Podcast Summary: "Conversations with Kiese Laymon" (UP of Mississippi, 2025)
Podcast: New Books Network
Host: Sullivan Sommer
Guests: Dr. Constance Bailey (editor), Kiese Laymon (author)
Date: September 24, 2025
Overview
This episode introduces "Conversations with Kiese Laymon," a new volume in the University Press of Mississippi's Conversation series, edited by Dr. Constance Bailey. The discussion explores Laymon’s literary career, the significance of the Conversations series, the ethos of being “from Mississippi,” and the editorial process behind curating this collection. They reflect on the cultural, linguistic, and historical threads that distinguish both the book and Laymon’s work. The conversation is rich in personal anecdotes, analysis of Black Southern identity, and the complex labor of documenting Black voices authentically.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. Meaning of "Reeking of Mississippi"
[03:50]
- Dr. Bailey discusses the deep connection to Mississippi, describing it as a sense of pride and "down home feel" marked by rural customs and shared identity, despite the state’s historical challenges.
- Quote: “You can take the girl out the country, but you can’t take the country off the girl.” – Dr. Bailey [03:54]
- Laymon and Bailey reflect on how being from Mississippi carries a unique ethos—resilience, community, and an embrace of complexities.
2. The Conversation Series—Significance and Innovation
[06:52]
- Dr. Bailey explains this longstanding University Press series typically profiles influential cultural figures, usually posthumously or late-career.
- Bailey advocated for featuring Laymon while in his "prime," capturing a living Black Mississippi writer's thoughts for current and future readers.
- Quote: “Why not capture...let's strike while the iron is hot.” – Dr. Bailey [07:41]
- Accessibility was key—they aimed for an “easy” (not dense) read, useful for both scholars and general readers.
3. Bailey's Connection to Laymon & Community Building
[10:44]
- Bailey details her early engagement with Laymon's work, organizing classroom Skypes and later inviting him to the University of Arkansas. Their relationship is described as akin to “play cousins,” rooted in shared Mississippi origins and mutual respect.
- Quote: “He's...like a play cousin.” – Dr. Bailey [10:52]
4. Curatorial Process & Selections in the Volume
[14:17]
- Dr. Bailey shares her methodology: balancing permissions, accessibility, and length; aiming for content that students could engage with; and including interviews that address critical topics like the state flag.
- Quote: “A collection of interviews from a Mississippi writer should engage issues like the state flag.” – Dr. Bailey [16:00]
- She riffs on the value of Laymon's own curation of interviews and her hopes for future revised editions as his oeuvre grows.
5. Kiese Laymon's Perspective on His ‘Prime’ and Literary Legacy
[19:49]
- Laymon reflects on what it means to be considered in his "prime," the emotional toll of writing from the heart, and his aspiration to write less personally-taxing works in the future.
- Quote: “I do hope...this is my prime. I hope I peak at that, and then I hope it’s downhill, because that’s enough for me.” – Kiese Laymon [21:22]
- He connects the Conversation series to his own formative reading: “That Toni Morrison conversation book was my bible.” [20:20]
6. Giving Writers Their Flowers "While They’re Here"
[22:56]
- Bailey articulates her philosophy of celebrating living writers and scholars, organizing ceremonies to give due recognition and emphasizing the urgency of honoring contributions in real time.
- Quote: “I’m just a big fan of…giving folks their flowers while they’re here.” – Dr. Bailey [23:23]
7. Mississippi Roots, Literary Community, and Black Southern Networks
[27:22]
- A friendly exchange about shared acquaintances from Natchez, MS, underscores the intimacy and support among Black Mississippi artists and academics.
- Laymon emphasizes the rarity and significance of two literary figures from the same place finally connecting over words and art.
8. Revision and Literary Genre—The Book as Ongoing Process
[31:07]
- Both Bailey and Laymon explore "revision"—as recursive writing, as emotional letting go, and as a process of capturing voices from spoken word to text.
- Quote: “Writing is recursive…having to transcribe [interviews]…it’s a revision in that way.” – Dr. Bailey [31:19]
- Laymon: The book allowed him to “revise the kind of writer I have told somebody on earth I was.” [33:55]
9. Introduction as a Container & Editorial Voice
[37:22]
- Bailey details her approach to the introduction: balancing critical context, personal narrative, homage to Mississippi, and a bit of self-insertion to honor Laymon’s spirit and accessibility.
- Quote: “How could I...honor Kiese's work and legacy, but also how can I stay true to this point...that you made...I reek of Mississippi.” – Dr. Bailey [38:07]
10. Chronology, Structure, and Narrative Arc
[41:00]
- Debate on reverse vs. chronological sequencing reflects how ordering interviews can change the narrative or emotional arc of the book.
- Laymon: “Does the last chapter...change the whole [book]? I think so. The ending and the beginning dictate what people think they're reading.” [43:03]
11. Challenges of Translating Oral Interviews to Text
[49:05]
- Bailey details the labor and responsibility of accurately transcribing voices, preserving unique speech patterns, and respecting the integrity of Black vernacular English.
- Quote: “Removing certain parts, then the person doesn't get the totality of the conversation.” – Dr. Bailey [51:32]
- Fun anecdotes about regional language differences and authentic representation in print and audiobooks.
12. Invented History & Literary Canonization
[58:21]
- The line between “invented” and “real” history in literary collections. Bailey and Laymon discuss how canonization both bestows and invents authority, confronting biases about who "deserves" status in literary spaces.
- Laymon: “It hoists me up to a literariness that maybe folks might not think the work or me deserve.” [63:28]
13. Who Is This Book For?
[65:34]
- Bailey roots her answer in the spirit of Margaret Walker Alexander: “For my people”—interpreted broadly as Black Mississippians, Black Southerners, literary lovers, and anyone who resonates with the ethos of the collection.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
On Mississippi identity:
- “Like when I see Mississippi license plates, I still try to identify the part of the state.” – Dr. Bailey [05:50]
On the emotional toll of writing:
- “I can write well without putting my heart into it, but the only writing…worthy…is when I put my heart into it. I'm 51 now. I'm kind of tired of busting my heart.” – Laymon [20:48]
On giving flowers and real-time recognition:
- “Give people their stuff now. Like, why are we waiting?” – Dr. Bailey [24:25]
- “I love you for that. I just love you for that.” – Laymon [24:31]
On Black Southern language and translation:
- “How do you spell ‘we in here’?” – Dr. Bailey [53:38]
- “The first time they did an audio…all the Black women sound like Martin Luther King Jr.…Are you fucking kidding me?” – Laymon [55:48]
On invention of literary authority:
- “The fact that there's a book called Conversations with gives the impression that this is a major writer…I think it's a large leap for someone to be like, wow, that figure in America…was worthy of a conversation book.” – Laymon [63:28]
Who this book honors:
- “Whoever that comment resonates with, that could be Mississippians, that could be Black Southerners, that could be people who love literature…in the spirit of the late, great Margaret Walker Alexander, the book is for my people.” – Dr. Bailey [66:06]
Timestamps for Important Segments
- Opening—Laymon's "Pledge of Allegiance": [01:37]
- What It Means to "Reek of Mississippi": [03:19–06:10]
- Conversation Series Background & Concept: [06:52–10:28]
- Bailey/Laymon Relationship Origin Story: [10:44–13:55]
- Curating Interviews & Labor: [14:17–18:24]
- Laymon on Prime, Emotional Writing, Legacy: [19:49–22:56]
- Giving Writers Their Flowers: [22:56–25:23]
- Mississippi Community, Networks: [27:22–29:33]
- Revision & Recursive Process: [31:07–34:32]
- Introduction as a Container: [37:22–40:50]
- Chronology and Narrative Structure: [41:00–44:44]
- On Surveillance and Mississippi: [44:44–47:09]
- Transcription & Linguistic Integrity: [49:05–55:26]
- Inventing Literary History: [58:21–65:30]
- Who Is the Book For?: [65:34–66:34]
Tone & Atmosphere
The episode is warm, conversational, and intimate, laden with laughter, mutual admiration, and cultural references. Both Bailey and Laymon speak candidly about the joys, burdens, and responsibilities that come with writing, editing, and preserving Black Southern literature. The joy of community and the seriousness of legacy blend seamlessly into a dialogue that is both critical and celebratory.
Conclusion
This conversation is essential listening for those interested in Black literature, Southern studies, and the undercurrents of community that shape emerging canons. The episode demystifies the editorial process behind oral literary history while foregrounding the living, breathing voices of Black Mississippi. “Conversations with Kiese Laymon” stands as both a record and a revision—a celebration of Laymon’s artistry and the dynamic, evolving history of Black expression.