On the Southern Literary Trail discussion
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General Bookishness
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Retired: What are you reading?
LeAnne wrote: "Y'all that have Net Galley memberships - do you know if Michael Farris Smith's new book, "Desperation Road" is available as an advanced reader copy? What is that other pre-reading ..."Okay, here's an update. I FB-talked with Michael today to set up a March 24th author chat w my club and asked about the ARCs while we were at it. He said NetGalley will have it out in March! Yippee!
LeAnne wrote: "Y'all that have Net Galley memberships - do you know if Michael Farris Smith's new book, "Desperation Road" is available as an advanced reader copy? What is that other pre-reading ..."You could try asking the author or publisher directly....
I read Rivers a few years ago and thought it was really interesting! A more realistic disaster novel.
LeAnne, thanks for the heads up . Will check NetGalley in March.
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I just got Savage Season to read, did not know Sundance was doing the series. I've been impressed with the ones I've seen so far.
Finished Stoned: Jewelry, Obsession, and How Desire Shapes the World
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
LeAnne wrote: "Tom wrote: "I just finished Cormac McCarthy's first book The Orchard Keeper. I've read all of his later books so it is interesting to see how his style has evolved over the years. My ..."Suttree is the gauge by which you can measure if folks are true Cormac fans.......some hate it/some love it........it is one of those books that creeps into my mind probably three times a week whether I want it to or not. Not as "memorable" as Blood Meridian, The Road, or others......but I can FEEL Cormac better in this book than any I have read. Met the author this July and didn't have the guts to ask him (he is not fond of talking about his works) but I would like to know if he "likes" this one more than others.
Josh, he loved it and is egging me on to finish my other books & start it. He is out of town right now and may be reading The Orchard Keeper via our Kindle account. Will ask him to rank the books. I know he liked the whole border trilogy better than The Road.
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Hi LeAnne. I have an unrelated question for you. You list Southern Grit Lit among your favorites. If that's the case, shouldn't you have a bookshelf for such books? I'd love to see what books you would put in it.
Tom, you're right of course, but I barely have time to keep my spatulas separated from ink pens! Which, now that you mention it, explains the occasional blueish tinge to our scrambled eggs.. o_O
LeAnne wrote: "Tom, you're right of course, but I barely have time to keep my spatulas separated from ink pens! Which, now that you mention it, explains the occasional blueish tinge to our scrambled eggs.. o_O"with green eggs and ham too ??;)
Jane wrote: "LeAnne wrote: "Tom, you're right of course, but I barely have time to keep my spatulas separated from ink pens! Which, now that you mention it, explains the occasional blueish tinge to our scramble..."LOL, Jane - yes. The others will now be jealous that you've been to one of my infamous brunches and they haven't.
Just finished Pecan Man, just arrived in the mail Philip DePoy's A Prisoner in Malta: a Christopher Marlowe mystery. I love his Fever Devilin series about a folklore professor in Georgia, and his Zen detective Easy series set in Georgia as well featuring Flap Tucker. I am still reading The Children's Book by A.S. Byatt, still hunting for The Orchard Keeper which I know I own & do not want to buy again. Am going to have to venture into the storage area as my husband has ventured in & come away empty. I seem to see the books differently, and will most likely succeed in finding it, but it is not a particularly crutches friendly environment.
I love his Fever Devlin series, hope he still intends to keep writing that series too.Finished Your Heart Is a Muscle the Size of a Fist
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
Y'all, I have a question about our polls (yes, I'm the person who suggested that we read Feast of Snake for Christmas - ignore me as needed). Seems like when we nominate books, it is the first twelve piggies to the trough that do the nominating. I'm one of the pigs, so no mud slinging intended. Those who happen to not be on Goodreads when the nominations are requested end up not having a voice. Some books reappear, but end up never becoming the bride.
I've gone through our second place votes since June, aiming sort of toward a six month stint of runners-up. At some point this year, do y'all want to recycle the bridesmaids? Some of these runners-up captured over 27% of the votes and others caught only 14%. My big mouth and I feel badly that these ones came in second but didn't get picked.
I do not have a horse in this race at all....just want to know if y'all are good with the nominations!
Cheers,
Sicko fan of A Feast of Snakes
Here is what I captured as runners-up for PRE 1980:
True Grit
Lie Down in Darkness
Beasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories
Beasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories
Lie Down in Darkness
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
Lamb in His Bosom
Invisible Man
For POST 1980:
The Heaven of Animals: Stories
The Little Friend
Chemistry and Other Stories
Under a Dark Summer Sky
Boys' Life
Paris Trout
The Ice Garden
My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South
Beloved
LeAnne wrote: "Y'all, I have a question about our polls (yes, I'm the person who suggested that we read Feast of Snake for Christmas - ignore me as needed). Seems like when we nominate books, it is the first tw..."
I like the idea you old snake charmer
People can renominate their choices, can they not? I noticed how fast this process works, so if I really want to get something considered, I would be ready to pounce as soon as I saw a notice. ;-)
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Seems like when we nominate books, it is the first tw..."
I'm in agreement with you to the extent that I too have gone through the last six months of 2015's polls and came up with the top vote-getters:
Post 1980 nominations -votes
Under a Dark Summer Sky 20
The Heaven in Animals 17
Blues All Around Me: The Autobiography of B.B. King 16
Rising Tide: The Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 and How It Changed America 16
Boy's Life 12
The Little Friend 12
Pre-1980 nominations-votes
Beasts of the Southern Wild and Other Stories 21
A Streetcar Named Desire 20
Lie Down in Darkness 18
True Grit 16
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter 15
Absalom, Absalom! 14
Guard of Honor 14
Love in a Dry Season 13
Kim, yes - people can re-nominate, but say most are always at the office or whatever when nominations are called for. They'll miss the chance. Ive nominated probably three or four books & just wondered if others wanted a turn. Anyway, it just seemed like it might be fun to do a "bridesmaids' month" for the good reads that have never quite made it to the altar. I love themes!
Not saying it is bad idea, but I guess I was thinking it is 2 separate issues. If they were bridesmaids, they made it into the nominations. So, bridesmaids could benefit from a second look. People who are busy at work or whatever else may be interfering with their ability to reach the web site may have never nominated, and so fixing that might require a different method.
It is very thoughtful of you to consider all this.
Tom wrote: "LeAnne wrote: "Y'all, I have a question about our polls (yes, I'm the person who suggested that we read Feast of Snake for Christmas - ignore me as needed). Thanks for this list ;)
Tina wrote: "LeAnne wrote: "Y'all, I have a question about our polls (yes, I'm the person who suggested that we read Feast of Snake for Christmas - ignore me as needed). "
Thankssssssssssssssss_______
Kim wrote: "Not saying it is bad idea, but I guess I was thinking it is 2 separate issues. If they were bridesmaids, they made it into the nominations. So, bridesmaids could benefit from a second look. Peopl..."
Thank you, Kim. The members here have excellent insights.
LeAnne wrote: "Kim wrote: "Not saying it is bad idea, but I guess I was thinking it is 2 separate issues. If they were bridesmaids, they made it into the nominations. So, bridesmaids could benefit from a second l..."I do think it is a good idea to re nominate but also some could be a moderator s choice too , no ? What is on the menu for March moderator s choice )
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Laura wrote: "I'm up for March's Moderators choice. I have chosen Strange Fruit by Lillian E. Smith which was nominated earlier in the year."Sounds great ! Count me in !
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Coolness!
LeAnne wrote: "Y'all, I have a question about our polls..."I like the idea, but it's mostly a non-issue for me. I've found some great reads through this group, but I never feel obligated to read a book just because the group is reading it. Depends on my headspace. Sometimes I pick one, sometimes two, sometimes all three, sometimes none. More often than not, I pick a runner up. Sometimes I'm full of group spirit, but mostly I'm a goddamned independent yankee.
Mod
Just when I was feeling all lonely!
Tom wrote: "Doug wrote: "mostly I'm a goddamned independent yankee.."Just when I was feeling all lonely!"
I believe if it's a small force of two holding your end up against a vast majority that makes you Rebels!
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++Grin++
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I will third that recommendation.
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Are you sure we can't talk you into making it a moderator's choice?
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Either might suck me in.
Fallen Land I almost bought this but unfortunately got This Side of the River instead which I have just given up on. I m giving it a two stars because while the idea was an interesting one and the different character voices worked for me at the beginning I soon tired of it.
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My review is here.
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Are you sure we can't talk you into making it a moderator's choice?"
I may consider Fallen Land as my moderator's choice for April, since I have it on my tbr list.
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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)
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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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Ha! Leave it to Wiley Cash to draw us in. McCullers, Brown, and Gay might sound like a law firm anywhere but here in this group.