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D
SONG OF THE OPEN ROAD
If Aunt Sally had "sivilized" Huck Finn enough to get him
into a prosperous law practice, but not enough to keep him
from lighting out for the Territory when the urge hit, the result
would look a lot like Tom Dennard.
Tom's book. Born A Ramblin' Man, like his previous col
lection, Discovering Life’s Trails: Adventures In Living, is self-
published (this time through Trafford Publishing, Victoria, BC,
2007). A self-published book fails under the rubric of "van
ity press," with the implication that the writing is not good
enough for publication through regular channels, so the author
pays for it himself to flatter his own ego.
Whatever. Tom has done us and posterity a favor by not
waiting around until Harper-Collins takes a look. He has lived
a Huck-in-pinstripes life, and he has been kind enough to take
notes along the way so that we can C3tch a glimpse.
I have known Tom since shortly before I came to college,
and he is one complex guy: the most easygoing hard-driving
person I have ever known, or vice-versa. He is laid-back, but
has a fierce desire to excel, to do it right, to win. He demands
little of others, much of himself. He is a lawyer, husband,
father, living the good life on St. Simon's Island; and he is a
vagabond. He is a consummate constructor of airtight wills
who is most at home around a campfire in the wilderness.
He loves solitude and loves
“I was there. I had an
adventure. You can, too.”
people.
The principal person he
loves is his wife, Marie, who
juggled the schedules of
three children while running her own travel agency when Tom
was wandering. (I can't wait to read her book.)
In this book, Tom is all over the map: recounting his adven
tures trekking in South Africa's Drakensberg Mountains, climb
ing Mount Chirripo, the tallest mountain in Costa Rica, and
hiking in the Sierra de Vinales Mountains in Cuba—not pari of
some fancy tour, but just Tom and his backpack and his well-
worn boots and his notebook and camera.
Ramblin' Man reads like a conversation with Tom that you
might have if you encountered him around a campfire on the
trail somewhere or on a train swaying through some third-
world country. Tom tells you what he saw, what he did, what
he thought and who he encountered along the way. Sometimes
he doesn't pause to find the precise word, just like in conver
sation. For Tom, the important thing is to shaie his experi
ences with you, to say, "I was there. I had an adventure. You
can, too."
He also shares a couple of anecdotes from his day job,
including the landmark decision he won in the Georgia Court of
Appeals affirming the right of a young man on probation not
to have to cut his hair even though ordered to do so by the
judge. Tom not only won the first "hair case" in the country—
paving the way for longhairs everywhere, he also started grow
ing his own hair long and wore it below his shoulders for four
years after meeting the young man who refused to knuckle
under. By day, Tom was the lawyer in the suit, with his pony
tail discreetly tucked into his collar. At evening, he let it all
hang out.
During his longhair period, he also headed for Communist
Eastern Europe at the height of the Cold War, where American
tourists were non-existent, especially longhaired guys in
patched jeans and a denim shirt off to see firsthand what life
was like behind the Iron Curtain. Pretty grim, he found, and he
takes us along on that one, too.
There's lots more: Tom off to Virginia for a Rocky Balboa-
type cockfight; his life-changing Army basic training, getting
his hiking class trapped in the Georgia mountains by a raging
river; canoeing in deadly weather on the Canadian border; run
ning the early morning beach with Rufus, his beloved golden
retriever; taking his grandsons up on the Appalachian Trail to
hand out hotdoys to hungry hikers; and hanging with Louise
Payne, the godmother of Tom's Hostel In The Forest, outside
Brunswick, who was always ready to dance.
Tom is a small-town Georgia boy from good people who has
lived his own life and lets us share in it. He is a part of all he's
met, and since he's his own Homer, we can be part of it, too.
(If you can't find Born A Ramblin' Man at a local bookstore,
you can order one by email at nldc@bellsouth.net or by tele
phone, 912-265-0220.)
Pete McCommons editor@flagpole.com
THIS WEEK’S ISSUE
Athens Rising . . .:
What’s Up in New Development
This week: a special focus on two 100-foot high-rises proposed
for West Broad Street between Finley and Pope.
8
Athens Investigates NBAF 9
Locals Bring the U.S. Biodefense Program's Biggest Critic for a Visit
Edward Hammond of the Sunshine Project in Austin. TX is coming to Athens this week
Comment 35
The “Change” Imperative Versus the Stasis Mandate
What to make of the suddenly over-excessive talk of "change' in the presidential primaries?
nviMir
Natasha Tretheway. .
Poetry Reading at UGA
The Pulitzer Prize winner. UGA grad and former cheerleader returns
to Athens to read her acclaimed poems this week.
11
Clap Hands, Stomp Feet, Repeat.
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band Encompasses The
Past, Present And Future Of New Orleans
A new CD/ DVD release bridges generations of New Orleans jazz.
All Together Now
In A Mini-Festival Of Sorts, The Georgia Theatre
Brings Five Local Bands To Its Stage(s)
Dark Meat. Venice is Sinking and Madeline have all been working on new
recordings, and Quiet Hoo -, es and Folklore will have some ready to hear.
25
26
LETTER
4
MOVIE DOPE
...22
CITY DOPE
5
MOVIE PICK
...24
CITY PAGES
6
PRESERVATION HALL JAZZ BAND ..
U“>
CM
CAPITOL IMPACT
7
LOCALS SHOW
...26
ATHENS RISING
8
RECORD REVIEWS
...27
EDWARD HAMMOND
9
REDUX NATION
...28
THE CALENDAR!
10
THREATS & PROMISES
...29
ART AROUND TOWN
12
COMICS
...30
DOWN THE LINE
17
REALITY CHECK
...31
BULLETIN BOARD
19
CLASSIFIEDS
...32
QOVER DESIGN by Kelly Ruberto
featuring a collaborative painting by
Amanda Trader and Adrienne Hills on
display at Hot Corner Coffee
EDITOR & PUBLISHER Pete McCommons
ADVERTISING DIRECTOR l PUBLISHER Ahca Mickles
PRODUCTION DIRECTOR Larry Tenner
MANAGING EDITOR Margaret Moore
ADVERTISING SALES Anita Auhiey, Melinda Edwards, Jessica Pritchard
MUSIC EDITOR Chris Hassiotis
CITY EDITOR Ben Emanuel
CLASSIFIEDS. DISTRIBUTION 1 OFFICE MANAGER Paul Karjian
AD DESIGNERS Ian Rickert. Kelly Ruberto
CARTOONISTS James Allen, Ruth Allen. Cameron Bogue, Joe Havasy. Missy Kulik, Jeremy Long, David Mack.
Clint McElroy
ADOPT ME Special Agent Cindy Jerrell
WRITERS Michael Andrews. Elyse Beasley, Hillary Brown. Donn Cooper, Tom Crawford, Nicole Haysler,
John Huie, Jyl Inov, Gordon Lamb, Charley Lee, Alex Moore. SamPrestridge. John Seay. Michael Wehunt,
Drew Wheeler, Kevan Williams
CIRCULATION Charles Greenleaf, Jimmy Courson, Justin Courson, Alex Moore, Lena Trotochaud, Alex White
WEB DESIGNER Ian Rickert
ADVERTISING ASSISTANT Nicole Haysler
ADVERTISING INTERN Ken Fleming
MUSIC INTERN Scott Reid
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NEWS & FEATURES I CALENDAR I MOVIES I A&E I MUSIC I COMICS & ADVICE I CLASSIFIEDS
JANUARY 16, 2008 ■ FLAGP0LE.COM 3