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.
Pappyland is a story that intertwines the history of the Van Winkle family with the art of bourbon-making. It explores themes of tradition, family, and the challenges of maintaining a legacy in a changing world. Through Wright Thompson's storytelling, the book delves into Julian Van Winkle III's struggles and triumphs in preserving his family's iconic bourbon brand.
The Cost of These Dreams is a collection of stories that delve into the lives of sports figures like Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, and Pat Riley, exploring the personal costs of their achievements. Thompson's work is celebrated for its vivid detail and insight into the human side of sports.
Anne Frank and Martin Luther King Junior were born in the same year. The last known widow of a Civil War veteran lived to see Barack Obama become the first African-American President. Emmett Till would be the same age as Neil Diamond, Martha Stewart, and Bob Dylan in 2024 if he was not brutally tortured and murdered in 1955. Facts like these remind us that history is not as far away as we think it is.
Wright Thompson, is a Senior Writer at ESPN and author of The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, and most recently, The Barn, which uncovers the real story of Emmett Till’s murder in the Mississippi Delta. Wright joins Ryan to talk about the impact of cognitive dissonance, how political rhetoric has shaped racial violence, why history is closer than we think, the rise and fall of the cotton boom, and what it was like for Wright to learn the truth about Emmett Till’s story.
You can get signed copies of The Barn and Wright’s other books, The Cost of These Dreams, Pappyland, at The Painted Porch | https://www.thepaintedporch.com/
You can follow him on Instagram @wrightthompsonbooks or head to his website, https://wrightthompson.com/
🎙️Listen to Wright Thompson’s first interview on the Daily Stoic Podcast | Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch it on YouTube!
🎥 Subscribe to the Daily Stoic Podcast on YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@dailystoicpodcast
✉️ Want Stoic wisdom delivered to your inbox daily? Sign up for the FREE Daily Stoic email at https://dailystoic.com/dailyemail
🏛 Get Stoic inspired books, medallions, and prints to remember these lessons at the Daily Stoic Store: https://store.dailystoic.com/
📱 Follow us: Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook
See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
The Daily Stoic 
