Read This, Visit Here: Celebrate National Book Lovers Day with These 15 Tennessee Must Reads

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – August 9, 2021 – Today marks National Book Lovers Day, a day to celebrate reading. Find your favorite reading nook and cozy up with these unforgettable stories about Tennessee. Photos of destinations for media use only can be found here.

1. Read This: Fly Girls: How Five Daring Women Defied All Odds and Made Aviation History by Keith O’Brien

Visit Here: Beechcraft Heritage Museum in Tullahoma has the complete collection of the accomplished Aviatrix, Louise Thadden, including her pilot’s license signed by Orville Wright and original racing trophies.

2. Read This: The Girls of Atomic City: The Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan

Visit Here: Manhattan Project National Historical Park in Oak Ridge tells the story of the Secret City, known for its role in developing the technology that ended World War II. Learn about the fascinating history, and past and modern scientific achievements.

3. Read This: Respect Yourself: Stax Records & The Soul Explosion by Robert Gordon

Visit Here: Stax Museum of American Soul Music in Memphis tells the legacy of one of the most popular soul music record labels of all time that spans more than half a century through interactive exhibits and galleries.

4. Read This: The Last Train to Memphis: The Rise of Elvis Presley by Peter Guralnick

Visit Here: Elvis Presley’s Graceland in Memphis takes fans on an unforgettable journey through the revolutionary life and legacy of the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

5. Read This: Tina Turner: My Love Story by Tina Turner

Visit Here: West Tennessee Delta Heritage Center in Brownsville houses the one-room schoolhouse Tina Turner once attended. The Tina Turner Museum includes memorabilia and costumes and lets fans explore what life was like for the icon.

6. Read This: Roots: The Saga of an American Family by Alex Haley

Visit Here: The Alex Haley Museum and Interpretive Center in Henning. The restored home on the National Register of Historic Places features Haley’s work, childhood memorabilia and references to the people who inspired his characters in Roots.

7. Read This: March by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin and Nate Powell

Visit Here: Civil Rights Room in the Nashville Public Library features oral histories, firsthand photographs and provides a current voice for open dialogue and discovery. Witness Walls is public artwork inspired by the events and people who made history in Nashville during the Civil Rights Movement.

8. Read This: The Widow of the South by Robert Hicks

Visit Here: Carnton in Franklin. The book tells the brave story of Carrie McGavock, whose home became a field hospital as the Battle of Franklin in 1864 raged across fields.

9. Read This: Sgt. York: His Life, Legend & Legacy by John Perry

Visit Here: Sgt. Alvin C. York State Historic Park in Pall Mall includes a visitor center modeled after York’s general store, his home, a grist mill, York Bible School and York Farm.

10. Read This: Historic Knoxville: The Curious Visitor’s Guide to its Stories and Places by Jack Neely.

Visit Here: Stop by Visit Knoxville at WDVX to pick up a guide, which encompasses old brick buildings of Knoxville’s core, Market Square, historic neighborhoods, parks and cemeteries, as well as suggested literary walks.

11. Read This: The Last Night on the Titanic by Veronica Hinke

Visit Here: Titanic Museum Attraction in Pigeon Forge. Discover stories of passengers and crew who sailed the Titanic as tour guides and interactive galleries bring them to life.

12. Read This: Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics by Dolly Parton and Robert K. Oermann

Visit Here: Dolly Parton Statue in Sevierville is a tribute to the legend in her hometown. Explore family fun at the Chasing Rainbows Museum at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge. In Nashville, learn the stories of icons with exhibits and programs at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. Then, grab cocktails under a pink umbrella next to a Dolly Parton statue made from pink chicken wire at the rooftop bar White Limozeen at the Graduate Hotel.

13. Read This: Country Music: An Illustrated History by Dayton Duncan based on Country Music: A Film by Ken Burns

Visit Here: The Birthplace of Country Music Museum in Bristol tells the story of the 1927 Bristol Sessions recordings and the rich musical heritage of artists like the Carter Family. Learn stories like theirs as you walk-in the footsteps of legends and discover songwriters along the Tennessee Music Pathways statewide.

14. Read This: Bluff City: The Secret Life of Photographer Ernest Withers by Preston Lauterbach

Visit Here: The Withers Collection Museum & Gallery, Dr. Withers’ last working studio on 333 Beale Street, houses 7,000 square feet of history, powerful images of key figures in the Civil Rights Movement, music, sports and African American life in Memphis.

15. Read This: Old Glory, From Salem to Nashville: The Life and Times of Patriot Captain William Driver

Visit Here: Historic Mansker’s Station in Goodlettsville is nationally recognized as a top living history site. Learn about the life of Captain Driver and his impact in Nashville and Middle Tennessee. The Bowen Plantation House and Kasper Mansker’s log station serve as a backdrop for daily presentations and special events.

Media Contact:

Jill Kilgore

Jill.Kilgore@tn.gov