, and I think it’s here,” he said. “It’s about time for me to come home. I’m ready to come back and work. I’m ready.”
Laymon is currently working on two new projects for the upcoming year.
“One is a weight-loss memoir,” he said. “It will be, like, your traditional weight-loss book, but also dealing with stuff I like to write about which is trauma, gender, race and that stuff.”
The other is a new book of fiction, set in a Northeast liberal arts college in the year 2016.
“I’m really excited about it; it’s going to be good,” Laymon said.
