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Jim Reed: Author, humorist, storyteller, instructor, rare book dealer
Read what others have to say about Jim's works.
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THUMBNAIL SKETCH OF JIM REED: Jim Reed is a native of Tuscaloosa and graduate of the University of Alabama. His early career in broadcasting and public relations ended 37 years ago when he founded Reed Books and the Museum of Fond Memories in Downtown Birmingham. Jim's writing career has continued since the age of four. He has published a dozen books and hundreds of stories about his life in Alabama. His weekly columns appear on the internet, as do his audio podcasts. Jim frequently speaks to groups and classes about the joy of writing, the joy of reading, and the joy of not have bosses for 37 years.
Reed is married to editor Liz Reed, with whom he has raised three children. Seven grandchildren call him "Poppy."
THE LONG VERSION OF JIM REED'S LIFE:
Jim Reed was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, in 1941, and has been writing since he was 12.
A graduate of the University of Alabama, Reed has worked in radio and television, higher education, and public relations. In 1985, Reed retired his three-piece suit, grew a beard, and recreated his life as author, storyteller, speaker, columnist, humorist, rare book dealer and museum curator.
Reed is called upon frequently to share his inspirational view of the world. He speaks on "How To Become Your Own Book" at universities and schools, as well as civic and writing groups. "Small Town Red Clay Tales, Both Actual and True" and "Christmas Comes But Once A Day" are performed in Alabama by the Seasoned Readers, a non-profit troupe of senior actors.
Reed has written literally hundreds of true (and actual) stories about life in the Deep South. When not writing, teaching or speaking,Reed can be found in The Museum of Fond Memories at Reed Books, Birmingham, his shop full of old books, posters, toys and other things you wish your mother had not thrown away.
Reed is married, the father of three, and "Poppy" to seven grandchildren.
Education & Experience:
- Bachelor of Science degree in education (speech major), University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, 1968
- Supervisory Management Training Program
certification, American Management Association, 1976
- Frequent actor and occasional director, community theatres in Tuscaloosa, 1954-1960
- Radio and television broadcaster, 1959-69:
Tuscaloosa area radio and TV stations (WJRD,
WNPT, WABP, WUOA-FM, WCFT-TV Channel 33)
- Public relations practitioner, 1969-85: Birmingham area medical centers
- Creator (as adjunct instructor) of first curriculum in public relations,
University of Alabama at Birmingham, 1976-79
- Lecturer, Management Training Program--Birmingham since 1972
- Writer, inspirational speaker, teacher since 1953
- Rare book dealer since 1980
Professional and community outreach activities:
Birmingham Green Property and Business Owners Executive Committee member, 2012-
- Hackney Literary Awards, current reader
- Birmingham Arts Journal, current editor
- H.G. Wells Societies of England and America, current member and former contributing writer
- Community Affairs Committee (on Race and
Racism) of Birmingham. Former co-chair.
- Alabama Writers' Conclave, first vice president 2003-2004...president 2004-2009...immediate past president and board member, 2009-
- Alabama Writers' Forum, former reviewer for First Draft Magazine
- Alabama School of Fine Arts, former board member
- Jefferson County (Alabama)Historical Commission, former vice chair
Operation New Birmingham stage production, "Man Bran" skit, appared as actor (at Alabama Theatre)
FILMOGRAPHY:
Film, "The Museum of Fond Memories" written and produced by Memri Williams and Anna Carter in 2015. Appeared as subject of film and interviewee.
Film, "Mr. Todd's Fancy" written & directed by Bill Chitwood in 2013. Appeared as on-screen narrator.
Film, "Lipidleggin'" directed by John Marc Green in 2012. Appeared as narrator, actor
Subject of film documentary, "Reed Books" directed by Doug Anderson in 1999
Subject of film documentary, "Reed Books" directed by Erik Horne in 1995
Subject of film documentary, "Reed Books The Museum of Fond Memories" by Larry O. Gay in 2010.
Columns, stories, reviews, commentaries and poems have appeared in/on:
ACTIVE CULTURE MAGAZINE
ALABAMA ANTHOLOGY at www.suebwalker.com
www.alabamawritersconclave.com
ALALITCOM annual 2002
AURA literary journal
AUTHORS' VOICES: HOME OF THE VIRTUAL BOOK TOUR
AVENUES MAGAZINE
BEACON magazine
BEAR FACTS newspaper
www.bhamdining.com
www.birminghamartassociation.com
BIRMINGHAM ARTS JOURNAL
www.birminghamartsjournal.com
BIRMINGHAM ARTS REVIEW
BIRMINGHAM FREE PRESS tabloid
BIRMINGHAM MAGAZINE
BIRMINGHAM NEWS newspaper
BIRMINGHAM POST-HERALD newspaper
BIRMINGHAM TIMES NEWSPAPER
BIRMINGHAM WEEKLY tabloid
BLAST sign up at jim@jimreedbooks.com
BLOG http://jimreedbooks.com/blog/
www.blueroosterpress.com
BOOK DEALERS MONTHLY newsletter
BOOKSELLER MONTHLY newsletter
BUCH KOLLEKTOR newsletter
www.daylo.com
www.donder.com
DOWN HOME MAGAZINE
DOWN SOUTH MAGAZINE
www.downtownbirmingham.org
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/jimreed.jimreed
FIRST DRAFT MAGAZINE
FOUNDATION MAGAZINE
H.G. WELLS SOCIETY, England & U.S.A.newsletters
www.irenelatham.com
www.jeffersonhistorical.org
www.jimreedbooks.com (weekly columns)
JUBILATION MAGAZINE
LIFE IS AN OPEN BOOK newsletter
linkedin.com
www.lizreed.com
www.magiccitymoments.com
NEW SOUTH MAGAZINE
NEWS WORDS newsletter
OFFSPRING MAGAZINE
OLD SOUTHERN TIMES MAGAZINE
OLD TENNESSEE VALLEY MAGAZINE
OXFORD SO & SO Magazine
OLD TUSCALOOSA MAGAZINE
www.pendulumpoems.com
PLANET WEEKLY (West Alabama tabloid)
POINT B MAGAZINE
PRIME LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE
THE PRINTED WORD weekly commentary on WBHM in Birmingham
redclaydiary.com (blog, featuring a new story each week)
SENIOR LIVING tabloid
THE SNAKESKIN tabloid
SOUTHERN FESTIVALS tabloid
SOUTHERN SCRIBE magazine
SOUTHERN TIMES MAGAZINE
SOUTHSIDER tabloid
www.stevenfordbrown.com
STORYCORPS
www.suebwalker.com
SYNERGY newsletter
TUSCALOOSA NEWS newspaper
TUSKALOOSA MAGAZINE
TWITTER http://twitter.com/jimreedbooks
21ST CENTURY WOMAN tabloid
Twitter (regular commentary)
VENUES MAGAZINE
WELD (Birmingham weekly tabloid)
WUOA,WKSS,WUAL,WYDE,WJRD,WCFT-TV,WNPT,WAPB,WSMQ
YESTERDAY'S MEMORIES MAGAZINE
youtube.com 8-minute panorama of Reed Books/The Museum of Fond Memories at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zlzvet-QNAU
BIBLIOGRAPHY
Book Publications include:
Dad’s Tweed Coat: Small Wisdoms Hidden Comforts Unexpected Joys by Jim Reed
Christmas Comes But Once A Day by Jim Reed
An Alabama Christmas: 20 Heartwarming Tales by Truman Capote, Helen Keller, Sonny Brewer, and More including Jim Reed’s story Christmas Comes But Once A Day
I Wish I Was in Dixie by Marie Stokes Jemison and Jim Reed
Whatever Remembers Us: An Anthology of Alabama Poetry by Sue Brannan Walker and J. William Chambers including Jim Reed’s poem One of Those Days in Verbena, Alabama
Alabama Scrapbook by Ellen Sullivan and Marie Stokes Jemison
including Jim Reed's story, Private Lessons
Inward Tales: Dancing Around Race, Racism and Racists by Jim Reed
Superrelations by Gina Boyd and Jim Reed
How to Become Your Own Book by Jim Reed
Not Another Poetry Book (Another Poetry Book) by Jim Reed
Beards Beards Beards by Helen Bunkin with foreword by Jim Reed
Small-Town Red Clay Tales, Both Actual and True by Jim Reed
Not Enough Sleep (Can’t Stop My Brain): Insomniac Tales by Jim Reed
The Alalitcom 2001 by Donna Jean Tennis and John Curbow including Jim Reed’s story Grove of the Dolls
Marilyn of the Uncreased Elbow by Jim Reed
Sticky Novels, Stickier Novels, Stickiest Novels: Three Books of Tales Jotted Down on Sticky Notes by Jim Reed
Glugged Not Stirred by Jim Reed
Horace the Horribly Hoarse Horse by Jim Reed and T.R. Reed
The McGees of North River by Bryant McGee including stories by Jim Reed
A Box of Trinkets by Allen Johnson Jr. including a Foreword by Jim Reed
Bumbling Towards Nirvanaby Allen Johnson Jr. including a back-cover blurb by Jim Reed
Unpublished manuscripts by Jim Reed:
MOM'S SUNSHINE SONG
(a sequel to DAD'S TWEED COAT)
MIND YOUR P'S
TALES OF T TOWN
THE SAGA OF BUMBLY BEE
THE ROACH IN THE LOWERED CEILING WAS
THE BEST THING THAT HAPPENED THAT DAY
DEAR MOMA, I LOVE YOU SO MUCH THAT IF YOU WHER A BOY I
WHUD HAVE A CRUSH ON YOU
COURSES AND SEMINARS TAUGHT (partial list):
Community outreach seminars:
Auburn University Special Studies
Comer Community School, Birmingham
Miles College (one-time guest lecturer in writing program)
Shelton State Community College, Tuscaloosa (taught two community courses)
University of Alabama at Birmingham Special Studies (taught several community courses)
SELECTED ADDITIONAL LECTURES AND CLASSES AND SIGNINGS AND PERFORMANCES (details by request):
A random sampling:
Brown Bag Luncheon Lectures (Birmingham Public Library & Emmet O'Neal Library), New Horizons Group (University of Alabama at Birmingham), AARP, Alabama Rural Electric Association, American
Business Women Assn, Armed Forces Officers Wives ,
Birmingham Genealogical Society, Birmingham Mothers'
Center, Birmingham Breakfast Club, Business and Professional Women's clubs, Caxton Club,
Various Chambers of Commerce, Civitan Clubs, Clay County
Historical Society, Crestwood Garden Club, General Sumter
Chapter, Eleanor Hord Literary Club, Exchange Clubs,
Morgan County Historical Society, Hoover Historical Society
, Institute of Management Accountants, Jerry Brown Arts
Festival, Kiwanis clubs, Lions clubs, Little Rock Arkansas
Book Club, National League of American Penwomen /
Birmingham, New Horizons Club, Newcomers Club of
Birmingham, Optimist Club, Public Relations Council of
Birmingham, Rotary clubs, St Clair Historical Society
Ragland, Sertoma clubs, Sons of the American Revolution
Black Warrior River Chapters, Southern Magic/Romance
Writers, Trussville Literary Club, Tuscaloosa Trailblazers,
Twin Oaks Garden Club, Walker County Genealogical
Society, Libraries in Homewood, Vestavia, Irondale,
Gardendale, Talladega, Trussville,
Blountsville, LAMP Program, Alabama Bound, Radio:
WEZN, WAPI, Radio Reading Service, WSMQ, WTBC,
WYDE,
Churches: Cathedral of the Advent, Chapel in the Pines
Presbyterian, Gardendale First Baptist, Independent
Presbyterian, Northport Baptist, Southside Baptist, St.
Luke's Episcopal, Valley Christian, Shades Valley
Lutheran, Grace Presbyterian XYZ'ers, Southminster
Presbyterian,
Retirement facilities & Senior Groups:
Fairhaven, First Presbyterian church of Bessemer, Mt
Royal Towers, Galleria Oaks, Galleria Woods, Greenbriar
at the Altamont, Joy Club (Jewish Community Center),
Mountain Top Community Church, St Martin's, East Lake
Methodist, Chateau Vestavia, Graysville, Pelham New
Pioneers, Shepherd Center at Bluff Park Methodist Church,
Shepherd Center Southside Baptist, The Park, Town
Village Vestavia Hills Retirement Community.
Schools:
Briarwood Christian High School, John Carroll High,
Madison Cross Roads, Vestavia Central, Pennington HS
Blountsville, Susan Moore School Blount Cty, Southeastern
Elementary Blount Cty, Southminster Presbyterian School,
Seasoned Readers (19 public performances)
Signings:
Birmingham Art Association, Little Professor, Barnes &
Nobel stores, Books A Million stores, Wildwood Writer's
club, Bobby Frese BEARDS book store,
Jonathan Benton, A Novel Approach, City Stages Spoken
Word Festival, Crosshaven Books, Sisters in Crime Club,
Southside Book Club, UAB Booktalk
Others:
Alabama Center for the Book, Drake Beam Morin,
Economic Development Committee City of Bham, National
League of Cities
TV:
WBRC Good Day Alabama, APTV For the Record,
ABC/WBMA Good Morning Alabama, 44 PAX, Channel 13 Midday show
Writing sessions:
Trinity Schools in Montgomery, Alabama Holistic Health College, Alabama Media
Professionals, Auburn Special Studies, Birmingham Art
Association, Birmingham Arts Journal, Comer School,
Management Training Program, Miles College, Quill Club,
Shelton State Community College, Tarrant Middle School
Poets Tea, UAB seminar, West Jefferson Historical Society, Operation New Birmingham annual meetings at Alabama Theatre, Tuscaloosa Little Theatre, and way more
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