Overview
The 17th Oxford Conference for the Book, set for March 4–6, 2010, will be dedicated to Barry Hannah, one of Mississippi’s most distinguished contemporary writers. The author of nine novels and four collections of short stories, and the recipient of the Award in Literature from the American Institute of Arts and Letters, Hannah is writer in residence and director of the MFA program in creative writing at the University of Mississippi. He will be the featured author on Thacker Mountain Radio on Thursday afternoon, and conference sessions on Saturday will discuss his life and work. Confirmed speakers are William Dunlap and Noel Polk oon a panel of “Survivors of Geronimo Rex”; fiction writers Tom Franklin and Amy Hempel; Daniel E. Williams, who taught the first course on Hannah’s work; and his former students Anne Rapp and Cynthia Shearer.
The conference will begin at the J. D. Williams Library on Thursday with lunch and an address on book history by Nicholas A. Basbane, known as “the leading authority of books about books.” The first session on Thursday will be a Celebration of National Poetry Month, with poets E. Ethelbert Miller, of Washington, D.C., and Mark Jarman, a professor at Vanderbilt University, reading their work. Donna Hemans, John Brandon, and others will then read from their fiction, and journalist Curtis Wilkie and New Yorker columnist Hendrick Hertzberg will discuss books about politics. Following these sessions will be a live broadcast of Thacker Mountain Radio and a dinner honoring speakers. 
Two Literature for Young Authors sessions are scheduled for Friday morning. All Oxford-area fifth-and ninth-grade students (nearly 1,000 readers) will receive their own copies of books from the selected authors, courtesy of the Junior Auxiliary of Oxford, the Lafayette County Literary Council, and Square Books Jr., and also have a chance to hear the authors speak about writing and reading. Ingrid Law will speak to fifth graders, who will receive copies of Savvy, winner of Newbery and National Book Honors. Watt Key will speak to ninth graders, who will receive copies of his book Alabama Moon, winner of the 2007 E. B. White Read-Aloud Award. Fifth and ninth graders will also be invited to meet the authors during a special after-school autograph session.
Friday afternoon’s program will present educator Elaine H. Scott moderating a panel about reading problems and opportunities; Center director Ted Ownby talking with Bliss Broyard, W. Ralph Eubanks, and Danzy Senna on the topic “Writing in 2010 about the Idea of Racial Identity”; and readings by Brad Watson and other fiction writers. That evening, Margaret-Love Gathright, Lynda M. O’Connor, and James V. O’Connor will offer a “Promoting Books and Authors” workshop, followed by an “Open Mike—Poetry & Fiction Jam” for all participants who wish to read selections of their own poetry or fiction.
“The University Press of Mississippi at 40 Years” is the topic for the first session on Saturday morning, with former staff members JoAnne Prichard Morris and Seetha Srinivasan joining current staff John Langston, Leila Salisbury, and Steve Yates in reflecting on the history and accomplishments of the state’s only academic publisher. The Press will also host a picnic at noon as part of its anniversary festivities. On Saturday afternoon, following sessions on Barry Hannah, Square Books will host a marathon book signing.
The Southern Arts Federation has awarded a grant to support special workshops during the conference. Poets E. Ethelbert Miller and Mark Jarman will present readings and also conduct poetry workshops with University of Mississippi creative writing students and other poets. Donna Hemans will participate in a “Readings and Remarks” session and conduct a fiction workshop.
The two authors featured at “Literature for Young Readers"—Ingrid Law and Watt Key—will conduct workshops with teachers from local schools and Teach for America communities in the Mississippi Delta, librarians, and education students.
The University of Mississippi and Square Books sponsor the conference in association with the Junior Auxiliary of Oxford, Lafayette County-Oxford Public Library, Lafayette County Literacy Council, Della Davidson School PTA, Mississippi Library Commission, and Mississippi Hills Heritage Area Alliance.