On the Southern Literary Trail discussion
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General Bookishness
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Retired: What are you reading?
Mod
I added it. That looks interesting.
The Loop - about the wolves in the Western states and the conflicts between ranchers and wolf biologists. Written by the author of the Horse Whisperer, Nicholas Evans. Great writing.
Precious And Grace – Alexander McCall Smith – 3***
Book # 17 in the hugely popular “No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency” series, has Mma Precious Ramotswe and her “co-director” Mma Grace Makutsi at loggerheads once again over updating office practices vs relying on tried and true methods. I love this series. I enjoy spending time with these people, though I rather missed Mr J L B Matekoni who barely appears in this episode. Mma Ramotswe can always be relied upon to consider carefully the underlying motives and various options for dealing with any problem. While Mma Makutsi is frequently the one to rush forward, perhaps jumping to the wrong conclusion, or arriving at the right answer but for the wrong reason!
My full review HERE
You do not need to be a fisher-person to enjoy this one. Stories from some of our favorite southern writers.
Gather at the River: Twenty-Five Authors on Fishinghttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Stones For Ibarra – Harriet Doerr – 3.5***
An American couple arrive in the remote mountain village of Ibarra, Mexico to reopen the copper mine his grandfather abandoned some fifty years previously. Clash of cultures. Very atmospheric. I loved the depictions of festivals and traditions. Several subplots involve the residents of the town, their lives, loves, disappointments and joys.
My full review HERE
Rachel To the Rescue – Elinor Lipman – 3.5**** (rounded up)
Rachel Klein, unceremoniously fired from her job in the White House Office of Records Management (WHORM), as a result of a drunken tweet voicing her frustrations, gets hit by a speeding SUV on her way out of the Executive Office Building. Turns out the driver is a “close friend of the President” … let the fun begin! A delightfully fast read, a joy of a rom-com.
My full review HERE
I started reading a book about a good ol' Alabama boy who served in the WWII Pacific Theater; this book was used as the basis for the HBO miniseries "The Pacific"
With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa by Eugene B. Sledge
Save Me the Plums – Ruth Reichl – 4****
Subtitle: My Gourmet Memoir. Reichl has written before about her time as a food critic and about her mother, here she tackles the years she spent as editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine. I love her writing. It is nothing short of delicious. She is open, honest and insightful. She writes about not just what happened but how she felt about what was happening. And, as usual, she really excels when writing about food. I may have gained 10 pounds just reading it!
My full review HERE
I started reading the fourth installment in the Vampire Chronicles series: 
The Tale of the Body Thief by Anne Rice
Mod
I finished the first book in the Dave Robicheaux series:
The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Send For Me – Lauren Fox – 3***
This is an historical fiction work set both in 1930s Germany and in contemporary Wisconsin, that tells the one family’s story. There were parts of the novel I really liked, when I was completely engaged and caught up in the story. But there were other parts that just fell flat for me. I think this is my fault; I am just so over the dual timeline in historical fiction.
My full review HERE
L.A. Weather – María Amparo Escandón – 3.5*** Rounded up
This is a funny, engaging, endearing novel that looks at a year in the life of one affluent Mexican-American family. It starts with a near tragedy and the characters (and reader) hardly have time to recover from that event when yet another crisis looms, and before long everyone in the family is spinning and bouncing from issue to issue, like balls in an out-of-balance pinball machine. The winds, drought and fires add more tension to the family’s internal strife, and ultimately help them focus on the things they CAN change, rather that what they have no control over. They still make bad decisions, and there is no HEA ending, but I was completely invested in these characters by the end, and I want more!
My full review HERE
Midnight at the Blackbird Cafe by Heather Webber★★★
Although this book was marketed as magical realism like Sarah Addison Allen's works, it was actually magical realism-lite. However, the enjoyment of this book comes not from magical realism, but from the characters that live in this qwirky Southern town and are often customers of the Blackbird Café. The book is well-written even if some of the dialogue is smarmy at times. Themes included are friendship, family, and forgiveness. This book would appeal to anyone who enjoys Hallmark movies since the book contains many of the tropes that one would find in their films. For a full review, please click here.
Can't win 'em all ...
Dancing In the Lowcountry – James Villas – 1.5*
I was hoping for a charming, “old Southern lady” romp of a story. Instead, I got a tedious, repetitive meander that went nowhere. I did like all the references to the music of the ‘40s and ‘50s. I’ll give him an extra ½ star for that, though it wasn’t enough to save the book for me.
My full review HERE
The House of Broken Angels – Luis Alberto Urrea – 3.5***
A large Mexican-American family plans a get-together for the patriarch’s birthday. I have read two of Urrea’s novels previously and am a fan of his writing. He peoples the work with a wide variety of characters and balances tender scenes against highly comic ones or anxiety-producing tragic occurrences. I do wish I had had a family tree handy, however.
LINK to my full review
Young Jane Young – Gabrielle Zevin – 4****
The novel is divided into five sections, each narrated by a different character: Rachel, Jane, Ruby, Embeth and Aviva. The basic plot is that a young woman gets a job interning with a congressman, and then begins an affair with him. Can you forgive yourself your youthful mistakes? Can you recover from such a public humiliation? Will you make further bad decisions to compound the problem? Or will you be able to put it behind you and go forward with grace and dignity and courage? Will the public let you? This is a wonderful exploration of the ways in which women deal with such personal disasters.
LINK to my full review
One of my favorite writers comes up with a new favorite on my shelves.
Every Cloak Rolled in Bloodhttps://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Mod
I saved this today to have to read before reading his newest book.
https://www.jamesleeburke.com/a-lette...
Well that made me cry Laura. Thank you so much. I had previously read some of the lines from that beautiful piece, perhaps in a blog post, but the whole of it is something else. What a lovely tribute.In his ending comments in the book he states that Pamala "literally" helped him write the last few pages.
I have a dear friend who lost her only son 10 years ago in a tragic accident. She of course has never been the same and says a day does not go by that she doesn't think about him. Every time her phone rings, she thinks about that night she got the call.
Mod
I was thinking the same thing and wondering how much longer we will have some of these great writers to turn to. Almost a week doesn't go by anymore where I don't hear of someone passing who was a great influence or delight with their work or talent in my life. It's a perfect piece to read before opening the pages to this latest offering.
Burke is such an amazing writer. He puts his heart and soul into his work. Especially what he’s written since Katrina.
Mod
Same here, Diane. I do think the hardest thing in the world might be the loss of a child.
Another book for my TBR mountain. Thanks for the link to Burke’s letter. This would be a new author for me.
Laura wrote: "CathrineI saved this today to have to read before reading his newest book.
https://www.jamesleeburke.com/a-lette..."
Thank you so much for sharing that.
The Women’s March – Jennifer Chiaverini – 4****
The novel focuses on the women who risked their liberty, and their lives, to win the vote for women, including women of color. Chiaverini focuses on three of the most important suffragists of the day: Alice Paul, Maud Malone, and Ida B Wells-Barnett, to tell the story. The chapters alternate between these three central figures, showing how each approached the issue and the unique challenges each faced. The scenes of the march itself, and the near disaster it became are harrowing. While the novel itself is interesting and engaging, I really enjoyed the author’s notes, where Chiaverini gives more details on what happened after the march. As of this writing, the Equal Rights Amendment is NOT yet ratified.
LINK to my full review
Our Lady of Perpetual Hunger – Lisa Donovan – 3.5***
Donovan is a chef and award-winning essayist who has worked in a number of celebrated restaurant kitchens throughout the South. This is her memoir. Her passion and focus has been on desserts but she knows her way around the entire kitchen. Her journey from Army brat to single mother to just-another-restaurant-worker to pastry star is interesting, and she tells her story with insight and honesty.
LINK to my full review
I'm going to put this up for August post 1990 read - The Southern Book Club's Guide to Slaying Vampires
I haven't read it, but our group here is so lively that I think we'd get a kick out of imagining ourselves into the fiction!
Well, you can't get any farther "South" than Antarctica ...
How the Penguins Saved Veronica – Hazel Prior – 3.5***
Veronica McCreedy is an eighty-five-year-old woman who is inspired by a documentary on penguins to visit Antarctica. After all, she can’t leave her fortune to her recently discovered grandson, as he is an unemployed pot-smoker! The plot is outlandish and unrealistic but completely engaging and heart-warming. Veronica reminds me of many other cranky, outspoken elderly main characters (Ove and Olive Kitteridge, to name two). Everyone learns a lesson or two about cooperation and teamwork, and about opening one’s heart to the possibility of love.
LINK to my full review
Mod
Hey, everybody, sorry I have not been so active lately in the group. Summer is the busiest time of the year here as a gardener and I have been concentrating on my arts and crafts during down time. Hope ya'll are healthy and happy! Miss chatting, will return as soon as I can. Sending love and hugs!!
Mod
Nice to see you, T.Rose. I love when the reason a person is absent is just because they have so much life to fill up they can't fit GR in. Happy summer!
The Extraordinary Life of Sam Hell This novel is absolutely incredible. If anyone plans to read it, I would love to engage in discussion after you're done!
Sam is born with "ocular albinism", which is a rare condition effecting males. It causes the eyes to be pale pink or reddish. The present story is set in 1989 when Sam is 32, but it goes back and forth from there to his childhood. The bullying that he endured is so incredibly cruel. His mother is Catholic, he was sent to Catholic schooling, and Sam wrestles often with questions of God's will. It is just so, so good! I can't wait to have someone else to talk about it with!
I have had it on my Kindle for a long time now, Cheryl. Lord knows when I will get to it, but you have made me want to push it up the line.
I enjoyed reading the Sam Hell book very much, as I recall. I didn’t write a review only because it was read before I joined Goodreads.
I am finishing THE WIDE NET by Eudora Welty, as part of the Welty at Home Virtual Book Club. I am very interested in her writing, and think I will do ROBBER BRIDEGROOM next. In preparation for that, I saw that "robber bridegroom" is a Grimm fairy tale.
Dudes and dudettes -- am I the only one who's noticed how much cannibalism there is in Grimm?
Good grief! Someone's always eating someone! I wonder if that was based on historical occurrences, or just part of the terror-technique for the stories?
A Literary History of MississippiLorie forwarded me this article, in response to my request for info on immigrant experiences in the south.
"The Legacy of the Mississippi Delta Chinese"
NPR Special Series, "Our Land"
03/18/2017
https://www.npr.org/2017/03/18/519017...
I finished the fourth book in the Vampire Chronicles series:
The Tale of the Body Thief by Anne Rice
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and I started reading a short story collection by the late great William Gay:
I Hate to See That Evening Sun Go Down: Collected Stories by William Gay
The National Association of Scholars has a Great American Novel series that is free and virtual! They have previously covered HANNAH COULTER by Wendell Berry -- https://www.nas.org/blogs/media/video...Their upcoming sessions are on Tuesdays, 2pm - 330pm EST. However, there is one Friday session on August 5 for AS I LAY DYING. Robert Hamblin will be one of the speakers! Future sessions include HUCK FINN, BELOVED, THE AGE OF INNOCENCE, THE GREAT GATSBY, CATCHER IN THE RYE, THE LAST OF THE MOHICANS, TYPEE (Herman Melville), THE SUN ALSO RISES, THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER (Poe), THE VIRGINIAN (Owen Wister), THE MALTESE FALCON (Dashiell Hammett), THE BIG SLEEP (Raymond Chandler). https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/great-a...
Interest in the BELOVED webinar from The Great American Novel Series is so strong that I created a FB event page for it. So, if any of you are going you are welcome to comment on the novel there. I really hope to have a lively discussion on it. Belovedhttps://fb.me/e/3wxFpjTN9
I’ve been reading The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris. He writes so beautifully I have to pause at times just to let passages flow through me.
Vicki, my Bookclub read The Sweetness of Water. We all found it hard to believe the author was so young. It was a wonderful book.
I am listening to The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, and really enjoying it!
Reading Up a Storm – Eva Gates – 3***
Book number three in the Lighhouse Library Mystery series. Cozy mysteries are my go-to comfort reads and this doesn’t disappoint. They’re fast and fun and I love Lucy’s cat, Charles Dickens!
LINK to my full review
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On the Southern Literary Trail
Books mentioned in this topic
Happy Land (other topics)Take My Hand (other topics)
Happy Land (other topics)
Happy Land (other topics)
Somewhere Toward Freedom: Sherman's March and the Story of America's Largest Emancipation (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Bennett Parten (other topics)Wes Browne (other topics)
Hubert Skidmore (other topics)
Mark Twain (other topics)
Delia Owens (other topics)
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Also, Maud Newton’s Ancestor Trouble. Highly recommended!!