On the Southern Literary Trail discussion
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General Bookishness
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Retired: What are you reading?
Dawn wrote: "Awesome !!! I am reading that Anthony Doerr's ALL THE LIGHT WE CAN NOT SEE right now and it takes place during WWII too. I never realized how many unique characters and situations were inspired by..."Dawn wrote: "Awesome !!! I am reading that Anthony Doerr's ALL THE LIGHT WE CAN NOT SEE right now and it takes place during WWII too. I never realized how many unique characters and situations were inspired by..."
Sue wrote: "Mike wrote: "Leanne wrote: "One of my very favorite cold weather reads is "City of Thieves" by David Benioff and would recommend this a holiday gift to give yourself.
Set in Russia during the fri..."
Dawn, somebody else suggested "The Rosie Project" as a good read that is also a happy one. I agree! Another good, but happy read is "Major Pettigrew's Last Stand" - the hero is an elderly gentleman, BUT...his brother has recently passed away. It touches on the topic at the front of the book only because there is a family heirloom that has been willed to the deceased's son, and not his elderly brother (our hero), and he is miffed.
The books are practically comedies of errors and have happy endings. Hope these suggestions help!
Leanne - thank you so very much for all of your help ! I really appreciate it !! MERRY ! MERRY ! dawn
I just got a book member of the wedding from someone.
Is it worth a read?
Is it worth a read?
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Just got The Bully of Order: A Novel and Station Eleven and hoping they're as great as I hear they are. By the way, keep an eye out for Bull Mountain, which is a nice piece of southern lit.
“Dug into the landscape like a grave, Bull Mountain is a novel that resonates with a stirring combination of grace and brutality, of beauty and loss. In the Burroughs family, Brian Panowich creates a clan with all the fire and depth of Faulkner’s Henry Sutpen storming through a Steve Earle song.” https://www.facebook.com/brianpanowic...
“Dug into the landscape like a grave, Bull Mountain is a novel that resonates with a stirring combination of grace and brutality, of beauty and loss. In the Burroughs family, Brian Panowich creates a clan with all the fire and depth of Faulkner’s Henry Sutpen storming through a Steve Earle song.” https://www.facebook.com/brianpanowic...
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Steve, I picked up Station Eleven. Bull Mountain definitely sounds like one for my read stack.
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Sullivan shuffles his feet. Blushes shamefacedly. Admits in a faint whisper..."I've never read Wallace Stegner." I must remedy that.
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Diane wrote: "You can never go wrong with Wallace Stegner."I've only read The Big Rock Candy Mountain and definitely want to read more. I've planned to read Angle of Repose a couple of times and been pulled away by other books. It's on my shelf waiting (im)patiently for me.
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Well the New Year is there for us all :)
Mike wrote: "Steve wrote: "Just got The Bully of Order: A Novel and Station Eleven and hoping they're as great as I hear they are. By the way, keep an eye out for [book:Bull Moun..."
Cool. I still don't understand how Sation Eleven is just one book as it seems more like four or five books in one.
Cool. I still don't understand how Sation Eleven is just one book as it seems more like four or five books in one.
I'm reading my first David Baldacci novel, "The Devil's Corner." Normally, I'm not that much into conspiracy thrillers, but this one has held my interest. I like the character development here, and the plot, and the dialogue. What is a bit off-putting is that the action comes a bit too fast and furiously to be plausible -- the poor protagonist barely gets a chance to sit down and take his shoes off before more bad guys barge through his front door with guns blazing. All in all, though, not bad.
Here's a novel that probably none of you have discovered --- "Falling Into the Sun," by Charrie Hazard. I confess to being prejudiced here, because I used to work with Charrie at a newspaper in Lynchburg, VA. She later went on to be part of a group that won a Pulitzer in St. Petersburg and currently lives in Florida. This is her first novel, and the writing is alternately exquisite and disturbing. The narrator is forced to deal with a psychotic father, a work-absorbed husband, a bi-polar teen-aged son from hell and recurring nightmares of having seen a neighbor commit suicide. Without meaning to sound sexist, it's kind of a "chick book," but I liked it a lot.
OK. I never post anything on this thread, and then you can't shut me up. One more note -- I'm also reading, of all things, "Moby Dick," and it's nothing like what I expected. I'm about 30 pages from the end, and the Pequod has yet to encounter the white whale of the title. Meanwhile, Melville continually goes on little detours where he seems to say "OK, let's take a break so I can explain this arcane detail about whale hunting." I think I like it, but I'm not sure. Captain Ahab is a weird one, that's for sure.
Hey Darell- So happy to see you high on READING!!! I love it all too! Baldacci and your friend's novel I will definitely check out ! I have read Moby Dick twice for high school and college ! Yes , The Captain is CRAZY !!! It is still a great book!!! Ever been hunting or fishing and you keep trying for the same fish or deer and each time he out smarts you ??? The Captain has set his life's goal and a leg after Moby Dick ! He wants Revenge ! There is so much more to it though of course you see that !
Nice to meet you . I am the Lit . Chick ! Well sorta! I live in Oxford, MS home of William Faulkner and Ole Miss where I have Two degrees and half of my graduate in English . I taught for 15 years so far . Not teaching this year. I was hacked really bad and I have not mastered the IOS MAC system I switched to afterwards so my files are a mess and I may have some reviews somewhere. Write now I am thinking about starting all over. Microsoft and MAC are two different animals . I need a good word processor. I want to stay al MAC but I do not know many with MACs .
Call me friend !!!
Merry Christmas ! Dawn
Good to hear from you! Baldacci redeemed himself in that book with a very cool ending. The first time I ever went on the road as a sportswriter with the Charleston News & Courier, it was to Oxford to cover an Ole Miss-South Carolina football game. I was so nervous that I showed up on campus at 10 a.m. for a 2 p.m. game, then found myself randomly invited to a couple of the Homecoming parties.
Finished The Spectator Bird and gave it four stars. I actually liked it better than Crossing to Safety. Now reading If Beale Street Could Talk. Has anyone read?
Diane S. - just finished Anthony Doerr's ALL the LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE -- EXCELLENT !!! Also Lisa Ungrr's new IN the BLOOD , psychological pages of twists and turns told by the narrator of a psychopath as best she could while being manipulated by psychiatrists, more psychologists, psychopaths and of course murderers. It's a wild ride and the first book I have ever read by Lisa Unger. Slipped in a Biography about Jefferson Davis which was quite good . Mr. Mike and I went together to Square Books in Oxford, MS. For a lovely evening of reading, signing, and dinner at our favorite restaurant AJAX!!! BIG NEWS- just read first short story by Larry Brown's Son , Shane! We cousins were all happy although the subject was sad. It is published in a hometown publication, but I am going to ask if I can get a copy for us to read and review! It is about the day Larry died! I cried all the way through.
I need to update list and reviews and start fresh for the year!!! I have left off so many books and reviews. I need to update shelves too!
My wayward Uncle has returned for a visit we thought! Now , we do not know where he is going!!! Extended stay and know plans ???? Any suggestions???!
PEACE, HOPE AND HAPPINESS INTO THE NEW YEAR!!! dawn
Happy New Year, y'all!Im ending 2014 with a bang - devouring my first novel by Tim Gautreaux - who is from Hammond, LA, about 20 miles from me. It is outstanding!
"The Clearing" is one of the best narrated tales Ive ever heard, and capturing our local Louisiana accents is incredibly difficult. We are now in northern Mississippi in my husband's home town, and for once, the six hour drive was painless, thanks to Tim Gautreaux's novel.
Beautiful, beautiful writing! The setting, so close to my home, sweetens the pot, and that my husband's family is in the timber industry? Fabulous!
Thank you all for such great recommendations. I hope your families, friends, and favorite authors close this year with wonder for you! Cheers!
-LeAnne
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So, looking at 2014, here are my favorites:
Flags in the Dust
A Rose for Emily
A Death in the Family--this time an audible recording on a lengthy trip. Magnificent.
To Kill a Mockingbird--another audible recording, read by Sissy Spacek. It doesn't get any better than that.
Hell at the Breech
Twilight
The Great War and Modern Memory
The War That Ended Peace: The Road To 1914
Fear: A Novel of World War I
Goodbye to All That
Liar, Temptress, Soldier, Spy: Four Women Undercover in the Civil War
The Confessions of Nat Turner
Sophie's Choice
As you can see, my reads were largely divided between Southern Literature and observance of the Centenary of the Great War. That trend is likely to continue for the next several years, depending on history titles released concerning WWI. Also, I've been invited to join The Year of Reading Women, and must admit that reviewing my goodreads list, I follow the typical gender result of being a male who tends to read books by male authors. So--remedying that. Although, I'm not entirely guilty of solely reading male authors.
Looking forward to another year of great reading in 2015!
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Based on your and Sue's reviews and comments of Fear: A Novel of World War I, I have a feeling that one will make my "best of" list for next year.
I found one copy of The Gospel Singer by Harry Crews in our entire library system and decided to give it a try. I was a little nervous at first considering how disturbing some of his books seemed in reading other reviews but so far it has been very interesting! Since I need to return it to the library soon, I hope to finish it this week.
Diane wrote: "Mike wrote: "Miss Scarlett, thanks for starting this topic! Well, my reading totals are a little down this year. I may hit fifty-eight in the next few days. The majority of my reads were four st..."Highly recommended, Diane. It would have made a longer list of mine.
Am reading Serena, all the time picturing Jennifer Lawrence as Serena and reading an arc of Sisters of Shiloh.
Finished Sisters of Shiloh https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...Have started In My Father's House and Brown Girl Dreaming.
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I'm one of those people who reads four or five books at once. Right now, I'm working on "Fat Tuesday," by Sandra Brown; "Thirty Girls," by Susan Minot; "Pete Rose: An American Dilemma," by Kostya Kennedy and "Stephen Crane: A Life of Fire," by Paul Sorrentino. My wife is reading "Choosing Charleston," by Lynn Ocean, off my Kindle, and I'll get to that later (we used to live there). I think I'm too ADHD to read one book at a time.
Diane S. wrote: "Am reading Serena, all the time picturing Jennifer Lawrence as Serena and reading an arc of Sisters of Shiloh."Diane, I can't wait to hear what you think of Serena - especially since the group read is another Ron Rash book this month. Both of these are my very favorites of his work. Enjoy!
Good morning, y'all. I'm looking for a recommendation for a book set in California that you consider a four or five star read and that would be a good candidate for a book club discussion.I've been part of a reading group, here, outside of New Orleans, for over a decade and try to find really excellent picks when it is my turn to host or co-host. One of my BFFs and I put on an elaborate 3 acre night-time scavenger hunt this past October for "Serena" and got the generous Ron Rash to dial in & field questions from us.
In April, this gal that I co-host with is setting us up with complimentary rooms and meals at a pretty lavish hotel in Sausolito (she is the food & beverage exec for a big hotel company). Since we will be out there for a whole weekend, we will likely run up to Napa Valley and/or San Francisco.
Can you think of anything you've read that would tie into any aspect of this trip? My dear friend is so amazingly generous to house & feed us all, and since I'm in charge of choosing the book and creating discussion questions, I want to find something wonderful.
Apologies if this is not the spot to ask for this kind of recommendation! Thank you, and happy War of 1812 Bicentennial Day!
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What about a Steinbeck book.....East of Eden or Of Mice and Men?
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I have every book she's ever written, all of them autobiographical. She did write one novel, not very good. I dip into her books anytime I need a lift.
If she doesn't interest you, Anne Lamott lives in Marin County, California, and all of her books, fiction and non-fiction alike, can create very interesting discussions.
As a writer, I'm always interested in other writers' styles, and which ones push the envelope a little. Recently, I've encountered two authors -- first Bob Shacochis and now Susan Minot -- who don't use quote marks. I'm sure that's not new (didn't Faulkner write that way sometimes?)but it's new to me. With Minot, I don't mind; with Shacochis (who was very, very good overall), I found it distracting. What do you think? And what about interior thoughts -- should they have quotes? Just something to wonder about on a snowy Upstate New York morning.
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Leanne,Simon Winchester is a British author who has become a U.S. citizen. He was writing for the Guardian and living in Northern Ireland during the Bloody Sunday and the Belfast Hour of Terror. Winchester was on location for the invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentine forces. Suspected of being a spy, he was held as a prisoner in Tierra del Fuego for three months. He Helped re-brand Signature magazine as Condé Nast Traveler. Winchester contributed to a number of travel publications including the National Geographic and Smithsonian magazine. Winchester's first truly successful book was "The Professor and the Madman (1998)" about the making of the Oxford English Dictionary (well, you have to like words to appreciate this one). It was a New York Times Best Seller. He wrote the best-selling "Krakatoa:The Day the World Exploded" in 2003. Winchester followed Krakatoa's volcano with San Francisco's 1906 earthquake in "A Crack in the Edge of the World". The San Francisco earthquake of 1906 struck San Francisco and the coast of Northern California on Wednesday, April 18, 1906. Devastating fires broke out in the city that lasted for several days. As a result of the quake and fires, about 3,000 people died and over 80% of San Francisco was destroyed. You might ask how can Winchester create any characters that will be real in an earthquake? He does that and more making an interesting non-fiction novel.
I'm reading a book by Sandra Brown, "Fat Tuesday," and her style intrigues me. In many ways, she's as hard-boiled as the grittiest male writer. No "chick lit" here (not that there's anything wrong with that).
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Station Eleven was probably the most intriguing read of 2014 for me. I did get a review out before I entered Carlos Casteneda Land. I think.
Here's an intriguing read that would be suitable for a group read here. Until You Are Dead, Dead, Dead: The Hanging of Albert Edwin Batson. Albert Edwin Batson was accused of murdering a family of six in the small town of Welsh, Louisiana, outside of Lake Charles, Louisiana, in 1902. He was tried and convicted of the murders twice, solely on the basis of circumstantial evidence. The case was completely lost to history until an English folklorist interested in American music began investigating a blues ballad recorded as part of a WPA project. The case is reconstructed almost entirely from press accounts. A devastating fire destroyed Lake Charles in 1910, taking with it all official court documents, including the trial transcript. This is a court history that gnaws at your guts, leaving you to wonder whether an innocent man went to the gallows. Published by Mississippi University Press, Jackson, Ms., 2014, this is one that grips the reader from page one.
For those thinking about reading Cross Creek, this book is now in the public domain and available for free as an e-pub book for free from Free Books. Check it out.
One Foot in Eden is queued up. In My Father's House is one I read some time ago, as Ernest J. Gaines remains one of my favorite southern authors. My review is available, but, by all means, READ the BOOK. It's a great one.
For the new group I've joined, "The Year of Reading Women," I'm currently reading Martha Quest by Doris Lessing, the first in "The Children of Violence" Series. Quite interesting. We meet Martha at the age of 15. Her parents are residents of South Africa, temporary residents, raising maize. However, their time extends as their farming efforts fail. It's a difficult time for Martha. Who of us didn't find 15 a difficult age. And the question of what is expected of a woman in her role in society is central to the novel.
2015 starts of with a bang for this reader with a whimper here and there, sipping Theraflu and sucking on sugar free cough drops. Andalusia, the Queen, seems ahead of me in recovery and is off in Arthurian Legend Land.
Hope you feel better soon, Mike. You might check out a book I'm currently reading, "Thirty Girls," by Susan Minot. I'm just about a third of the way in, but it's a novel based on a true event -- the kidnapping of 30 young girls from a convent by a guerilla band in Uganda. The main character is an American journalist who travels to Uganda to interview the girls after they are rescued. Lots of color about Africa, a very introspective and insecure protagonist, and Minot is an excellent writer.
The flu=yuck. The one time I had it Mike, I lacked the energy to even read. Your dedication is commendable. All the Light is on my list!
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I've be..."
Good morning, Leanne--
Interesting topic for a book club discussion. Well, you can never go wrong with a Steinbeck. East of Eden is my favorite novel of all time. However, it is a TOME.
I recently read West of Sunset by Stewart O'Nan. It's a fascinating look at F. Scott Fitzgerald's last years in Hollywood. O'Nan is a fine author. I've read several of his novels. Each has been a rewarding read. In this novel, Fitzgerald travels back and forth between Hollywood and Asheville, NC, where Zelda remains a resident in Highland Hospital. He referees between Zelda and daughter Scottie. Zelda has alienated her daughter with her constant criticism. Not only is O'Nan's portrayal of the Fitzgerald family engrossing, Hollywood's heyday is fascinating as well. There's plenty to discuss here. Also, lingering in the background is the growing threat of Nazism in Germany. A cultural attache has great influence on what Hollywood ends up putting on the screen, much to Fitzgerald's chagrin. You'll also find Fitzgerald's relationship with Sheila Graham here. O'Nan has created a wonderful read here that should have your book club chatting away. So, California, Hollywood, Fitzgerald, Zelda, Asheville, NC, trips to Montgomery, Al, Sheila Graham, and her notorious past--yes, she had one. It's all here. It's a great read. I highly recommend it.
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I'm hoping I'm on the mend. I'm up and moving around a bit. Actually, I thought I was done with it, but relapsed. Both my wife and I were battling it while visiting with her family in Wilmington, NC. The only person well was her soon to be 96 year old mother. That woman is a rock. *grin* Apparently the travel back did me in. Today's the first day up.
I've several Minots on my shelf, but yet to read her. I'll remedy that as soon as possible on your recommendation. Good to have you with the group. I enjoy your recommendations.
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Hey, man. Reading is what keeps me going! Always has been. I'll admit I had to go back and re-read here and there to make sure I had comprehended what I had read. *chuckle* I'd say my comprehension was pretty darned good. You'll love All the Light We Cannot See.
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On the Southern Literary Trail
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Hi Dawn! I'll post in what I wrote above - and add that the title of the book initially led me to think it'd be about crime. So wrong!
Hitler absolutely hated the Russians for being able to withstand his forces, and the title is actually from a quote of his as to how he described Leningrad: "The birthplace of Bolshevism, that city of thieves and maggots."
One of my very favorite cold weather reads is "City of Thieves" by David Benioff and would recommend this a holiday gift to give yourself.
Set in Russia during the frigid Siege of Leningrad, it is a buddy story of two young fellows cast together and forced on a quest to find something seemingly irretrievable. One a handsome, strapping charmer and the other a scrawny chess master, the boys travel through deep snow and myriad scrapes - some farcical, some horrifying - in this astonishingly accurate historical tale.
If you care anything about World War II, about friendship, or having to beat the odds set against you, ya gonna like this book. Not too heavy. Not too light. JUST RIGHT.