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Constance Bailey, "Conversations with Kiese Laymon" (UP of Mississippi, 2025)

Sep 24, 2025

Guest

Kiese Laymon

Guest

Constance Bailey

In this engaging discussion, Constance Bailey, an Assistant Professor and editor of "Conversations with Kiese Laymon," sits down with acclaimed author Kiese Laymon. They delve into how Bailey selected interviews for the book, highlighting Laymon's unique voice and experiences as a Mississippian. Laymon shares insights on his writing process, his reflections on Black masculinity, and engaging with literary giants. Together, they explore the dynamics of literary recognition and the importance of capturing authenticity in his storytelling.

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Episode notes

insights

INSIGHT

Series Preserves Writers In Their Prime

The Conversations series captures interviews to preserve writers' voices affordably and accessibly.
Constance pitched Kiese's volume to 'strike while the iron is hot' after his rising prominence.

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ANECDOTE

Early Classroom Skype Connection

Constance first connected with Kiese by inviting him to Skype into her class when she could not afford speaker fees.
They later met in person when she could pay him and kept a professional but familiar Mississippi connection.

insights

INSIGHT

Short Book, Heavy Impact

Even short interview collections can be weighty and require slow reading like poetry.
Kiese's presence makes brief extracts feel substantial and resonant.

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What 'Reek of Mississippi' Means

03:46 • 2min

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The Conversations Series and Its Appeal

06:09 • 4min

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How Constance and Kiese Connected

10:29 • 4min

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Selecting Interviews for a Short, Weighty Volume

14:05 • 4min

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Author's Reaction to Being Curated

18:21 • 1min

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Being 'In Your Prime' as a Writer

Does This Collection Revise Laymon's Image?

30:04 • 6min

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Crafting the Introduction's Purpose

35:52 • 6min

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Chronology Versus Thematic Order

41:24 • 6min

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Transcribing Interviews and Preserving Voice

47:37 • 9min

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Invented History, Literary Recognition, and Access

56:41 • 3min

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Audiobook, Dialect, and Representation Decisions

59:20 • 5min

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Who Is This Book For?

Conversations with Eudora Welty

Eudora Welty

One writer's beginnings

Eudora Welty

Eudora Welty's 'One Writer's Beginnings' is a memoir that explores the origins of her life as a writer. The memoir is structured into three sections: 'Listening,' 'Learning to See,' and 'Finding a Voice. ' Welty reflects on her childhood in Mississippi, emphasizing the importance of family, place, and the power of observation. She recounts how the sounds, sights, and stories of her early life shaped her imagination and her approach to writing. Ultimately, 'One Writer's Beginnings' is a celebration of the formative experiences that transform an individual into a storyteller.

Conversations with Kiese Laymon

• Mentioned in 10 episodes

The Barn

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Wright Thompson

Wright Thompson's "The Barn" delves into the 1955 murder of Emmett Till, focusing on the barn in Mississippi where the horrific crime took place. The book examines the deliberate erasure of this historical event and the lasting impact of racial violence in the American South. Thompson, a fifth-generation Mississippi Delta cotton farmer, uses the barn as a symbol of hidden evil and the collective amnesia surrounding Till's murder. The narrative explores the lives of those who knew about the crime and those who chose silence, highlighting the complexities of racial injustice and the struggle for historical truth. The book serves as a powerful reminder of the importance of confronting the past to build a more just future.

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• Mentioned in 3 episodes

• Mentioned in 119 episodes

Dominion

The Power of Man, the Suffering of Animals, and the Call to Mercy

Matthew Scully

In 'Dominion,' Matthew Scully presents a comprehensive and eloquent case against the mistreatment of animals. The book delves into various aspects of animal suffering, including factory farming, hunting, whaling, and laboratory experiments. Scully challenges the notion that humans have unlimited dominion over animals, as suggested by biblical interpretations, and argues for a moral and compassionate approach to animal treatment. He draws on both religious and scientific perspectives to make his case, emphasizing the importance of empathy and the recognition of animal consciousness and suffering. The book is a call to action for reform and a plea for human benevolence and mercy towards animals.

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Long Division

Kiese Laymon

Long Division is a novel that weaves together two narratives: one set in 2013, where a teenager named Citoyen 'City' Coldson becomes embroiled in a viral controversy, and another in 1985, where City and his friend Shalaya discover a time-travel portal. The book explores themes of racism, identity, and the complexities of American history. It is known for its innovative structure and metafictional elements, blending humor and depth in its portrayal of Black American experiences.

In this memoir, Kiese Laymon delves into his complex relationship with his mother, grandmother, and his own body, addressing themes of weight, identity, art, family, and national failures. Laymon writes about his experiences growing up in Jackson, Mississippi, including early encounters with sexual violence, his suspension from college, and his journey to becoming a young college professor in New York. The book is a candid and insightful exploration of the consequences of living in a country obsessed with progress but disinterested in reckoning with its past, and it highlights the personal and national weight of secrets, lies, and trauma.

This is a very special episode of the New Books Network, as the editor of Conversations with Kiese Laymon (UP of Mississippi, 2025), Dr. Constance Bailey, discusses the process of selecting, compiling, and publishing the volume with the subject himself, award-winning author, Kiese Laymon.

Conversations with Kiese Laymon provides an in-depth look at Laymon as an educator, creative writer, activist, family member, and Mississippian. Interviews capture surprising insights into Laymon’s life and craft. Within the book’s pages, Laymon talks about his engagement with other writers, including Richard Wright, William Faulkner, and Eudora Welty. These revelations situate his memoir, Heavy, among other great Mississippi autobiographies and memoirs, such as Anne Moody’s Coming of Age in Mississippi, Welty’s One Writer’s Beginnings, Jesmyn Ward’s Men We Reaped, and Natasha Trethewey’s Memorial Drive. In other interviews, he discusses his obsession with revision and deftly fields questions about pop culture, politics, and Black masculinity, along with a host of other pressing contemporary issues.

As the first collection of its kind, Conversations with Kiese Laymon serves as the perfect introduction to studying Laymon. The cross section of interviews included reflects Laymon’s humility, while simultaneously celebrating his accomplishments. Most importantly, the interviews reflect his stature as a major American literary figure. With topics ranging from hip-hop and family to politics and everything in between, Conversations provides an unfiltered look at the prolific Southern writer in his own words.

And the same can be said of this episode.

You can find Dr. Constance Bailey at her website, and on Instagram.

Find host Sullivan Summer at her website, on Instagram, and on Substack.

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