The Book and The City

How beautiful this city is.  Monday, my father took me on a driving tour of the more historic aspects of Nashville.  We only covered a small portion of the city, but we found a lot of interesting places for people to die suspiciously.  And my filled-with-facts father imparted tons of knowledge to me.

Here's one for you:  did you know the term 'music city' does not refer to the modern country and Christian music for which Nashville is famous, but rather for the Fisk Jubilee Singers who, following the Civil War, toured in order to earn money for the University?  This nine-student, all-black ensemble performed for President Grant at the White House and for Queen Victoria in England, among others.  Even though these amazingly talented students were earning hundreds of thousands for their university and great acclaim for their hometown, their "strength was failing under the ill treatment at hotels, on railroads, poorly attended concerts, and ridicule" (Ella Sheppard, original Jubliee singer).

I also took some photographs today.  They aren't amazing in terms of art, but I was able to capture some great locations and research material for my book.  It felt great to walk in the steps of my characters, to see what works and what doesn't.  Here are a few:

I've spoken of the Parthenon before.  Nashville's is the only to-scale replica in the world, built in 1897 for Tennesee's centennial celebration.  This was the last picture I took of the place.  I was literally walking to my car and turned back for one last look, only to find this perfect angle.

Classical Greek architecture casts art deco shadows...Just caught my eye.

Columns soar upward and draw the eye to blue pieces of the sky captured in Athena's ceiling.

The path of research is interesting.  The past is sad (the way we treated others, like the Jubilee Singers just because of their color) and yet rich.  Literature is the same way.