thoughts poured furiously through his fingers onto the metal keys of his typewriter,
which required a bit more effort than the feather-touch keyboards of today.
More than once, some geologist's intern must have peered at the fluttering needle
on a seismograph, shaken his head in puzzlement and then dutifully noted the
vibrations' measurements. How could he have known the source was Dad hammering
away on his Underwood?
Perhaps I exaggerate. After all, it was an old, wood-frame farmhouse, prone to
shaking and creaking at the slightest of disturbances. But I was in awe, nonetheless.
Not just that Dad could so capably capture the thoughts racing through his mind, but
that he would commit himself to this work, day upon day, year after year, story upon
story, book after book.
It's been said that it takes much effort for the best writing to read as if it took no effort
at all. Dad's writing reads that way, but I know better. He's talented, to be sure, but his
work ethic is not for the faint of heart. The result over his five decades as a journalist,
author and historian is an impressive body of work. His editorials contributed
significantly to the Winston-Salem Journal and Sentinel winning the Pulitzer Prize for
Public Service in 1971, and the list of his published works -- novels, histories,
magazine articles, poetry -- well, we all stopped counting years ago, about the same
time that we stopped hanging the plaques, press awards and copies of glowing
reviews on the walls of the old farmhouse. Even now, I can feel it shaking.
Welcome to Hunter James' website, where you will learn more than you could imagine
on southern history, culture, politics or interesting movies and reading.
Click on the Writing section of this website to browse his many works, including books,
sonnets and articles.
Michael James, 2005
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