This month St. John Flynn welcomes Perry author and entertainment critic Jackie K. Cooper back to the Cover to Cover studio to talk and take listener calls about his latest collection of "memories," The Bookbinder: More Stories from the Road (Mercer University Press, 2006).

From the Book Jacket

It has been said that no man is an island. We are all bound together by shared beliefs and shared experiences. As we go through life we find that we are not as unique as we once thought. We have much in common with the person who lives down the street, as well as the ones who live across the globe.

Lives are not lived in vacuums but rather in interactive communities. This world of "binding" is what gives life its richness.

The stories in this book will reach inside the reader's heart and soul to strike a common chord. In lucid, memorable prose, Cooper offers remembrances, reflections, and experiences that can be shared by readers of all ages.

About the Author

Jackie K. Cooper was born in South Carolina and now lives in Perry, Georgia. He is married to Terry, and they are the parents of two sons as well as proud grandparents.

He is familiar to people living in the Middle Georgia area as the "entertainment man" since his entertainment reviews run in newspapers and he hosts a weekly movie segment on Today's MGT, the NBC affiliate in Macon, Ga. His short stories have also been used as commentary on Georgia Gazette, Georgia Public Broadcasting's weekly newsmagazine.

You can also hear him each Friday morning at 6:35 and 8:35 across the GPB Radio network when he co-hosts Fridays With Jackie, a conversation about entertainment from a decidedly Georgia perspective, with GPB's St. John Flynn.

Cooper has written three other collections of memories, all published by Mercer University Press; Journey of a Gentle Southern Man, Chances and Choices, and Halfway Home.

For more information about Jackie, visit his website, www.jackiekcooper.com.

Praise for Jackie Cooper and The Bookbinder

• "There is a wise man in Georgia by the name of Jackie K Cooper. His wisdom stems from his fervent humanity which is emblazoned across every page of The Bookbinder. Set forth in these pages are the simple things that make us human and bind us together as we weep or as we laugh, as we regret or as we rejoice. Jackie K Cooper is indeed the bookbinder, and he has learned his trade well."-St. John Flynn, Host of Cover To Cover on Georgia Public Broadcasting
• "A truly moving look at life in the South. Cooper's stories are filled with poignancy, wit, and spot-on observations, and the writing is as easy and comfortable as a spring day in the Carolinas. The Bookbinder stands shoulder to shoulder with best writing from the South, echoing the work of Walker Percy and Shelby Foote."-Jeffrey Deaver, Author of The Cold Moon and The Vanished Man
• "Reading The Bookbinder is like taking a long walk with Jackie K Cooper as he helps us notice the grace and beauty in everyday life. Jackie weaves meaningful stories from the threads of the most simple moments of daily living."-Patti Callahan Henry, Bestselling author of When Light Breaks