Unbound Edition Press today announced it will publish Willard Spiegelman’s memoir, My (Lucky) Stars. The title is scheduled for publication in October 2026.
Spiegelman is the Hughes Professor of English, Emeritus, at Southern Methodist University in Dallas, and the former longtime editor-in-chief of the Southwest Review. He is the author of many books on English and American poetry, plus two volumes of personal essays. His most recent work is Nothing Stays Put: The Life and Poetry of Amy Clampitt (Alfred A. Knopf). He is a widely regarded contributor to the arts and books pages of The Wall Street Journal.
In My (Lucky) Stars, Spiegelman–a lifelong lover of language and performance–weaves an unconventional memoir by recalling the entertainers who shaped his sensibility. From Patsy Cline to Gilbert & Sullivan to Al Jolson, Spiegelman celebrates the middlebrow culture that thrived mid-century and endures today.
Ben Fountain, best-selling author, most recently of Rasputin Swims the Potomac, said: “Spiegelman beautifully and pleasurably (for lucky readers!) makes the case for the usefulness and even necessity of ‘middle-brow’ entertainments, offering as proof the singers, composers, and performers whose work, to paraphrase the author, mitigates pain, mollifies hardship, and refreshes the spirit. This buoyant, big-hearted book speaks with rare good sense and eloquence about what’s essential for living a full and happy life.”
Peter Campion, executive editor at Unbound Edition Press, acquired the title for the house, and is editing the work. He notes: “This book returns our own culture to us with all its vigor and surprise. Like those artists he honors, Spiegelman is both brilliant and thoroughly entertaining. His essays are simply indispensable.”
Patrick Davis, publisher and editor in chief at Unbound Edition Press, said, “Sometimes the greatest dissent in a cruel world is an act of pure joy. That is what Spiegelman’s remarkable volume brings to readers deeply needing relief from today’s worries.”
