Retired: What are you reading? Showing 5,251-5,300 of 5,490

[Cathrine ☯️]

Apologies, Those are used copies on Amazon.

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

Hi Lori, I found it by looking on the Press 53 website and they have a North Carolina/Appalachian section. Most of it is John Ehle but there are others and this one jumped out.

[Book Concierge]

Something Wicked This Way Comes – Ray Bradbury – 5*****
Bradbury was a master of suspense and sci-fi. Here he turns his imagination loose on every child’s dream – and nightmare. Who doesn’t love to be scared on a carnival ride? Like the best roller coaster, Bradbury S-L-O-W-L-Y drew me up the incline of suspense, dropped me into terror, and then evened out to let me catch my breath, only to realize there was another, steeper, incline ahead. When, finally, the ride was over I was giddy with relief … and wanted to “go again!”
LINK to my full review

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the country-noir


The Death of Sweet Mister by Daniel Woodrell
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished this fat slice of cheese


A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash
Rating: 3 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Faith]

My review of All God's Dangers: The Life of Nate Shaw by Theodore Rosengarten

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

https://www.queermusicheritage.com/ca...

This was posted on Lost Southern Voices. Capote is reading A thanksgiving visitor.

[Book Concierge]

How To Walk Away – Katherine Center – 3.5***
There are many kinds of “happily ever after…” I’d read one book by Center previously and I wasn’t all that impressed. So, I wasn’t expecting much more than a contemporary romance with possibly “relevant issues” for today’s woman thrown in. I was pleasantly surprised that my expectations were exceeded. Margaret’s journey is what kept me interested. She has many downs, and a few ups, but ultimately, she takes charge of her life in a way that is totally believable and had me cheering her on.
LINK to my full review

[Cheryl Carroll]

I'm working through some short stories, with the Kurt Vonnegut and William Faulkner book clubs that I'm in. Next month, I'm going to attempt Dicken's Nicholas Nickleby in preparation for the Welty at Home January 2023 read of The Optimist's Daughter.

I'm really excited about the Faulkner shorts, which I am calling the "Faulkner Aviation Series" for the WFBC on FB. I was able to find a rare book - normally priced around $120 - for only $42 with shipping! It is a 1985 first edition in EXCELLENT condition - Aviation Lore In Faulkner. My copy has a cover with Faulkner and airplanes on it, not the bland yellow cover of subsequent editions.

The Faulkner stories - "Death Drag", "Landing in Luck", "Turn About", and "All the Dead Pilots"

The Vonnegut stories - all from Welcome to the Monkey House "The Euphio Question", "D.P.", "Epicac", and "The Foster Portfolio"

[Book Concierge]

The Five Wounds – Kirstin Valdez Quade – 4.5****
What Quade’s characters share is that desire to “be someone else” and/or somewhere else, but no real means of achieving that. They dream, but are somehow powerless to change their circumstances, falling back on old patterns of behavior, afraid to let go of their past to head into the future. Despite how they infuriated me, and how often I wanted to just shake some sense into them, I wound up really loving these characters.
LINK to my full review

[Book Concierge]

Letters From Father Christmas – J R R Tolkien – 4****
This lovely volume duplicates the letters from Father Christmas which were sent to Tolkien’s children beginning in 1920 and continuing for the next twenty-three years. The letters relate the many adventures Father Christmas and his helpers – The North Polar Bear, elves, etc – have both in preparation for the big day and throughout the year. I much enjoyed the inventiveness of these missives and loved the hand-drawn illustrations.
LINK to my full review

[Book Concierge]

The Heartbreak Bakery – A R Capetta – 3***
A teen who is unsure which pronouns to use displays feelings through baking. At the outset, I had some difficulty with the constantly changing pronouns – not just Syd but Harley and others seem unsure which pronouns they prefer on any given day. But I got over this and began to enjoy this YA romance. Syd is a great character, and I liked how Capetta explored relationships and changing feelings and how we need to learn to communicate openly and honestly.
LINK to my full review

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished a book that my daughter is giving away


The Worst Class Trip Ever by Dave Barry
Rating: 2 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

Holly Jolly Cowboy – Jessica Clare – 3***
Totally predictable, given the genre, but hey, there are cute dogs in abundance, not to mention that hunky cowboy. And, of course, perky, optimistic Holly will bake and cook her way into his heart. Will there be bumps in the road to romance? How could there not be? Will there be tears shed and hearts broken? Certainly. Will there be a happy ending? No doubt. This Holiday Cowboy Romance is enjoyable at any season.
LINK to my full review

[Cheryl Carroll]

On the William Faulkner Book Club FB page, there is a post shared from Digital Yoknapatawpha about this being the publication anniversary of The Reivers in 1969. What's cool is that the group started commenting about the Steve McQueen movie adaptation. There is a podcast dedicated solely to McQueen, called "Speeding Bullitt". Here is the link to a December 2021 episode discussing Faulkner. The person being interviewed is Chris Rieger, Director of the Center for Faulkner Studies at Southeast Missouri State University!

https://speedingbullitt.libsyn.com/ep...
FND__AmYp9s7NqH4io2f8L8UqZY

[Book Concierge]

The Sweetness of Water – Nathan Harris – 5*****
In his debut work, Harris explores rural Georgia shortly after the end of the Civil War, when slaves had been emancipated and Union soldiers moved in to enforce the terms of surrender and “reconstruct” the South. Full of complex characters and gripping scenes that move the plot forward, this is a marvelous debut. Harris explores moral dilemmas and the difficulties of trying to do the right thing against a post-war upheaval and tension. He gives us characters with strong principles who can be blind to their flaws, some of whom overcome and some who give in to those weaknesses.
LINK to my full review

[Aniisha AnnaMaria]

I'm thoroughly enjoying the "Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mystery" series by Vicki Lane.

[Book Concierge]

Being Dead Is No Excuse – Gayden Metcalfe and Charlotte Hays – 3***
"The Official Southern Ladies Guide to Hosting the Perfect Funeral" is charming and has some great casserole recipes. Metcalfe and Hays have crafted a charming book on the etiquette of funerals in the South, specifically in the Delta, from the proper hymns to sing, to the use of Cream of Mushroom soup, to the power of the restorative cocktail. They sprinkle in a wealth of anecdotes on colorful friends and relatives who have had proper send-offs and give us the recipes to create our own funeral masterpieces. Funny and informative.
LINK to my full review

[B. R.]

Finished an enjoyable book today by Ross Macdonald, The Underground Man (p. 1971). It’s L.A. noir set circa 1970 featuring P.I. Lew Archer. My first book by Macdonald and I really enjoyed everything about the story. The book was given high praise by Eudora Welty of all people. You can find her 1971 review online at the New York Times.

[Book Concierge]

The Big Door Prize – M.O. Walsh – 3***
My F2F book club chose this book for discussion; I knew nothing going into it and expected a charming, quirky character-driven ensemble of small-town Southern America. I got some of that, certainly, but so much more. There are some pretty heavy issues here, including unrealized dreams, peer pressure, drug abuse, and grief. There are scenes that are introspective and give the reader some insight into what these characters are thinking. Other scenes are light-hearted and break the tension. And there are very dramatic scenes that made me afraid to look, and more afraid to look away.
LINK to my full review

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

We read My Sunshine Away a few years ago in this group BC. I loved that one, so may give this one a try.

[Cheryl Carroll]

[Cheryl Carroll]

For my GR buddies, you do not have to become a fb member to participate in this virtual, no cost event. If you would like to attend you will have to message me so that I can send you the zoom link when it becomes available (a few days before the meeting).

This is not an academic event, where you have to have read all of Faulkner and studied his work and researched themes, etc. It was suggested by Carl Rollyson, and then I was able to get the other scholars on board as well! This image is an intro to him, and I can share the others as they become available. You are welcome to message me with any questions. And if you do want to join the WFBC on fb, put "Cheryl Carroll GR buddy" in the answer field. 😉

[Cheryl Carroll]

This article from Lit Hub, by The Kudzu Queen author Mimi Herman, has some really good recs on southern literature with strong female characters.

Article: "Who Are Your People?" A Reading List of Strong, Spirited Southern Ladies. Mimi Herman recommends Alice Walker, Karen Russell, and more.

https://lithub.com/who-are-your-peopl...

[Lori]

Loved the article Cheryl. Thanks for sharing it. I hadn’t heard of The Cat and the Coffee Drinkers but now I want to read it.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

I thought that one sounds interesting, lori. If I can see it, it’s tiny print, there’s a copy online. It’s short. I may have my daughter read it to me, haha! Thanks Cheryl.

[Sara]

I added that one too, Lori. :O)

Thanks, Cheryl.

[Cheryl Carroll]

My pleasure, book buds. 📚💛

[Cheryl Carroll]

I am seriously excited for the Mod. choice novels selected by Tom for March and Diane for April. 😀

Tom's choice for Pop. 1280 is not on Hoopla or Libby, but there are some other intriguing Jim Thompson titles. Sharecropper Hell, which was originally published as Cropper's Cabin. Murder at the Bijou, which was originally published as Nothing More Than Murder. I have no idea what (if any) changes were made between the texts, other than the titles.

We read at least two Elmer Kelton books last year - The Time It Never Rained and The Good Old Boys. Here is the Final Impressions thread for that last one, where Howard, Diane and I discussed a buddy read for The Smiling Country. It looks spoiler safe enough, as the plot detail discussions are beneath the spoiler tag.
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

[Book Concierge]

Small Wonder – Barbara Kingsolver – 3.5***
This is a series of essays Kingsolver wrote in the year following the 9-11 attack on the World Trade Center. Kingsolver can come across as preachy, but she also writes elegant passages about the restorative power of connecting with nature. There’s plenty of horrible in the world still, but reading this book of essays reminds me of those things will can help relieve the terror, fear, anguish, and find joy and hope again. I read this as a book, and it’s due back at the library now, but I think this is a collection that would be good to have handy to read a chapter or two every once in a while
LINK to my full review

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the short story collection


Breakfast at Tiffany's and Three Stories by Truman Capote
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Cheryl Carroll wrote: "(Dear Mods -- I'm not sure where else to put this... please let me know if it should be cut and moved to another thread.)

There is a new documentary of William Faulkner called Faulkner: The Past i..."

We have an entire section dedicated entirely to Uncle Bill. I'd say that would be a great place to put it. I'll put up a catch-all board for anything Faulkner related.

[Cheryl Carroll]

Tom wrote: "Cheryl Carroll wrote: "(Dear Mods -- I'm not sure where else to put this... please let me know if it should be cut and moved to another thread.)

There is a new documentary of William Faulkner call..."

Thanks, Tom!

[Book Concierge]

The Opposite of Everyone – Joshilyn Jackson – 3.5***
I really like Jackson’s books. I love her quirky Southern characters, with their colorful sayings and folk wisdom. I frequently want to shake some sense into them, and more often want to sit down with them over a few glasses of wine and just get to know them better. However improbable the many coincidences, I bought this story hook-line-and-sinker. There is more than one broken character here, but they learn to rely on one another and take steps toward healing.
LINK to my full review

[Book Concierge]

High Tide In Tucson – Barbara Kingsolver - 4****
Kingsolver was already a successful novelist when this collection of essays was published. She relates her thoughts on family, home, politics, nature, social issues and personal responsibility with humor, compassion, wit and integrity. Her training as a scientist is evident, as is her talent as a poet.
LINK to my full review

[Book Concierge]

Bookish And the Beaast – Ashley Poston – 3***
Book number three in the Once Upon a Con series can easily be read as a standalone. Rosie Thorne, high school senior and geek girl bookworm, and Hollywood bad boy Vance Reigns, who plays the villain in the Starfield movies, are the lead couple. It’s a YA romance, full of the drama of homecoming, friends, frenemies, gossip, the pitfalls of social media, and a bit of Comic-Con nerdiness thrown in. I can certainly see the appeal for the intended audience.
LINK to my full review

[Book Concierge]

The Four Winds – Kristin Hannah – 4****
As she did in The Nightingale , Hannah uses female characters to tell a bit of the history of a time and place. In this work, the timeframe is 1920s to mid-1930s, and the place is America, specifically the Great Plains and California. I loved the three central women in the books: Elsa, her daughter Loreda, and her mother-in-law Rosa. Very reminiscent of Steinbeck’s masterpiece The Grapes of Wrath
LINK to my full review

[Cathrine ☯️]

Miss Benson's Beetle

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Lawson]

I am reading the multi volume life of Dostoevsky by Joseph Frank. I am also rereading the books mentioned in his volumes. Hefty challenge but something I needed to do. I have done something similar with Faulkner , my other favorite author.

[Book Concierge]

The Chicken Sisters – K J Dell’Antonia – 3.5***
Two competing chicken restaurants founded a century ago by sisters are the subject of a reality-TV “food war.” In addition to the long-running family feud continues with a current “feud” of sorts between sisters Amanda and Mae. There are some family secrets that come out, a new hunky chef, a manipulative TV producer who wants more conflict, and more than one effort to sabotage the competition which all serve to keep the plot moving forward with surprises, twists and insights into the family dynamic. There can only be ONE winner of “Food Wars” and in this case, it’s the reader.
LINK to my full review

[isuhefu]

Intruder in the Dust, by William Faulkner. In fact: Intruso en el polvo, in Spanish, excelent traslation anyway. :D

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished


Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

Southern? I'm not sure, more like Southwestern. But then again Cather was born in Virginia...

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "I finished


Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather
Rating: 4 stars/..."

I'd consider her western. If I'm not mistaken, most of her writing is based in and around Nebraska. Death Comes for the Archbishop is definitely my favorite.

[Lawson]

I am reading Mussolini by Christopher Hibbert to gain an insight about fascism and its effects, as I am concerned about present day circumstances.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the Southern Noir/Grit Lit novel


Father and Son by Larry Brown
Rating: 4 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Book Concierge]

The Coyotes of Carthage – Steven Wright – 4****
Andre Ross has one more shot to salvage his career as a hotshot political consultant. Sent to a backwater community in South Carolina, he’s tasked with passing an initiative that no one has even considered. I found this riveting and informative. I could not help but think of our current political climate and the way the populace is manipulated by the message.
LINK to my full review

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

sound like a good candidate for a group read.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

I finished the MASSIVE Pulitzer Prize-winning single-volume history of the American Civil War


Battle Cry of Freedom by James M. McPherson
Rating: 5 stars
Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

and I started reading a book that probably everyone but me has already read, or maybe it just seems that way


Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand

[Sue]

Congrats on finishing that, R.J. It has been on my list for quite a long time. Maybe I will finally get to it.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

Sue wrote: "Congrats on finishing that, R.J. It has been on my list for quite a long time. Maybe I will finally get to it."

It was really good. I had to break it down to one chapter per weekend but even then it was a LOT of reading. The history is so condensed that I didn't feel like I could skim even one sentence, and I found myself re-reading portions and also looking up people and events online for additional context.

There's definitely a "Yankee" slant to the narrative, if that bothers anyone. But I guess they say history is written by the winners.