NOTE: This is the latest in an occasional series about notable figures from my home region. These are, for the most part, personal reminiscences and opinions; where available, I’ll include links so interested readers can find out more.
While Memphis has its own vibrant literary history, rural west Tennessee suffers from a dearth of serious writers. The swamps, fields and people of Jackson, Bolivar, Adamsville, and so forth are definitely under-represented in literature.
John Talbott is trying to change that by recovering and re-publishing the work of a forgotten author. Jack Happel Boone (1903-1966) was born, and is buried, in my old stomping grounds of Gibson County, Tennessee. But he spent most of his life, and wrote about, Henderson and Chester County. His lone published novel, Dossie Bell is Dead, came out in 1939. But as his new bio page puts it, “An unruly lifestyle that served as his inspiration hindered what could have been a successful literary and academic career.”
That might’ve been that, had it not been for John Talbott. His press, BrayBree, has reprinted Dossie Bell is Dead in new hardcover and paperback editions. More importantly, though, he’s been curating Boone’s unpublished work (including the sequel, Woods Girls) with plans to publish them as well. His goal: to bring Boone’s work to the audience that missed it the first time around.
Talbott himself gives a lot of the background on his efforts on this podcast, so rather than paraphrase it, I’ll let you listen. He was also kind enough to answer some of my additional questions about Boone’s work and its connection to its locale.
What are Jack Boone’s greatest strengths as a writer?
I think Boone’s greatest strengths as a writer lie in his ability as an observer of life around him at the time he was writing. The period in which he was writing was the late 1920’s through the late 1940’s primarily, and Boone was largely documenting a people in a remote area of West Tennessee known as The Hurst Nation, which he renamed, for literary purposes, The Tolby Nation. These were largely primitive people who were suspicious and retained many old Appalachian ways, old archaic ways, little known today. He was able to document many local and regional customs and habits, no longer seen or known, thus proving himself a historian and folklorist in many ways. To me, his ability to do document these people and to provide such a thorough picture that you can almost hear, see and sense them as you read is a testament to his ability as a writer.
What is it about Boone’s writing that speaks so strongly to you?
I would have to say that his understanding of his subjects is the attribute of his writing that truly reaches me. Boone spent significant time traveling around the Nation and other backwoods regions during the 1920’s and 1930’s and that time was very productive for him. He was able to gain an understanding of these people, their ways, their customs, their virtues, their vices and they limitations. His ability in turn to document all of this in literary form and report it to us in his writings is a feat. And it was almost lost. Yet even when saved, it was buried back and forgotten largely. Boone’s efforts and dedication in the face of contemporary frustration and rejection after the publication of Dossie Bell is Dead speaks to me. He never really gave up.
How does Dossie Bell is Dead compare to the unpublished material you’re working through?
Dossie Bell is Dead is, to me, a really good book. It documents vernacular and customs seldom heard or seen anymore, if at all. But it was just a good first effort and was well received, but he had better work still to come. Unfortunately, the times and circumstances prevented a further glimpse of his works. Now as I plow through thousands of pages of unpublished material including 5 novels and 40 or more short stories, I’m finding material that bests Dossie Bell. His works can be categorized in at least two headings: the serious, and the more sensational to be sold for quick money, i.e. pulp material. His serious works become more refined and better developed. I think the works after Dossie Bell are better works because we see his style developing and growing. His observations are more keen. His characters become more reflective and multi-dimensional as humans really are.
In the later works, mostly written from 1945 to 1954, Boone’s narrators, protagonists and primary characters do attain a depth such characters did not possess earlier in Boone’s career. For example, in Woods Girls, the sequel to Dossie Bell is Dead, Luster Holder is portrayed as a thinking, contemplative and savvy fellow, a far different portrayal than in Dossie Bell.
Inner struggles become more prevalent and more easily identifiable. The characters and the works themselves give us explicit examples of what now seem strange, quirky cultural phenomena and many of the short stories deal with a singular cultural event, as if Boone is reporting to us his findings….which in large measure is exactly what he is doing.
One thing that struck me about Dossie Bell is Dead is the complete absence of any civil authority. No one appeals to, or seems to expect any response from, law enforcement or local government. How accurate do you think that is, or did Boone exaggerate for effect, as Faulkner did with his Mississippian decadence?
During the time that Jack was writing, from the late 1920’s through the early 1950’s, there was even a lack of civil authority and law enforcement in and around Chester County, Tennessee and the Hurst Nation areas about which areas he was writing. What little law enforcement that existed was often absent from view due to corruption and bribery. Henderson, Chester County, the Hurst Nation area and McNairy County were all relatively “wide open.” Payoffs were prevalent and law enforcement had no desire to mix it up with the tougher elements of those who inhabited the backwoods areas of these counties. Therefore, Boone’s lack of depiction of the authorities is not surprising. In fact, in later stories and novels, Boone will actually depict law enforcement as corrupt good old boys components of machine politics, which it often was.
In my own writing, I’ve fully leaned in to the presence of music in the lives of my East Tennessee characters. In Dossie Bell, though, it’s virtually absent: no mention of musicians, or the radio, or church music (except for one description of Birdie looking for boys at a church event). Is that an accurate description of the times, or again, is it something Boone chooses for effect?
Interestingly, Boone seldom, if ever, depicted the musical element of local culture. In all of the thousands of pages of material I’ve sifted through to date, I’ve only encountered one peripheral reference to music in his works. That was in his unpublished novel, The Tumult and the Shouting. In that novel, his main character, David Forrest Brandon, finds himself on the outside fringes of a local Saturday night dance with an orchestra. His works are peculiar in their almost total lack of reference to music and this is peculiar because music in this region was integral to many families. I tend to think his failure to include musical references and situations was intentional.
So when can we expect more Boone releases?
I plan to have Woods Girls available by May or early June. I’m currently working on a collection of Neeley County stories and the publication date for that isn’t set. After that, there’ll still be a collection of pulp style stories and four more novels.
Thanks to John Talbott for taking the time to talk to me. You can visit Jack Boone’s Facebook page here, and his BrayBree Press page here.
15 Comments on “Giants of West Tennessee: Jack Boone”
Excellent!
The Nation seems very Tufa-like!
Alex, thanks for your interest in Jack Boone and these long lost works of West Tennessee fiction. I like to think that somewhere in the universe Jack is pleased with this long delayed attention to his efforts!
Haha, Tufa-like indeed! West Tennessee sounds like a place where your primary concern is whether the lack of law enforcement will disrupt your Saturday night dance plans. Its fascinating that Boone, despite being a literary giant, overlooked the soundtrack to all that drama – music is practically the fifth food group down there, right? Anyway, cant wait for Woods Girls; Im ready to meet more thinking, contemplative backwoodsmen who probably still rely on payoffs to get their mail delivered. Thanks for shedding light on these lost works – though I suspect Jack Boones ghost is more thrilled about the pulp reprints than the serious history!đếm ngược ngày thi
Its fascinating that Boone could document such a vibrant culture with so little mention of music! Makes you wonder if those old folks were just too busy working or fighting to slow down for a tune. And poor Jack Boone, always hitting the road in the 20s and 30s, documenting folks while the rest of us were probably just trying to figure out how to use the radio he never mentioned. Sounds like an interesting era – wide open, corrupt, and probably great for storytelling if you werent too busy trying to get out of Dodge. Glad someones finally bringing these stories back from the dust!vòng quay
This interview is fantastic, but I do have a quibble. Jack Boones complete lack of musical references is simply baffling! West Tennessee practically *hums* with music, yet his characters seem content with silence, except for that one fleeting mention of Birdie at church. Its as if Boone intentionally decided to write a symphony of silence in a land of song. Its quirky, sure, but it makes you wonder what other hidden treasures he omitted! Still, Im eagerly awaiting Woods Girls and cant wait to dive into more of Boones peculiar, musically-challenged world. Keep up the great work, Alex!no, i’m not a human 攻略
This interview is fantastic! Its almost as thrilling as discovering an actual lost chapter of *Woods Girls*. Boone sounds like a real character – a dedicated chronicler of the backwoods, much like a modern-day de Sade exploring the hidden corners of West Tennessee culture (but, you know, less… *transgressive*). The idea of him having *forty more* short stories just waiting to spill out is both exciting and slightly terrifying, like unearthing a whole forgotten library. And his focus on the complete lack of authority? Perfectly captured! Its like West Tennessee had its own No Go Zone before the term was even invented. Cant wait for *Neeley County* – hope it has even fewer lawmen!football bros
This is fantastic! Jack Boone sounds like a real character, digging up the lost and forgotten like a literary archaeological dig. The lack of music, though? Peculiar! I bet he was too busy listening to the quiet rumble of porch swings and the distant sound of a corrupt cop taking a bribe to notice the fiddle player down the road. And the missing cops? Perfectly understandable – why bother with paperwork when you can just shake down the local machine? Looking forward to Woods Girls – just hope Luster Holder doesnt start writing poetry or getting too introspective! Thanks for bringing these long-lost tales back from the dead!hẹn giờ online
This is absolutely fascinating! Who knew there was such a rich vein of backwoods storytelling buried out there? Jack Boone sounds like a real character, sticking it out through thick and thin, documenting life when law enforcement had no desire to mix it up. The lack of music, though? Thats a curious omission. I guess even folks with tunes didnt make it into his pages! Cant wait for *Woods Girls* – hope it features more philosophical woodsmen and less… well, *pulp*. Thanks for bringing these long-lost tales back to life!quay random
Jack Boone sounds like a real character, documenting folks with such depth you can practically smell the mountain air. Its fascinating that his serious work evolved so much – from simple folks to complex, inner-struggling humans. And the lack of music? Thats a curious choice, like leaving out the soundtrack to their lives. Still, its great to hear more of his work is coming out, maybe well finally hear those tunes he ignored!deltarune final prophecy
Boones work is fascinating, but I do find it amusing that he barely mentioned music in the heart of the culture! Its like describing a pizza place without mentioning cheese. His characters might have been thinking, contemplative, but they sure were quiet at the jukebox! Still, his dedication to preserving that vanished world, even without the fiddle and banjo, is impressive. Cant wait for Woods Girls – maybe it will finally feature some foot-tapping scenes? Or at least mention a radio station!vòng quay
This interview is fantastic! Its like finding a long-lost box of rare candies – who knew Jack Boone had *this* many hidden gems? The idea of him meticulously documenting the Tolby Nation while authorities were MIA is pure gold. And his later work showing deeper characters? Brilliance! Though I do have to chuckle imagining the poor souls in his stories trying to find music – its like depicting a world without pizza or sunshine. Cant wait for Woods Girls, though; sounds like a wild ride in a land where maybe everyone just solves their problems with wisdom and cleverness, because, you know, no cops. Cheers to bringing these fascinating West Tennessee tales back into the light!
Wow, reading about Jack Boone makes me wish I had his talent for noticing quirky cultural phenomena, even if its just the lack of law enforcement! His dedication to writing about the Tolby Nation despite rejection and obscurity is truly inspiring – almost makes me want to start my own backwoods history series, though I suspect my characters would just spend all day watching TV instead of dealing with inner struggles. And Boones focus on the *absence* of music is fascinating; I guess you cant have everything, though I would argue a good fiddle tune or two might have helped liven up those stories. Looking forward to Woods Girls, though I hope it includes at least one character who remembers to pay taxes, just for variety!football bros unblocked
Jack Boone sounds like a real character, doesnt he? Documenting Tufa-like folks and then getting buried by his own work – what a twist! I love how he kept writing despite rejection, like a true old-timey trooper. His later works sound more developed, with characters having inner struggles, which is probably just him catching up to reality after his initial good first effort. And the lack of music? Peculiar indeed, like leaving out the banjo from a square dance. I cant wait for Woods Girls, though. Maybe itll finally give us a musical reference or two – or at least confirm Boone was故意 avoiding the fiddle players! Thanks for shedding light on these long-lost stories, John. Now, wheres that Facebook page to check out the quirky cultural phenomena?
This interview is fantastic! Its almost as if Jack Boone is looking out from beyond the grave, pleased someones finally organizing his sprawling,未出版的 output. The sheer volume – 5 novels and 40+ stories! – is staggering, especially compared to the just a good first effort Dossie Bell. I love the idea of his serious works getting deeper and more character-rich; sounds like Boone finally figured out his own vices and virtues in print. The lack of music, though? Peculiar indeed, like leaving out the fiddle from a square dance. Glad to hear Woods Girls is coming out, though I wonder if the characters inner struggles will make them too difficult to appeal to the quick money crowd. Well done, Jack, and thanks for shedding light (and a bit of myth) on these lost Tennessean tales!runway act 2 price