“The Short Stories of Thomas Wolfe”
Durham, NC
“The Short Stories of Thomas Wolfe” is the theme of our 47th annual Thomas Wolfe Society conference being held Friday, May 31 and Saturday, June 1, 2024 in Durham, NC.
A goal of our society is to hold our conferences in locations where Thomas Wolfe lived or visited. While an undergraduate in Chapel Hill, Thomas Wolfe became familiar with “The Streets of Durham” from multiple visits.
North Carolina’s most famous author is known to have delivered University of North Carolina works to publishers in Durham for printing.
When visiting, Wolfe enjoyed the Durham train depot and the pungent tobacco smell of his favorite cigarettes, Lucky Strikes.
Over the past few years, the Thomas Wolfe Memorial and the Wilma Dykeman Legacy have sponsored discussions of many Wolfe short stories. Wolfe’s major novels are long and can be challenging for new readers, but his short stories are an excellent place to start learning about and appreciating his literary accomplishments.
Conference meetings will be held at the Durham Arts Council and a block of rooms has been booked at the adjacent Downtown Marriott Convention Center. More detailed information will be shared in the January 2024 president’s letter.
CALL FOR PAPERS: Please submit a brief (250-word) proposal based on selected short stories by January 30, 2024. Proposals for presentations on other aspects of Wolfe’s works are also welcome. Send to:
The TWS Durham Conference Committee will select papers to be presented and our program will be ready by mid-March 2024.
Colin and I look forward to seeing old and new friends as we walk in the footsteps of Wolfe in “The Streets of Durham.”
Ray Walker
TWS President
walker30033@bellsouth.net