Retired: What are you reading? Showing 5,301-5,350 of 5,490

[Cheryl Carroll]

RJ - Slayer of Trolls wrote: "I finished the MASSIVE Pulitzer Prize-winning single-volume history of the American Civil War


Battle Cry of Freedom by [author:James M. McPhers..."

I LOVE James McPherson! I have several of his books, and listen to his online lectures. I also like to listen to HW Brands.

[Cheryl Carroll]

Home from the Hill

I just found out about the author William Humphrey, through the Faulkner group on fb. I'm very interested in reading this, especially because of this on Wikipedia:
Humphrey wrote 13 books, including five novels, collections of short stories and a memoir. His first novel, Home from the Hill, was made into a 1960 MGM film. While the movie betrays the original intent of the author, and Humphrey claimed never to have seen it, the sale of the movie rights enabled the struggling Humphrey family to pursue a literary life. His second novel, The Ordways, was reviewed by the 'New York Times as "Funny, vivid and moving, this is a fine piece of work and a delight to read," and was compared to the writings of William Faulkner and Mark Twain. His books received high praise when they were first published, even from fellow writers. He went on to publish a dozen more books.
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Humphrey wrote fiction that addressed the Southern past. He once asserted, “I am a destroyer of myths. My whole work has shown the danger and falseness of myths..[especially] the myth of the South” (“Notes on the Orestia,” 38; MS at Harry Ransom Humanities Research Center, University of Texas at Austin).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William...

[Tsung-Hua]

As I mentioned before, I am reading "The Traitor" by Thomas Dixon Jr. and translating it into Chinese. It is a broad Southern novel that is very racially discriminatory. However, in terms of understanding the history and race relations of the South, there are many interesting aspects to this book.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Well, you've got me interested Cheryl. I never heard of Wliiliam Humphrey.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Cheryl
https://georgiacenterforthebook.org/o...

Would you ask your group if they have heard of Borden deal who was from outside of Oxford, in New Albany, Mississippi. I have yet to find a group that knows much about him. Howard knows some but he had a ton of books but has been “forgotten”

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

That sounds terrific Cheryl. It's great when authors are rediscovered. Borden Deal is fabulous and I've got high hopes for William Humphrey.

[Book Concierge]

Plantation Shudders – Ellen Byron – 3***
Book one in the Cajun Country cozy mystery series introduces the reader to Maggie Crozat and her family, who run an historic Louisiana plantation as a B&B. This has all the hallmarks of a cozy mystery. A likeable amateur sleuth, romantic tension between the leading lady and the hunky cop, a gaggle of potential suspects, secrets galore, some delicious food and a loveable Basset hound named Gopher. And a few great recipes to whet the appetite.
LINK to my full review

[Kim]

Ruth's Journey

[Steve]

Laura wrote: "Cheryl
https://georgiacenterforthebook.org/o...

Would you ask your group if they have heard of Borden deal who was from outside of Oxford, in New Albany, M..."

Did you say Borden Deal?
I know him well.
We should talk.

[Cheryl Carroll]

Laura wrote: "Cheryl
https://georgiacenterforthebook.org/o...

Would you ask your group if they have heard of Borden deal who was from outside of Oxford, in New Albany, M..."

Laura I'm just seeing this message! Sorry for the delayed response. Now, that link to the Georgia Center you shared... do you know who Dawn Major is? She's in the WFBC fb group, as well as the one for William Gay.

I went to two of the panels last March (virtual). "Voices of the American and Global South" and "Appalachian Floodwaters: Lost Voices, Dialects, and Places"

[Cheryl Carroll]

Dave wrote: "That sounds terrific Cheryl. It's great when authors are rediscovered. Borden Deal is fabulous and I've got high hopes for William Humphrey."

Thanks to this group, I've introduced The Time of Man by Madox Roberts, and Weeds by Summers Kelly, to other book club buds. The Time of Man has become a special favorite of mine.

[Georgia]

I'm reading Tennessee Williams's Cat on a Hot Tin Roof. It should come with heat resistant gloves. Sizzling exchanges whenever Brick turns up.

[Book Concierge]

Lake Of the Ozarks – Bill Geist – 3***
Subtitle: My Surreal Summers in a Vanishing America. This is a charming memoir of the author’s teen-year summers spent working at his uncle’s resort at Lake of the Ozarks. He did any and all distasteful jobs and enjoyed the company of a bevy of lovely young women who served as housemaids and/or waitresses. The pay was abysmal, but they got free room and board and a sense of independence.
LINK to my full review

[Faith]

My review of All the Sinners Bleed by S.A. Cosby

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

[Book Concierge]

Icy Sparks – Gwyn Hyman Rubio – 5****
Book on CD performed by Kate Miller
We know much more about Tourette’s Syndrome today than during the timeframe of this story (1950s), and I hope even the residents of rural Appalachia would be more compassionate about a young girl so afflicted. Icy Sparks jumps off the pages of this book straight into the reader’s heart. This is a child who is curious, intelligent, kind, loving, and who learns to stand up to bullies and fight for herself. She shows empathy and compassion in her dealings with others even when they ostracize and belittle her.
LINK to my full review

[Patrick]

I’m finishing up Light in August, which is one of the Faulkners I somehow never got assigned in a course. Very impressive. Also reading T.S. Stribling’s The Forge, first in his Vaiden Trilogy, and Ellen Glasgow’s The Wheel of Life, her only novel set outside Virginia (although it has Virginia-connected characters). On the poetry side, reading Sidney Lanier: Poems and Letters.

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

I'd be interested to know what you think of The Forge. I have a copy and I've been trying to read the Vaiden Trilogy for a while now. You may inspire me to start sooner rather than later.

[Patrick]

Oh, I like it very much so far. As you probably know, Faulkner bought the Stribling trilogy as it appeared and undoubtedly took hints for his own Snopes trilogy.

A word of warning about my recommendations, however. I like everything! I am very easy to please. So readers who tend to be more critical will despair of my guidance. 😏

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

Patrick wrote: "Oh, I like it very much so far. As you probably know, Faulkner bought the Stribling trilogy as it appeared and undoubtedly took hints for his own Snopes trilogy.

A word of warning about my recomme..."

Good enough for me Patrick, thanks!

[Book Concierge]

Bettyville – George Hodgman – 4****
Hodgman, recently out of a job, moved back home to Missouri to help shepherd his mother along a path neither of them wanted to take. I found this tender and funny, heartbreaking and hopeful. There were times when I wanted to slap him (or Betty) upside the head and force one or both of them to face reality. There were times when I wanted to just wrap them in a blanket and give them little “now, now and there, there” comforting pats.
LINK to my full review

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

I just finished reading A Fever in the Heartland: The Ku Klux Klan's Plot to Take Over America, and the Woman Who Stopped Them and couldn't recommend it more highly.
For those unfamiliar with the story, the Klan enjoyed a tremendous surge in popularity throughout the country in the 1920s to the point where they were able to elect 16 senators and governors in such unlikely states as Oregon, Colorado and Indiana. The parallels between these events and what has happened recently is inescapable.

Here's my review: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6...

[♥ Sandi ❣]

Have this on my TBR list Tom - just can't seem to get to it yet. Good to know that it is as good as it sounds.

[B. R.]

If you enjoy murder mysteries/homicide investigations (fiction) you can’t go wrong with Michael Connelly. Most of his books feature LAPD Homicide Detective Hieronymus Bosch. Very creative plots and well written. Detective Bosch is a flawed man but a first rate investigator. The first Bosch book, The Black Echo, was published in 1992 & since then Connelly has done about a book a year. Some of you may know Connelly through his books, The Lincoln Lawyer and Blood Work, non-Bosch books made into movies. Anyway, Connelly has displaced James Lee Burke and Craig Johnson as my favorite crime mystery writer.

[RJ - Slayer of Trolls]

B. R. wrote: "If you enjoy murder mysteries/homicide investigations (fiction) you can’t go wrong with Michael Connelly...."

I wouldn't consider Connelly a "Southern" writer, but I am reading his Bosch series. I thought it improved notably with the third book: The Concrete Blonde.

[B. R.]

RJ, Connelly definitely not a “southern writer.” I simply figured this particular thread was for members of the Trail to offer up books (any books) they enjoyed and recommend to others. Could be wrong.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

B. R. wrote: "RJ, Connelly definitely not a “southern writer.” I simply figured this particular thread was for members of the Trail to offer up books (any books) they enjoyed and recommend to others. Could be wr..."

There is no requirement that books discussed in this thread be southern. As to Michael Connelly, I'm a big fan of his work. While he is not a southern author, I believe his first experience as a crime writer was obtained while working the police beat for a Florida newspaper.

[B. R.]

Tom, I have gone way overboard on Connelly. I think I’ve read 18-19 of his books since last summer. However, I have enjoyed all of them. I believe he is originally from PA and has lived & worked in FL & CA. As you mentioned he was once a reporter. I think he worked a crime beat for the L.A. Times before becoming a full time writer.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

For those who have read and enjoyed S.A. Cosby's books, I am currently reading his latest book, All the Sinners Bleed and find it to be his best book so far, by a wide margin. Where his previous books have been about fairly decent people doing things that they probably shouldn't, his newest protagonist is a former FBI profiler turned rural Virginia sheriff who faces a school shooting that soon evolves into something much, much worse. I'm really enjoying it.

[Sue]

I’ve never read him, Tom, but this book is certainly getting lots of good comments. Thanks for mentioning it again. I think I’ll add it.

[♥ Sandi ❣]

Just finished All the Sinners Bleed by Crosby. This book was a hard one to read. Violence against children is not easy for me to read or hear about. I personally did not care for this book as much as his others. It is a good book, don't get me wrong, just harder for me to relate to. I liked his main character Titus and that helped get me thru the book. I agree with Tom, his writing ability only gets better with each new book.

[Hank]

Hello everyone,

I'm a fan of Southern literature (and a Southerner myself), and I struggle to find living authors that are still writing in that tradition. My theory is that good authors are out there. You just have to look through a lot of stuff to find them.

I'm looking for literature as opposed to popular fiction - neither what the late great Walker Percy called the "protest novel" (novels with an ideological starting point) or sexually explicit "romance" stories. I've tried reading a few Southern literary journals, and it seems taken over by both.

Any suggestions about novels and perhaps where to find short stories too?

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Wendell Berry seems to be a gentle, southern favorite author hear on the trail.

[Patrick]

Hank wrote: "Hello everyone,

I'm a fan of Southern literature (and a Southerner myself), and I struggle to find living authors that are still writing in that tradition. My theory is that good authors are out ..."

I like what you have said here! I can’t help that much with contemporary authors because I’m kind of a pre-1990 guy, but for earlier literature I highly recommend John Bradbury’s classic study Renaissance in the South: A Critical History of the Literature, 1920-1960, which points the reader to plenty of overlooked authors. I don’t always agree with Bradbury - I like Jesse Stuart and he doesn’t, for example - but that doesn’t matter much; the first task of the critic is to let you know that things exist.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Hello Hank, welcome! I have to agree with Wendell Berry as exactly what you are looking for. Or Ron Rash for an Appalachian vibe. Both authors write both novels and excellent short stories too. And poetry.

[Cathrine ☯️]

Hank wrote: "Hello everyone,"

Not sure if he fits Hank, but have you read Brad Watson?
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

[Patrick]

Crime fiction, specifically “Southern noir”, is a good place to look. Plenty of these authors offer outstanding literary quality. I have often made the point that if you want to write a serious small town novel, your readership will triple or quadruple if you add a crime element to it. Not saying everyone should do that, but it offers itself as a possibility which many writers have explored.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

Hank: See what happens when you ask for suggestions here?

[Dave, "Red Sammy"]

Hi Hank, the John Ehle Mountain novels set in the Appalachians are definitely worth checking out.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Oh Dave, that is a great recommendation.

[Patrick]

Dave wrote: "Hi Hank, the John Ehle Mountain novels set in the Appalachians are definitely worth checking out."

Nice call on John Ehle, whom I hadn’t thought of in a while. So I just ordered a nice hc of The Land Breakers for all of $8.00 including shipping. Always meant to read this.

[Diane, "Miss Scarlett"]

I agree, but he did say he was looking for living authors. You add in the dead ones and the list is endless!

[Patrick]

Well, all authors are “living” in a sense. 🙂

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

The land Breakers is amazing.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

My favorite "living southern author" is Rick Bragg although I don't think any of his books can be considered novels.

I'm not sure what "that tradition" includes but there are several authors who are currently writing novels that have literary merit. Daniel Woodrell, David Joy, Ron Rash, Paulette Jiles and Charles Frazier immediately come to mind. I can name others but they might be more in the 'popular' category.

[Cathrine ☯️]

He did say "living" but I like your comment Patrick :)
So Watson does not qualify as he passed a couple of years ago.
Still, not to be overlooked IMHO
Ron Rash has a new one coming out very soon!

[Cathrine ☯️]

I'd add Tom Franklin to your list Tom.

[Hank]

Laura wrote: "Wendell Berry seems to be a gentle, southern favorite author hear on the trail."

I plan to read some Berry. Got a copy of Jayber Crow on the shelves.

[Hank]

Looking at all the other suggestions too. This has been very helpful. Thank y'all.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

I think that was my first Berry. I did not read in any order.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

Cathrine ☯️ wrote: "I'd add Tom Franklin to your list Tom."

Agreed