I walk past her house all the time; her books take up an entire bookcase in the fiction room; a writer coming to Lemuria is inspired by her . . . I feel like things are finally coming together for Eudora and me.

The article Karl Marlantes wrote about what writing and readings means to him has had quite a presence on our blog and website. Well, I don’t mean to bring up Karl again, but it tickles my curiosity that Eudora Welty made an impression on him. I read Delta Wedding for a course in Southern Literature. As I recall, I did not have any strong reaction to the novel. But now I want to read Eudora Welty again not only to quell my curiosity but to also revisit her since I happened to move to her hometown three years ago. I also get to visit her house next week.

I started reading some of her short stories last night and I loved them! I think next I am going to read The Optimist’s Daughter. Surely this will round out my personal Eudora Welty appreciation month and in the end I can say something more thoughtful about her writing and her life.

The photo of Eudora Welty with Richard Ford was taken at Lemuria Books in 1985 .

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