Now accepting nominations for June, 2020, Group Reads

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

It's that time again. Please post your nominations for books either before 1980 or after 1980. Nominations will close in one week or when we have received 6 nominations in each category, whichever comes first.

Nominations are now closed.

Pre-1980 Nominations
1. Vein of Iron, by Ellen Glasgow
2. Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Greene
3. Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston
4. Absalom, Absalom!, by William Faulkner
5. Now in November, by Josephine Winslow Johnson
6. The Selected Stories of O. Henry

Post-1980 Nominations
1. Blackwood, by Michael Farris Smith
2. The Devil's Dream, by Lee Smith
3. Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns
4. An American Marriage, by Tayari Jones
5. Shadow Country, by Peter Matthiessen
6. Tomorrow's Bread, by Anna Jean Mayhew

[Kim]

Blackwood by Michael Farris Smith post-1980.

[John]

This was the book I was going to recommend!

[Judi]

Question before submitting nominations. Is Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole considered pre 1980 or post 1980? It was written years before his death, finally published in 1981. Thanks.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Judi wrote: "Question before submitting nominations. Is Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole considered pre 1980 or post 1980? It was written years before his death, finally published in 1981. Thanks."

It was read by the group as a Post-1980 selection in July 2017 so it is eligible for nomination in that category.

[Tina]

Post 1980:
The Devil's Dream

"She writes lyric, luminous prose; her craft is so strong it becomes transparent, and, like the best of storytellers, she knows how to get out of the way so that the story can tell itself."
SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE
Moses Bailey, a preacher's son, forbade his fiddle-loving wife Kate Malone to play. But while he was gone on his travels, looking for God, Kate couldn't help herself, and began fiddling for her three children. For the love of music, Kate is willing to defy anyone who tries to stop her. From generation to generation, the gift and love of music cannot be stopped, and no Malone is immune from its spell.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Pre-1980: VEIN OF IRON by Ellen Glasgow. This is available on Kindle for 99¢.

[Tina]

Pre Internet:
Summer of My German Soldier

Minutes before the train pulled into the station in Jenkinsville, Arkansas, Patty Bergen knew something exciting was going to happen. But she never could have imagined that her summer would be so memorable. German prisoners of war have arrived to make their new home in the prison camp in Jenkinsville. To the rest of her town, these prisoners are only Nazis. But to Patty, a young Jewish girl with a turbulent home life, one boy in particular becomes an unlikely friend. Anton relates to Patty in ways that her mother and father never can. But when their forbidden relationship is discovered, will Patty risk her family and town for the understanding and love of one boy

[Judi]

Tom wrote: "Judi wrote: "Question before submitting nominations. Is Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole considered pre 1980 or post 1980? It was written years before his death, finally published in 198..."
Thanks Tom

[Judi]

For the Pre 1980 June 2020 read I would like to nominate Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner 1936

For the Post 1980 June 2020 read I would like to nominate Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns 1984

[Jacob]

New to the group, but I really enjoyed Zora Neale Hurston's, "Their Eyes Were Watching God." Pre-1980

[Book Concierge]

POST 1980
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones

Newlyweds, Celestial and Roy, are the embodiment of both the American Dream and the New South. He is a young executive and she is artist on the brink of an exciting career. They are settling into the routine of their life together, when they are ripped apart by circumstances neither could have imagined. Roy is arrested and sentenced to twelve years for a crime Celestial knows he didn’t commit. Though fiercely independent, Celestial finds herself bereft and unmoored, taking comfort in Andre, her childhood friend, and best man at their wedding. This stirring story is a deeply insightful look into the hearts and minds of three people who are at once bound and separated by forces beyond their control.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Kim wrote: "Blackwood by Michael Farris Smith post-1980."

Blackwood, by Michael Farris Smith, a longtime friend of the Trail, is nominated. This book was first released last month.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Diane wrote: "Pre-1980: VEIN OF IRON by Ellen Glasgow. This is available on Kindle for 99¢."



Vein of Iron, by Ellen Glasgow, is nominated. I love the title.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Tina wrote: "Post 1980:
The Devil's Dream is nominated.

I really enjoyed Fair and Tender Ladies.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Jacob wrote: "New to the group, but I really enjoyed Zora Neale Hurston's, "Their Eyes Were Watching God." Pre-1980"

Their Eyes Were Watching God, by Zora Neale Hurston is nominated. I read this last year. It's a magnificent book.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Tina wrote: "Pre Internet:
Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Greene.." is nominated.

At the risk of dating myself, this came out when I was in high school and I have wanted to read it ever since.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Judi wrote: "For the Pre 1980 June 2020 read I would like to nominate Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner 1936

For the Post 1980 June 2020 read I would like to nominate Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns 1984"

Absalom, Absalom! doesn't appear to have been read by the group since 2012. It is well overdue. It is nominated.

Cold Sassy Tree, by Olive Ann Burns is nominated. I checked this one as Want to Read at some point in the past. A brief look at the description makes it clear why I did.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Book Concierge wrote: "POST 1980
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones" is nominated. This sounds like a powerful book.

[Nic]

Has this group read Shadow Country by Peter Matthiessen? If not, I’d like to nominate it

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Nic, we read Shadow Country way back in 2012, and it remains one of my favorite books in this group. By all means, another nomination is due.

[Erin]

Tom wrote: "Judi wrote: "For the Pre 1980 June 2020 read I would like to nominate Absalom, Absalom! by William Faulkner 1936

For the Post 1980 June 2020 read I would like to nominate Cold Sassy Tree by Olive ..."

"Cold Sassy Tree" is a charming light read, a family tale full of colorful characters.

[Kathryn in FL]

I nominate

Now in November by Johnson, Josephine Winslow for pre 1980

Post 1980 Tomorrow's Bread by Anna Jean Mayhew

[Kathryn in FL]

"Book Concierge wrote: "POST 1980
An American Marriage by Tayari Jones" is nominated. This sounds like a powerful book."

This was a 5 star for me. I still think about it more than 2 years later, the imagery is profoundly vivid. I'd read it again for sure.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

I'm going to wrap this up by nominating The Selected Stories of O. Henry as the final nomination for the Pre-1980 category.

Nominations are now closed. I'll get the poll up as soon as possible.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

The Polls are up and running for the June selections. Thanks to all of you who nominated and to all of you who participate.

For the Pre-1980 poll, Vote here!

For the Post-1980 poll, Vote here!

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Just a little heads up. The Mod choice for June is Blackwood by Michael Farris Smith. He has been gracious enough to agree to do a Q and A with us. So I wanted to make sure you had plenty of time to get hold of his book and be ready to ask some questions as we read along in June. I’ve already read it twice so it’s one you don’t want to miss.

[Tina]

Laura, I can’t wait.