Jackson: The Good Life (Urban Tapestry Series)

"When pressed by the question, 'Well, what is so great about Jackson?' we're stuck for superlatives. We don't have the South's tallest buildings or the largest population or the most money. Yet, there are hundreds, maybe thousands, of things about this town that we like, or we wouldn't bother to live here."

So says our storyteller and broadcaster Walt Grayson in Jackson: The Good Life as he sets out to name a few of the many elements that make his adopted hometown such a fascinating place. It's a crossroads city, where cultures merge and creative forces are born. It's also the state capital, with all the power and prestige that comes with being the seat of Mississippi's government.

Put these forces together, writes Grayson, and you end up with a city that is rich and diverse-- "a big old country town" that is quickly outgrowing its Deep South roots to become one of the New South's most desirable locales.

Aided by hundreds of outstanding images collected by photography editor Gib Ford. Grayson creates a mosaic of tales and images that help define what makes Jackson such a special place to call home.

"Only when you put all of the parts together does a total picture emerge." Grayson concludes, "It's like experiencing a kaleidoscope: It's the overall pattern formed from all of the many changing colors that you're really seeing." Take a closer look, and you too can experience the good life that Grayson and his fellow Jacksonians already know so well.