I think I can make one thing clear right now: I’m not a city person. Some people like the crowds and the narrow streets and the close quarters but driving a massive pickup truck through Harrisburg is certainly not my idea of a wild and wacky Wednesday night. This past Wednesday, April 17th, was an exception. Tired and worn out – as I think we all are at this point in the semester – I made it through the twists and turns of the city streets to the Midtown Scholar book store for a 7 pm reading from Anthony Grooms, author of The Vain Conversation.
Honestly, I didn’t know much about Grooms going into this event. From the brief summary provided by the Midtown Scholar website, his book sounded interesting enough, but I haven’t had much time for reading lately and I’ve always been more into science fiction and fantasy than the more serious-sounding historical fiction. Still, I bought myself a copy, and as I sat down in the second row with my iced vanilla chai, I was excited for what the night had to offer.
Little did I know that Anthony Grooms has quite an impressive background. Originally from Virginia, Grooms is a graduate of the College of William and Mary with a Bachelor of Arts in theatre and speech and of George Mason University with a Masters of Fine Arts in English. Though currently teaching creative writing at Kennesaw State University, Grooms has taught at various institutions, including the University of Cape Coast in Ghana. He is a two-times recipient of the Lillian Smith Prize for Fiction, in addition to several other awards, and has been featured on the Georgia Center of the Book’s “Top 25 List of Books All Georgians Should Read.”
Needless to say, Anthony Grooms has been around the block a few times, having published short stories, poems, and perhaps his most well-known work, the novel Bombingham. The Vain Conversation is his latest publication, and – inspired by the Moore’s Ford lynchings of 1946 – reflects on the history of racism in the American south. In answering questions about the reading, Grooms revealed that he secretly refers to The Vain Conversation as his “anti-redemption novel,” a reference to criticisms of other works, such as The Help and Driving Miss Daisy, wherein white characters tend to speak over the narratives of black characters with regard to race. Grooms’ novel attempts to address the question of what it means to seek redemption, and whether redemption is even possible in circumstances such as these.
One of the things that interested me most about this reading – specifically the question and answer period that came after it – was the talk about how historical fiction can relate history differently than nonfiction. There was much discussion amongst Grooms and several audience members about the power of historical fiction to make readers feel empathy for those who experienced the events of the past. Where a book of nonfiction might tell you what happened, when it happened, and who was there, historical fiction can provide insight into what those involved might have been thinking or feeling and can reflect that emotion onto the reader. As someone who doesn’t have much experience with historical fiction but does have an interest in history and literature, I certainly saw the appeal to this, and it was almost fun to watch a well-established author have a productive conversation with members of his audience.
Overall, though I didn’t know what to expect from this reading, I found myself pleased with the experience. Grooms is an excellent reader (with a wonderful voice and manner of speaking), and the participation of the audience made the experience more intimate and thought-provoking. Those in the Harrisburg area should definitely check out the Midtown Scholar’s calendar of events for more readings like this, and those interested in the work of Anthony Grooms can find more information on him here.
Photo Credit: Sam Bixler