Art and Culture

I’m Jim McKeown, welcome to Likely Stories, a weekly review of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and biographies.

I came across a nifty little film based on Penelope Fitzgerald’s novel, The Bookshop.  This short novel was the first time I read a book about a bookstore.  This story is of a woman determined to open the first bookstore in a sleepy little English town.  Fitzgerald has had three novels shortlisted for the Booker prize.  In 1979, she captured the prize for Offshore.  This is my third reading of this splendid novel.

Popular skepticism directed at knowledge can also damage our perception of the arts. 

In the mid-1960s, the homespun Angelic Choir was releasing some of the most innovative recordings in all of gospel music, including the irresistible "I've Got It." 

I’m Jim McKeown, welcome to Likely Stories, a weekly review of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and biographies.

Ages ago, I got a copy of The Girl with the Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier.  What followed was a storm of varied and interesting stories—mostly about women and how they are swept aside in deference to men.  A Single Thread, Tracy’s latest novel, is no exception.

Today on the Fine Tuned Music Series - KWBU's Kateleigh Mills talks with local jazz musician and author David Wild. The two discuss the Waco and Central Texas Jazz scenes, including his band the Dave Wild Trio, his study of John Coltrane and Wild's beginnings playing jazz. 

Taking a firm stand on a controversial issue these days isn’t exactly the way to garner the sort of uninterrupted approval that we all seem to seek.

Recorded live and aided by the Willing Four Quartet, the Acme Missionary Baptist Church Choir, released his rare 45, "Lord, I Won't Turn Around," on the otherwise unknown Angel Joy Record label. 

This week on Act Locally Waco, Ashley Bean Thornton brings us a couple ways to do good and stay active as the temperature cools down. She also looks ahead to next week where several events will provide a way for the community to get to know Waco City Council members and learn what changes are happening in the city. 

I’m Jim McKeown, welcome to Likely Stories, a weekly review of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and biographies.

Alix Nathan has recently finished an exciting, troubling, and ghastly novel.  The title is The Warlow Experiment. 

Art that may initially infuriate you may, given time, turn out to inspire you. 

Irene Jones and the Original Joy Harmonizers are one of many wonderful gospel groups that should be better known today - and their song "Keep on Going" is a good example of what that's so. 

I’m Jim McKeown, welcome to Likely Stories, a weekly review of fiction, non-fiction, poetry, and biographies.

I always enjoy reading a new, young writer, especially when she can spin a decent tale.  Amy Meyerson has done this with her debut novel, The Bookshop of Yesterdays.  Of course, some of my loyal listeners might recognize this story as one revolving around a bookshop.  My taste for this genre received a boost with the recent opening of The Fabled Bookshop and Café in Waco.  

Latitude 49 is a contemporary classical group of piano, strings, winds and percussion. The group is comprised of six musicians - including percussionist Chris Sies and pianist Dr. Jani Parsons - who are married and both teach at Baylor University's School of Music. The mix-chamber ensemble derives its name from the parallel along Canada and United States border - and so too brings together musicians from both countries.

In this episode of the Fine Tuned Music Series, Sies and Parsons discuss how Latitude 49 was formed when they were at the University of Michigan, what "new music" in classical means and the changes they see happening in the Central Texas music scene. 

The 34th American President & WWII hero is about to get a long awaited memorial in DC.

The otherwise unknown Sunrise Gospel Singers of Chicago Heights deliver an affecting, emotional rendition of the gospel song, "When I'm Gone."