Dickey’s children read selections from late father’s works
Nearly 100 people gathered Thursday to celebrate the publication of “The Complete Poems of James Dickey,” which showcases every poetic work by the world-renowned poet and former USC professor.
Dickey was a poet-in-residence and First Carolina Distinguished Professor of English from 1969 until his death in 1997. He is widely recognized for writing the novel, “Deliverance,” which was made into a motion picture in 1972.
USC President Harris Pastides began the ceremony by introducing the book’s editor, Ward Briggs, a Carolina Distinguished Professor of Classics and Louise Fry Scudder Professor of Humanities Emeritus. Briggs said the new edition of the book was necessary largely because of typographical errors in previous works and the omission of Dickey in many other collections.
Briggs discussed Dickey’s overwhelming popularity and said that he used his media presence in the new edition.
“Dickey was certainly one of the most interviewed, profiled, televised, broadcasted, filmed and photographed poets of the century,” Briggs said.
During the ceremony, Dickey’s three children read from some of their favorite poems. His two sons, Christopher and Kevin, both read during prerecorded videos — Kevin Dickey read from beside his parents’ gravestones. Dickey’s daughter, Bronwen Dickey, read a few poems from the newly published edition.
The ceremony concluded with a number of videos featuring James Dickey himself, each video revealing a snapshot into his life. In one, Dickey recalled his dreams, and in another, related his work to a quote by Beethoven.
“The Complete Poems of James Dickey” was published by USC Press and is now on sale.
The event was held in the Hollings Library and included a book signing by Briggs and Bronwen Dickey.