Tennessee Voices, Episode 231: Lynn Walker Gendusa, author of 'Southern Comfort'
Today, Tennessee is a magnet for transplants across the continent, but there are still people who can trace their to roots back before statehood in 1796.
Both sides of Lynn Walker Gendusa's family helped settle Monterey in Putnam County, which is nearly equidistant from Knoxville and Nashville.
Gendusa worked as an interior designer for most of her life, but she became a newspaper columnist and book author because she came from a family of storytellers. She has frequently written for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee.
On this episode of the Tennessee Voices podcast, Gendusa discussed her East Tennessee roots and her latest book "Southern Comfort: Stories of Family, Friendship, Fiery Trials, and Faith," which published in September.
When we talked about what it means to be from the South, she said, to her, it's about making a pie for someone who is sick, making a quilt for someone who is cold or growing flowers in your garden for the church altar.
Yet, Gendusa does not shy away from tough subjects, including depression, which she lives with; polarization in America; and fallen American soldiers.
She said while a daily medicine has helped, what lifts her up daily is her faith.
Editor's note: This podcast episode discusses suicide. If you or a loved one are at risk, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.
Op-Ed by Lynn Walker Gendusa: Gathering our slings and stones to slay modern beasts
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About Tennessee Voices
The Tennessee Voices videocast is a 20-minute program, which started in March 2020 and invites leaders, thinkers and innovators who have written guest columns for a USA TODAY Network Tennessee publication to share their insights and wisdom with me and our viewers.
Please email your ideas for future guests to me at dplazas@tennessean.com. Thank you for watching.
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David Plazas is the director of opinion and engagement for the USA TODAY Network Tennessee and an editorial board member of The Tennessean. Tweet to him at @davidplazas.
This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: The power of storytelling to heal with Lynn Walker Gendusa: Video
