One Writer's Beginnings
A quick note on doings in the Jackson area - The Eudora Welty House, run in part by the Mississippi Department of Archives and History, recently opened to the public. Welty, the author of such Southern classics as The Optimist's Daughter, A Curtain of Green, The Golden Apples, and The Robber Bridegroom, was one of my favorite local celebrities until her death in 2001.
I used to wait tables at Bill's Greek Tavern in Jackson, where she came in sometimes for special occasions. (I waited on Willie Morris there once, too. I remember how he brought his own booze. He was a good tipper.) She also strolled around the old Jitney 14 (now a McDade's Grocery), filling her cart.
I was lucky enough to study with Dr. Suzanne Marrs at Millsaps College, one of the nation's most noted Welty scholars. She was a veritable font of information about Welty, her writings, and her influences. A year or so after Welty's death, Dr. Marrs asked me to do a quick walk-through of the Welty house to take photographs for use online (they are long gone now, replaced with much better-looking and more professional images). One of the strongest memories I have is of all the books, stacked and shelved everywhere, bookmarked, some open, just all over the place. Clearly, Welty was a prolific reader as well as a gifted writer. While taking pictures, I was able to sit in the chair that Welty wrote in, in front of her old typewriter. I tried to will any talent up from the chair and into my bones. No luck with that so far; I'll keep you updated.
Anyway, the house (cleared a bit and neatened up, I notice from the photos online) and restored gardens are available for touring. To inquire about touring the home, call 601-353-7762.
I used to wait tables at Bill's Greek Tavern in Jackson, where she came in sometimes for special occasions. (I waited on Willie Morris there once, too. I remember how he brought his own booze. He was a good tipper.) She also strolled around the old Jitney 14 (now a McDade's Grocery), filling her cart.
I was lucky enough to study with Dr. Suzanne Marrs at Millsaps College, one of the nation's most noted Welty scholars. She was a veritable font of information about Welty, her writings, and her influences. A year or so after Welty's death, Dr. Marrs asked me to do a quick walk-through of the Welty house to take photographs for use online (they are long gone now, replaced with much better-looking and more professional images). One of the strongest memories I have is of all the books, stacked and shelved everywhere, bookmarked, some open, just all over the place. Clearly, Welty was a prolific reader as well as a gifted writer. While taking pictures, I was able to sit in the chair that Welty wrote in, in front of her old typewriter. I tried to will any talent up from the chair and into my bones. No luck with that so far; I'll keep you updated.
Anyway, the house (cleared a bit and neatened up, I notice from the photos online) and restored gardens are available for touring. To inquire about touring the home, call 601-353-7762.
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