Oxford and Square Books Ready for First Presidential Debate

On Friday, September 26, Oxford, Mississippi, will host the first presidential debate between Senators Barack Obama and John McCain, a nationally televised event from the campus of the University of Mississippi. "The city is very excited about the debate," said Mayor Richard Howorth, the owner of Square Books. "All of us in Mississippi are happy to have the chance to cast what we believe is a very positive light on Mississippi."

Access to the debate is limited, but Oxford has found a way to accommodate those who'll be left out of the Ole Miss auditorium. "We're going to have a screening of the debate on the side of the courthouse," said Howorth. "People can bring lawn chairs and watch it together. The courthouse sits right here in the town square that was prominent in so many of the fictional works of William Faulkner."

At Square Books, manager Lyn Roberts said the store has long been in full election mode -- McCain and Democratic vice presidential hopeful Joe Biden have visited in the past -- and much of that will bleed into debate preparation. "It's very festive here. We have all the candidates' books, all sorts of political books," she explained. "We've had ongoing displays for months now, and we'll change the windows to reflect the debates. We'll put up bunting -- we'll be red, white, and blue."

One current display includes, side by side, all of the titles written by Obama and McCain. Square Books also gave centerfold coverage to both candidates' books, as well as more general books on the election, in a recent newsletter. The store's top political sellers and staff handselling favorites include Fellow Citizens: The Penguin Book of U.S. Presidential Inaugural Addresses (Robert V. Remini and Terry Golway, Penguin), Live From the Campaign Trail: The Greatest Presidential Campaign Speeches of the Twentieth Century & How They Shaped Modern America (Michael A. Cohen, Walker & Co), What You Should Know About Politics But Don't (Jessamyn Conrad, Arcade), and Mike's Election Guide 2008 (Michael Moore, Grand Central).

The week of the debate, Square Books will be screening State by State: Out of the Book, Volume 3, the latest installment in Powell's Out of the Book film series. The documentary, inspired by State by State: A Panoramic Portrait of America, a collection of original essays on all 50 states, edited by Matt Weiland and Sean Wilsey (Ecco), includes interviews with Weiland, Wilsey, and several of the book's contributors, including Alison Bechdel, Barry Hannah, Jhumpa Lahiri, and Rick Moody.

"During the election season there's a lot of political discussion, but there's also a lot of patriotism and interest in the country," said Roberts. "State by State is about America without being directly political." The bookstore will host an informal reception, and Roberts expects the film will generate conversation among the attendees.

How much the presidential debate will actually boost business at Square Books is an "unknown quantity," Roberts said. "We know there will be lots of people in town, especially reporters. But they'll probably fly in the night before and fly out the night of the debate."

But, she noted, Oxford and Square Books are pretty wonderful even when they're not onstage. "Everyone's excited about the debate, but my personal feeling is, it's great to get this national attention, but our strengths lie in the way we are everyday. I would like everyone to see us as we normally are. That's the way to put us in the best light." --Karen Schechner