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In the mail the other day, I received a solicitation from Oxford American magazine letting me know that I could order gift subscriptions at a great price. Sadly, I could not think of a single person on my gift list that would appreciate a subscription to what I think is one of the finest ever periodicals published–except, perhaps, my Aunt Joan, who has no address to which to send it. (I take comfort in the fact that my gift list is small and limited.) I decided, alternatively, to share the gift of Oxford American with you, dear readers, guessing that a large number of you are not familiar with this magazine that has struggled, strangled and survived to continue to publish great and unique voices year after year.

OA is a magazine of Southern Writing and Culture–with capital letters–so if you don’t care for such, this is not your cup of tea. It began in Oxford, Mississippi, and after initial difficulty, was saved by writer John Grisham, who invested money, gained a title on the masthead, and serialized his novel The Painted House in OA before publishing it. That’s about the time I discovered the magazine. Don’t quote me on the details, as I’m blogging from memory not reporting; I haven’t gone back to research this. I absolutely love southern writing, and have since I discovered Tennessee Williams when I was much too young. I also love most things southern–excluding racism and humidity–though I get grief for this from my California friends and family. I subscribed to OA in a heartbeat. Again, financial troubles struck, and, in a creative effort to survive, OA offered “lifetime subscriptions” to those who paid at certain levels, kind of like the pledge drives at public radio and TV stations–but for life. I pledged. They lived. But the roller coaster continued. They relocated, eventually, to Conway, Arkansas, and the campus of the University of Central Arkansas, where they seem to have found a safe and comfortable home, as much as any bright, deserving foster child can. Issues have been cancelled, the future has looked dim, but Oxford American has soldiered on. And when they have published, what they have published has been great.

The OA is produced quarterly, and includes a music issue every year with a CD enclosed. The CD is considered great southern music, but could include anything from scratchy soda shop recordings of hillbilly songs to music of today. This year, there was, I believe for the first time, a Best of the South DVD. That magazine issue included “An Insider’s Guide to Prison Food,” “Odes to the Best Vandalism, Play, Used Bookstore, Pistol, Aquarium, Fireworks, Cathouse, Cowboy Boots…” and “A Writer’s Daughter in Deliverance Country by Bronwen Dickey.” That’s just to reenforce the idea that this is not a southern magazine about how to knit sweaters for cats or which fork to use for dessert. It’s kick ass stuff. Also great photos, fiction, and art.

Grab a copy from your local bookstore or newsstand and check it out. And then remember, gift subscriptions are available–the gift that keeps on giving all year long! No, I get no kickbacks from OA. Just supporting fellow great writers. www.oxfordamericanmag.com

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