What makes our Memphis different from Memphis, Alabama, or Memphis, Ohio, or any of the other eight Memphises in the U.S.? Put simply, we do — our stories and our lives as everyday Memphians. “Memphis is this place that gave the world the music it loves,” says Hannah Hayes, “and yet it’s kinda this place that can also be maligned or misunderstood. And so much beautiful and amazing culture comes out of Memphis.”
Such a sentiment is the crux of Memphis (Wildsam), a field guide for which Hayes served as editor. And so, to do Memphis justice in this compact book about the ins and outs of the city, Hayes and Wildsam turned to the locals. “A lot of travel journalism is people parachuting into a place and trying to understand it really quickly,” Hayes says, “and with Wildsam, we try to involve as many locals as we humanly can because we want the people in that place to have a stake in it.”
Contributing writers Wesley Morgan Paraham, David Grivette, and Memphis Flyer editor Jesse Davis helped to compile iconic places and important topics, recommendations for authentic Memphis experiences, and more. The book also includes essays by writer and filmmaker Robert Gordon and Tara Stringfellow, whose recently released debut novel Memphis has garnered national recognition. Additionally, one-sided interviews with locals of note, such as Memphis Flyer’s food editor Michael Donahue, make up a significant portion of the book. “The interview session is done more like an oral history,” says Hayes. “We wanted the focus to be on the person and their story. We don’t want you to be distracted by us in the background.”
“Memphis means a lot to me personally,” Hayes adds, having frequently visited Memphis as a kid whose family lived a nomadic life. Her grandmother lived in the area. “The Peabody Hotel lobby is like the only place that I’ve been going to since I was an infant.”
To Hayes, the deep red in the Peabody sign was a homing beacon for Memphis, and this red popped up in the table cloths at Payne’s Bar-B-Que, the Stax sign, and more. Because of this, the “dirty soulful red,” as Hayes describes, is the color of the book’s cover and is interspersed throughout in the accompanying illustrations by local artist Maggie Russell that add a touch of whimsy to the pages.
“We want folks who live there to read this and to fall back in love with their city,” says Hayes. To celebrate the launch of the book, Gordon, Zaire Love, Davis, and Hayes will be a part of a panel at the Stax, where guests can enjoy Central BBQ and drinks.
Wildsam at Stax, Stax Museum of American Soul Music, Thursday, April 21, 6-8 p.m., Free, Rsvp at Eventbrite.com.