Michele Walker

Trying to make well-read sense of the world and understand a place like Mississippi.

[PBS News @NewsHour]

The same characteristics that sustained former President Joe Biden's decadeslong political career despite personal tragedies and political setbacks also prevented him from stepping away, Pulitzer Prize-winning presidential historian and bestselling author Jon Meacham says.

"I don't think President Biden was clinging to power because he wanted an airplane or because he loved power so much. It was a result of his resilience, his determination to keep moving no matter what, and not ever surrendering," he said on the PBS News podcast "Settle In."

"The characteristics that propelled him to the pinnacle of power prevented him from doing what he needed to do to step away from it."

Meacham spoke to co-anchor Amna Nawaz about Biden's legacy, the difference between hope and optimism for this country and his latest book, "American Struggle."

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Finished reading: ‘The Mother-Daughter Book Club’ by Susan Patterson https://t.co/xgM7AytUI7

[CSPAN @cspan]

Ann Patchett: "Books are a word of mouth product like nothing else."

SUNDAY: America's Book Club – 6pm ET on C-SPAN https://t.co/05H8td75Ti

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

What happened in Mississippi was not accidental. It was the result of sustained implementation over time. https://t.co/LkLPV7gogM

[EveryLibrary @EveryLibrary]

Federal funding for libraries secures America's cultural history. Trump's proposed budget eliminates it. Take action at https://t.co/xi54P9usa0

#library #libraries #libraryfunding #fundlibraries #saveimls #imls #read #reading #book #books

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Fellow Mississippian here — and this resonates deeply with me. The assumption that MS lacks intellectual curiosity, diversity of thought, or literary culture is frustrating and unfair. Many of us care deeply about books, ideas, community, & thoughtful dialogue.

[W. Ralph Eubanks @Wralpheubanks]

“The assumption that that there’s no diversity of opinion in the state [of Mississippi], that books don’t matter, that we’re all insular and backward-looking irks the hell out of me.” An illuminating conversation with my dear friend Steve Yarbrough. https://t.co/x0s7yv2o39

[NBC News @NBCNews]

The NAACP launches a campaign calling on Black student-athletes to boycott Southern colleges in the wake of a Supreme Court decision that weakened the Voting Rights Act. https://t.co/BHDCLdRzP6

[The Associated Press @AP]

Former U.S. Sen. Doug Jones, seeking a political comeback, has won the Democratic nomination for governor in Alabama. https://t.co/nidoy61Hqp

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Students in my state face restrictions similar to those in other states that have not enacted laws allowing sunscreen use. Students in Mississippi need a doctor's note to bring sunscreen to school and must apply it under supervision. #SkinCancerAwareness

https://t.co/2xX5sKlaJr

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Finished reading: Born a Crime: Stories from a South African Childhood by Trevor Noah https://t.co/JoIcPs7KOV

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Finished reading: Living a Life That Matters: Resolving the Conflict between Conscience and Success by Harold S. Kushner https://t.co/jUZ2q5dlCP

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Finished reading: The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix https://t.co/0FtKOzsBj5

[People @people]

B.J. Novak to Host PEN America Literary Gala, Ann Patchett and Jason Blum to Be Honored https://t.co/lQCeFV7Emc

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

They're still here — but somehow, you're already grieving. Laing Rikkers (yes, an advisor, author, and speaker who has lived this firsthand) puts words to one of the most painful and least talked-about experiences in caregiving: ambiguous grief. https://t.co/oVOTsEdJp7

[Democrats Deliver @DemzDeliver]

🚨 NEW: Zohran Mamdani to permanently fund NYC libraries and parks.

Libraries will no longer have to plead for funding each year.

[TIME @TIME]

What one book defines America? Ahead of the country’s 250th birthday, TIME asked 25 literary luminaries—including Amanda Gorman and George Saunders—to each pick one book that they believe reflects where American life is headed or speaks to the today in a meaningful way. See their choices and the full reading list: https://t.co/a3SU9JhH8v

Is there a book that you think all Americans should read? Let us know in the comments.

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Enjoyed a wonderful evening of music tonight with friends, listening to Memphian and Grammy-winning saxophonist Kirk Whalum perform as part of St. Patrick’s 160th Anniversary Celebration Concert Series. Beautiful music in such a stunning historic church made for a special night.

[Michele Walker @mwalkerms]

Welcome to Natchez, Mississippi, where stories of the antebellum South are kept alive... but by who?

Natchez streams on the PBS Documentaries YouTube channel and PBS app on May 11.

[The Washington Post @washingtonpost]

On a Sunday afternoon in April, an eclectic group of men, mostly in their 70s, gathered for a monthly tradition that began 30 years ago: a book club meeting.

“It’s worth taking the time to read books. ... Books take you to places,” one member said. https://t.co/5J510r7wk4