S6 Ep. 20: Remembering an American Writer: Anthony Walton on James Alan McPherson’s Essays and Legacy

fiction/non/fiction

James Alan McPherson is famous as the first Black writer to win the Pulitzer Prize in fiction; a new book aims to bring fresh attention to his masterful nonfiction. The volume’s editor, poet and writer Anthony Walton, joins V.V. Ganeshananthan and Whitney Terrell to discuss On Becoming an American Writer, a collection of McPherson’s essays. Walton explains McPherson’s moral vision for the U.S. and how this shaped the book’s curation. He highlights how the theme of ancestors connects various pieces, notes the impact of McPherson’s legal training on his writing, reflects on McPherson’s take on the middle class, and considers how McPherson’s work speaks to society today. He also reads from the book’s first essay, “Junior and John Doe.”

To hear the full episode, subscribe through iTunes, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or your favorite podcast app (include the forward slashes when searching). You can also listen by streaming from the player below. Check out video versions of our interviews on the Fiction/Non/Fiction Instagram account, the Fiction/Non/Fiction YouTube Channel, and our show website: https://www.fnfpodcast.net/

This podcast is produced by Anne Kniggendorf.

Selected Readings:

Anthony Walton

• On Becoming an American Writer (ed.)
• Mississippi: An American Journey
• Brothers in Arms (with Kareem Abdul-Jabar)
• Cricket Weather

Others:

• The Family Chao by Lan Samantha Chang
• “Trump Criticized for Dining with Far-Right Activist Nick Fuentes and Rapper Ye,” – The Washington Post
• Fiction/Non/Fiction Season 6 Episode 11: The Best and Worst Dinner Parties in Literature: Mar-a-Lago Edition, Featuring Michael Knight
• Clarence Thomas
• Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
• Shadow and Act by Ralph Ellison
• Going to the Territory by Ralph Ellison
• Hue and Cry by James Alan McPherson
• Crabcakes by James Alan McPherson
• Elbow Room by James Alan McPherson
• “On Becoming an American Writer,” by James Alan McPherson (essay)

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