A former Auburn University religion professor gave a lecture on his newest piece of literature in the Libraries Special Collections and Archive Department of the Ralph Brown Draughon Library Tuesday.
James M. Dawsey is the author of the novel "Masters and Savages," published by Mercer University Press.
Dawsey said he worked on this novel on and off for years, but the rule of thumb for writing a first novel and getting published is eight to 10 years.
"When I got my novel accepted and published it was a big accomplishment," Dawsey said. "I have written and published several academic articles and books, but there is a level of excitement with 'Masters and Savages' because it is my first novel to be published."
"Masters and Savages" was published in June 2009 and is a fictional story of a Civil War survivor and ship captain, Witfield Stone.
"A story is more open-ended and pointing beyond itself," Dawsey said. "Having written academic books this was an area of history I have been wanting to deal with for a long time."
In the novel, the main character, Stone, despises slavery, but transports contract laborers from Africa to Brazil. He does this for his father and the rebuilding of the Southern Land and Immigration Society, who lost their fortunes in America when slavery was abolished. Stone's mindset is formed in the novel by dealing with conflicts such as rebellion of the laborers, horrendous weather and pursuing British warships.
"This book could be understood on a couple different levels," said Richard Penaskovic, professor in the Department of Philosophy. "It could be looked at as a simple story of a slave ship going to the new world, but also on a theological level in terms of why bad things happen to good people and the unexplainable evil in this world."
According to Dawsey, he has lectured at major universities, churches and other venues in the United States, Europe and Latin America.
"The deep truths are carried by stories," Dawsey said. "I am really interested in stories, so it is not a surprise to me that the religious figures I am interested in, like Jesus, basically talk in stories."
According to Dawsey's business card, he is an author, speaker and in spiritual renewal. He is also Wolfe Chair of Religious Studies at Emory and Henry College in Virginia.
Dawsey has written other works about history and theology such as "The Confederados: Old South Immigrants in Brazil" and "From Wasteland to Promised Land: Liberation Theology for a Post-Marxist World."
"The Confederados" are papers and letters of Confederate ex-patriots who left the United States following the Civil War and went to Brazil," said Dwayne Cox, head of Special Collections and Archives. "Through Dawsey and his brothers, those letters came here to Auburn University's library."
Dawsey's discussion is just one of many presented and filmed for archive use at Auburn.
"These book talks are sponsored by the Center for Arts and Humanities, the library and the University bookstore," Cox said. "All are welcome to attend because they go hand and hand with the 'Discover Auburn' lecture series."
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