Biography
In her 30 years as a newspaper columnist, Ina Hughs has focused on issues involving human rights, children, women's concerns, religion and the environment. She has three grown children: a teacher; a computer programmer; and a speech and language pathologist. Divorced after 30 years of marriage, she now lives in a cabin on a cove off of the Tennessee River and has recently taken up painting. She has received numerous awards over the years, but says her real success comes from making readers think or laugh or to have something to discuss at the dinner table.-
Ina Hughs: Pilot's story makes thrilling read in 'Becoming Clementine'
Published 05/18/2013 at 2:29 p.m.
I didn’t meet Velva Jean Hart until she became a World War II fighter pilot.
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Ina Hughs: Entertainment has become too lazy
Published 05/15/2013 at 3 a.m.
An 8-year-old brought down the house last Friday night when our church held its annual Show and Share Evening.
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Ina Hughs: Margaret Atwood finds more behind well-known stories
Published 05/11/2013 at 2:44 p.m.
Canadian poet and writer Margaret Atwood knows how to turn a phrase, how to tell a good story, and how to go for the jugular. She’s probably best known for novels like “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Cat’s Eye,” but it ...
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Ina Hughs: Racism, religion link random thoughts
Published 05/08/2013 at 3 a.m.
Some things to think about:
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Ina Hughs: Judging generations on what matters
Published 05/04/2013 at 11:09 a.m.
Every older generation is critical of the younger generation; clucking its tongue over how awful their music is, how bad their manners, how unattractive their clothes or their hair or their slang words or their messy rooms, or whatever.
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Ina Hughs: Wet weather makes some feel right as rain
Published 05/01/2013 at 3 a.m.
If April showers bring May flowers, what do May flowers bring?
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Ina Hughs: Objects are stories solidified
Published 04/27/2013 at 2:24 p.m.
Years ago an older couple in our church invited my youngest child to dinner. Just her. She was 5 at the time. I worried that, turned loose without parental supervision, Claire would either clam up or turn silly and annoying.
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Ina Hughs: Pull together before and after tragedies
Published 04/24/2013 at 3 a.m.
As for sad events in the news last week, it might help to be reminded of a story the Rev. Fred Rogers — “Mr. Rogers” to generations of children — told about his mother.
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Ina Hughs: Louis J. Rodriguez bio gets real about street life
Published 04/20/2013 at 4:03 p.m.
The poet Henry David Thoreau was right: the disenfranchised among us often lead lives of quiet desperation. Sometimes, however, that desperation isn’t quiet. Sometimes it’s loud and destructive; sometimes that combination of rage and boredom and dead-end dreams explodes into ...
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Ina Hughs: April's warm beauty wins hearts again
Published 04/17/2013 at 3 a.m.
It always seems to happen overnight.
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Local reads: What's new from Knox-area authors
Published 02/02/2013 at noon
Our listing of local books — from East Tennessee writers or about the area — continues today from last week's Books page.
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What's new on the bookshelf from and about East Tennesseans
Published 01/26/2013 at 1 p.m.
For local authors in East Tennessee, reading and writing have added up to a good number of recently published books. Here, in no particular order, is a sampling. More will be featured next Sunday.
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Roundup of local books
Published 06/16/2012 at 1 p.m.
East Tennessee's prolific authors have produced another batch of books for and about the region. In no certain order are the latest local books to cross my desk.
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Ina Hughs: PCing ourselves into silence
Published 05/12/2012 at 6 p.m.
With all the words in the English language to choose from, making fun of the New York Board of Education's list of "banned" words might be making a mountain out of a molehill. But it's tempting.
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East Tennessee authors produce mix of titles
Published 03/17/2012 at 2 p.m.
Our occasional round-up of local book titles and authors continues today from last Sunday's Books page. In no particular order are more books of local interest.
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Ina Hughs: Education can strengthen beliefs
Published 03/14/2012 at 4 a.m.
Having been born into a family that valued education, I'm perplexed by Rick Santorum's comment that going to college isn't the worthy dream most Americans deserve but that it turns you into an elite snob.
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East Tennessee authors tackle diverse topics in latest crop of local books
Published 03/10/2012 at 3 p.m.
Knoxville was recently named one of the "best read" cities in the country, so it pretty much follows that we are one of the most write-er-ly.
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East Tennessee authors a prolific bunch
Published 10/08/2011 at 2 p.m.
We continue today with synopses of books written by East Tennessee writers, or those written about East Tennessee. Last Sunday's Books page also featured recent releases.
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Local books: What's new from East TN authors
Published 10/01/2011 at noon
Reading and writing are big pastimes in East Tennessee, an area known for its literary achievements and storytelling skills. The News Sentinel congratulates all local writers who have recently been published, as well as writers who have chosen these mountains ...
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Terrance Hayes talks at UT Wednesday about poetry and its effects
Published 09/17/2011 at 2 p.m.
One of the things Terrance Hayes likes most about who he is and what he does is that it is so very resistant to definitions.
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