2008 Woodie Awards
Standing room only for UNCG alum book reading
John Boschini
Issue date: 10/23/07 Section: Arts & Entertainment
On Oct. 18, George Singleton, a UNCG alumnus, returned to his alma mater for a book reading and signing. Singleton has published three novels, three collections of short stories, and has been featured nearly 70 times in various magazines and anthologies, including the illustrious Oxford American. The event was hosted by the MFA writing program, the faculty of which wore mechanics work shirts as a tribute to Singleton's latest novel, Work Shirts for Madmen.
After a glowing introduction by the MFA faculty, Singleton took the podium and addressed the standing room only crowd of UNCG students and Greensboro residents at the faculty house on College Ave. Singleton opened the program by introducing himself as a South Carolina resident who lives with clay artist Glenda Guion and their seven dogs and single cat.
Singleton took no shame in taking shots at everything from republicans to faculty who haven't taught at UNCG for many years. He then began to read the first of four sections from Work Shirts for Madmen. The main character is introduced as Harp Spilman, an alcoholic sculptor with business being sparse at best. He is kept in check by his Raylou and his frequent visits to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Each subsequent section is filled with dry wit and constant satire of the south and its politics. One particularly uproarious section featured Harp taking place in Alcohol Jeopardy at his AA meeting and winning the round because his two competitors were simply too drunk to compete. Singleton is not shy about his political beliefs and they are spoken through Harp. The storyline is filled with situations that residents of the south can identify with. Singleton frequently paused in the middle of a section to make a joke or explain the pretext for a character or scene.
After the reading concluded, a book signing and reception afterward allowed the attendees meet the author and purchase one of his works.
After a glowing introduction by the MFA faculty, Singleton took the podium and addressed the standing room only crowd of UNCG students and Greensboro residents at the faculty house on College Ave. Singleton opened the program by introducing himself as a South Carolina resident who lives with clay artist Glenda Guion and their seven dogs and single cat.
Singleton took no shame in taking shots at everything from republicans to faculty who haven't taught at UNCG for many years. He then began to read the first of four sections from Work Shirts for Madmen. The main character is introduced as Harp Spilman, an alcoholic sculptor with business being sparse at best. He is kept in check by his Raylou and his frequent visits to Alcoholics Anonymous meetings. Each subsequent section is filled with dry wit and constant satire of the south and its politics. One particularly uproarious section featured Harp taking place in Alcohol Jeopardy at his AA meeting and winning the round because his two competitors were simply too drunk to compete. Singleton is not shy about his political beliefs and they are spoken through Harp. The storyline is filled with situations that residents of the south can identify with. Singleton frequently paused in the middle of a section to make a joke or explain the pretext for a character or scene.
After the reading concluded, a book signing and reception afterward allowed the attendees meet the author and purchase one of his works.
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