Katherine Clark. Photo courtesy of Story River Books.
Conroy and Clark: An Evening with the Darlings
Dubbed a “Southern comedy of manners” by Kirkus Reviews, Mountain Brook native Katherine Clark’s debut solo novel The Headmaster’s Darlings is an Austenesque critique of life, education and politics in Birmingham’s “tiny kingdom.” Clark, from The Altamont School’s class of 1980, will return to her alma mater on Sept. 3 to sign copies of her book alongside New York Times bestselling novelist and Story River Books editor Pat Conroy, who wrote the foreword.
“Katherine Clark knows how to capture a world, turn a phrase, tell a story, and write a comedy of manners that peels the beautiful layers off Mountain Brook society and shows the rancor and ugliness and tragedy below,” Conroy’s foreword reads.
Cover courtesy of Story River Books.
Clark’s titular character is The Altamont School’s unconventional former headmaster Martin Hames recast as Norman Laney, an obese eccentric who is as much John Kennedy Toole’s Ignatius J. Riley or Shakespeare’s Falstaff as he is The Dead Poet’s Society’s idealistic English teacher John Keating. An outsider, Laney is at once a threat to upper-crust conventionalism, a sensational book club president and a marvelous, inspiring oddity to his prep-school English students. With his job suddenly on the line, Laney must unravel the threads of gossip to find the truth and prove his place among the most elite Alabamians.
Clark’s upcoming novels All the Governor’s Men, The Harvard Bride and The Ex-Suicide will continue the Mountain Brook series featuring Laney, his students and Clark’s idiosyncratic cast of southerners.
“[Clark] will write her name in the book of great Alabama writers, and she will long be remembered as the creator of Norman Laney, the greatest portrait of an American teacher I have ever read, immortalized, as I believe he richly deserves, by one of his golden girls, one of his darlings,” Conroy wrote. “Here’s how good this book is — for the rest of my life I will also be one of Norman Laney’s darlings.”
“An Evening with Katherine Clark and Special Guest Pat Conroy” will feature the signing of Clark’s book and a dessert reception. Tickets are $50 and include a copy of The Headmaster’s Darlings. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the reception begins at 7. For more information, visit altamontschool.org.
THURSDAY, AUGUST 27
Heart Behind the Music Songwriter’s Showcase — The Wright Center. 800 Lakeshore Dr. Heart Behind the Music is a showcase of country music’s singer-songwriters. Grammy Award winner Linda Davis, Grammy nominee Richie McDonald from Lonestar, Grammy nominee T. Graham Brown and Grammy nominee Larry Stewart from Restless Heart will deliver intimate performances and insights behind their greatest hits. 7 p.m. $35. For more information, visit tickets.samford.edu.
The Works of Men — Birmingham Civil Rights Institute. 560 16th St. N. The Birmingham Civil Rights Institute presents an evening of spoken word poetry and live music. Performers include Kuumba Nia, Leroy “Obeah” Hicks, Shawn Jenkins, Shaun Judah, Carlos Fair, Barry Johnson, Doug Ford, Glenwood Griggs, Dennis “Ajamu” Harris, Ronique Carter, Shayamme “Brother Shay” Jones and Haki Jamaal. 6 p.m. Free. For more information, visit bcri.org.
FRIDAY, AUGUST 28
Fourth Friday Music Series — Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. August’s Fourth Friday Music Series presents folk musicians Molly Garrigan and Frank Jordan. The evening is bring-your-own-beverage and wine glasses will be available to rent. 7–9 p.m. $10. For more information, visit ruffnermountain.org.
Salsa Night with DJ Salsa — Continental Bakery Downtown. 1820 Fourth Ave. N. DJ Salsa returns to Continental Bakery Downtown to mix salsa dura, guaguanco, mambo, merengue and bachata dance music. Jorge Ibanez will teach a quick beginner’s course in Latin dance at 8:30. 8 p.m.–1 a.m. $10. For more information, call (205) 323-4110.
Chirps and Chips — Birmingham Botanical Gardens. 2612 Lane Park Rd. Raptor Force, the Alabama Wildlife Center Junior Board, presents their annual Las Vegas-themed fundraiser. A 280 Living “Best Charity Event Nominee,” the evening consists of casino-themed games, live musical entertainment, beer, wine and refreshments with all proceeds benefitting Alabama’s oldest wildlife rehabilitation center. 7–10 p.m. $50. For more information, visit awrc.org.
SATURDAY, AUGUST 29
The Taste of Fourth Avenue Jazz Festival — Fourth Avenue Historic District. Fourth Ave. and 18th St. The annual jazz festival returns for its 12th year to entertain Birmingham with nonstop performances all day long from nationally acclaimed musicians, food and arts vendors and children’s activities. 11 a.m.–9 p.m. Free. For more information, visit 4thavenuejazz.org.
Burningham Birmingham 9 + Fire Ant Film Fest — Oak Mountain State Park. 200 Terrace Dr. The ninth annual Burningham Birmingham will be a two-day Burning Man-style event complete with setting fire to a wooden effigy and radical “self-expression” in the form of visual and performance art and live music. Feenix, a fire performer from Fyre Tribe, will do the honors of lighting the burning man. 12 p.m.–12 p.m. Sunday, August 30. Free with park admission. For more information, call (205) 919-4866.
SUNDAY, AUGUST 30
Between the Covers Book Club Viewing Party — The Edge 12. 7001 Crestwood Blvd. Between the Covers Book Club will be viewing David Fincher’s Fight Club, concluding their book discussion for the month of August. The screening is open to members as well as the general public. The Edge 12 movie theater offers comfortable recliner seating and a full concession stand serving beer and wine. 3–5:30 p.m. $7. For more information, call (256) 468-6537.
Sean Patton — The Syndicate Lounge. 433 20th St. S. Actor and standup comedian Sean Patton will perform live this week with Goulash Comedy. Patton’s television credits include the Esquire Network’s Best Bars in America, IFC’s Maron and Comedy Central’s Inside Amy Schumer, @Midnight, The Meltdown with Jonah and Kumail and The Half Hour. 8 p.m. $12. For more information, visit goulashcomedy.com.
MONDAY, AUGUST 31
Steel City Swing Dance Class — Handworks Physical Therapy Studio. 3234 Cahaba Heights Rd. Every Monday night, Steel City Swing offers a one-hour beginner’s course in the Lindy Hop, the Charleston and East Coast Swing followed by two hours of social dance for all ages. “No partner or prior experience necessary.” 7–10 p.m. $10. For more information, visit steelcityswing.com.
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 1
Sidewalk Salon: Festival Feedback — Rojo. 2921 Highland Ave. S. This month’s Sidewalk Film Fest’s monthly networking and educational event will be an opportunity for filmmakers and aficionados to sound off on this year’s festival. Free chips, salsa and queso appetizers in the side room. 6 p.m. Free. For more information, call (205) 328-4733.
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 3
The Essentials: Vol. 4, Latin Jazz featuring Poncho Sanchez — Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center. 1200 10th Ave. S. The Essentials series brings the history of jazz to life. The fourth installment will explore Latin jazz and feature swing, bebop and salsa performances led by Grammy Award-winning percussionist Poncho Sanchez and UAB artist-in-residence Eric Essix. 7 p.m. $40. For more information, visit alysstephens.org.
