This book is hard to categorize or to compare to other books. It is comprised of interviews with authors spanning several distinct subjects: the civil rights movement, literature, music, sports, and presidential histories. Because the interviewer John Seigenthaler read these books in detail, he asks smart questions and drew out deep answers. And because the interviewees wrote the books, you have expressive, informative answers. When added is the fact that these are the best of 40+ years of interviews, the case for reading this book becomes compelling.
These interviews encapsulate four decades worth of material that was originally aired on public television. I found the section on civil rights particularly insightful. Seigenthaler himself was assaulted during the civil rights movement, so he could commiserate with many of his interviewees. He knows how to bring out details empathetically that most would simply skip over. The quality of interviewees is likewise impressive, and each chosen interview uses rich vocabulary in vivid presentations.
I knew some of the subjects from prior experiences: people like John Lewis, Doris Kearns Goodwin, or Pat Toomay. Others, I didn’t know so well. In either case, I encountered something interesting and new. I either learned more first-hand knowledge about someone I admired or got to know someone I probably should be aware of. Seigenthaler, a longtime editor at Nashville’s Tennessean, asked probing questions that pierced to the heart of most matters.
I hope this book does well because it offers a snapshot of Southern American history over the past half century. Professionally, I pursue research about research. Thus, I feel related to Seigenthaler’s interviews made into a book about books. I’m grateful to Pat Toomay and Frye Gaillard for their care in transcribing and editing these interviews. They provide an interesting snapshot into America’s social evolution, which I hope will continue for decades to come.
A Word on Words: The Best of John Seigenthaler’s Interviews
Edited by Pat Toomay & Frye Gaillard
Copyright (c) 2023
Vanderbilt University Press
ISBN13 9780826505736
Page Count: 244
Genre: Interviews, Literature
www.amazon.com