University of Arkansas Press Distributes New Book Honoring the Life and Work of James T. Whitehead

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The Moon City Press, based at Missouri State University, has just published For, From, About James T. Whitehead: Poems, Stories, Photographs, and Recollections (paper, $15.99), edited by Michael Burns and distributed by the University of Arkansas Press.

When James T. Whitehead (or “Big Jim,” as friends knew him) passed away in 2003, Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas lost one of its finest poets and beloved teachers. In 1965, Whitehead joined with his friend William Harrison to found the university’s Creative Writing Program. He taught in that nationally prestigious program for the next 34 years, from 1965 to 1999. He was a recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in fiction and a Robert Frost Fellowship in poetry. Whitehead’s novel, Joiner (available from the University of ArkansasPress), was listed among the New York Times’ Noteworthy Books of 1971. His many poetry collections include Domains (1967), Local Men (1979), and Near at Hand (1993). With his untimely passing, Whitehead left a large body of work unpublished.

In this anthology of original poetry, short fiction, essays, remembrances and a number of personal photographs, 24 of Whitehead’s colleagues, students and friends join in celebrating the man’s life and contribution to American letters. Included are posthumous works by Whitehead himself: six poems, an excerpt of creative nonfiction and a draft-excerpt from Coldstream, a projected sequel to Joiner.

Among the many contributors are President Jimmy Carter, Miller Williams, Bill Harrison, Beth Ann Fennelley, Lewis Nordan, C.D. Wright, Leon Stokesbury, John Dufresne, Jo McDougall, Michael Heffernan, Donald S. Hays, Van K. Brock and Nancy A. Williams.

In his piece, Carter writes: “I have relished Jim’s poetry and consider Joiner to be one of the South’s best novels. He meant a lot to me, and I’m grateful for his friendship.” And in his remembrance University of Arkansas M.F.A. professor Donald S. Hays writes: “Jim Whitehead was big, fierce, passionate ... a magnificent teacher, an underappreciated poet, the author of a powerful, original novel, a lifelong offensive tackle who, fully suited, went after God as if He were a knockdown linebacker.”

Last year the Moon City Press published The Panther (cloth, $15.00) a collection of Whitehead’s previously unpublished poetry. The poems give life to the Jewish-apocryphal legend of “Jesus, son of Pantera,” the story that Jesus was sired by a Roman soldier.

Michael Burns is emeritus professor of English at Missouri State University where he taught creative writing, and the author of a number of books, including the poetry collection, It Will Be All Right in the Morning (University of Arkansas Press). Bruce West, who supplied a number of photographs for the book, is professor in the department of art and design at Missouri State University. For the past 14 years, his photography has documented the rural landscape and culture of the Mississippi Delta.