On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

Sara wrote: "...I wonder why I never picked up a Siddons. I will try to read The House Next Door with the group next month, but I am in the middle of a move, so maybe not. At any rate, I will definitely read both it and Peachtree Road as soon as time allows and hold to that old saw, "better late than nev..."

That's the wonderful thing about books!♥!♥

There is a new book about Atlanta that's on my radar, We Are All Good People Here. I went to hear the author speak, and I've given the book as a gift but haven't read. As the author is younger, I'm looking forward to seeing whether she "got it right" historically. I love that the book cover is a reversible image.

I have added it to my TBR, Jan. I will be interested in seeing what you think of it when you have read it.

About 20 years ago, I was on Telegraph Avenue in Berkeley, CA, visiting numerous bookstores in the downtown area, near the University. It was a habit of mine, visiting bookstores, when I traveled with my job. I walked into Barnes & Noble. Right in front of the doorway was a large display of a debut novel: Sullivan's Island: A Low Country Tale. I recognized the Sullivan's Island reference, having been there many times. I'm a west coast guy, but 50 years ago, I married a petite blonde from Charleston, SC, my Southern belle. I knew she would be interested in the novel, so I bought it for her. Little did I expect, when I got home, she was effusive. Not that I was home from a week's travel but, she gushed over the author, Dorothy "Dotty" Benton Frank was a personal friend and classmate of my wife. Gale now owns all of Dorothy's 20 books, all set in the south. She recognizes many of the settings and some of the characters. She was able to reunite with Dotty during a trip back to Charleston and meet her on one of Dorothy's book tours.

Sadly, Dorothy passed away last Monday, only a few days after Siddons, her friend and fellow Charlestonian.

https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nati...

What a lovely story, John. I am so sorry for your wife and all who loved her. I'm surprised at how many of these authors who are passing now I have completely missed coming in contact with. I will put Dorothy on my list. Maybe you could nominate one of her books for a read on the Trail...you wife will know where we should start.

I too saw that Dorothy Benton Frank had died, and I too haven't read her (although I've had books of hers on my shelf--actual not virtual). Thanks for posting, John.

Cokie Roberts died 17SEP2019.
https://www.npr.org/2019/09/17/761050...
If you listen to NPR news programs you have probably heard Cokie Roberts. She also wrote non-fiction books:
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
I think she qualifies as a Southern author because her family was from her birthplace of New Orleans. She grew up there and in Washington, DC. Her father, Hale Boggs, was in the House of Representarives. After his death Cokie's mother, Lindy Boggs, served several terms in the House also.
The story on NPR linked above includes a brief biography. You will get a kick out of Cokie's full given names: she has MORE than Prince Charles.

I'm sure many Pat Conroy fans have read this but if you haven't it's wonderful. A letter to the Editor of the Charleston Gazette on teachers, censorship, and banned books. My high school English lit teacher is tucked into a special place in my heart. She opened the world as wide as she was able and changed me forever. Last Sunday we saw a video on the current economic plight of teachers, too many of whom are abandoning jobs they love because they can't pay the rent.

http://patconroy.com/a-letter-to-the-...

Thanks Nancy and Cathrine for the links to both articles. I feel that I have been aware of Cokie Roberts forever and that’s pry because she was only a few years older than me so I followed her career as a news junkie for years. And I also appreciate Conroy’s letter. Teachers should be heroes in our society instead of being considered as glorified babysitters by people who don’t even understand their own children.

Ernest Gaines has passed away. What an incredible writer.

http://www.wbrz.com/news/pointe-coupe...

Ahh, RIP EG, you were a terrific writer and teller of stories.
Damn, these days it seems contemporaries are dying just about every month.

I’m so glad that I have read some of his works. Truly a master storyteller. Thanks for posting this.

This morning on NPR I learned of the death of Ernest Gaines
    Here is a link to an interview with Ernest Gaines:
https://youtu.be/k1DcVVIH3-w
It was on the Alabama Public Television's "Bookmark with Don Noble" this year as the series celebrated its 30th anniversary.  It was broadcast first in 2000.

Oh, how sad to lose such a wonderful author. RIP, Ernest Gaines.

I have loved the writing of Ernest J. Gaines for many years. I was thrilled to meet him at the Louisiana Book Festival in 2014. He graciously signed each of the books I had brought. I felt as if I had met an author of the stature of William Faulkner. For Gaines wrote of the Parish in which he had grown up, just as Faulkner wrote of Yoknapatawpha County. We have lost a great writer. His novel "A Lesson Before Dying" was chosen as a Great American Read. Here is a short video Meet Ernest Gaines. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=bIaUxGH... . It's a good way to remember this great man.

Elizabeth Spencer died last month, age 98. I thought this was an interesting interview with her, from a local Chapel Hill publication:
Described by the Washington Post as “one of the foremost chroniclers of the American South,” Ms. Spencer wrote nine novels, including, most famously, “The Light in the Piazza,” as well as eight collections of short stories, a memoir and a play. She also taught at UNC from 1986 to 1992.
https://thelocalreporter.press/rememb...

Thank you, Luci. A great article. We read Voice at the Back Door a few years ago on the Trail, and I've had Light in the Piazza on my list for some time now. I have a book of her short stories on my shelf too.

Yes ! , thank you Luci too

Charles Portis has died.

https://ew.com/books/2020/02/18/charl...

Faith wrote: "Charles Portis has died.

https://ew.com/books/2020/02/18/charl..."

Oh, I loved True Grit! RIP ...

Brad Watson, Mississippi author of Miss Jane, The Heaven of Mercury, and Last Days of the Dog-Men: Stories has died of a heart attack at the age of 64. I think Miss Jane may be one of the most beautiful books I ever read.

That’s sad, Diane. I thought Miss Jane was a wonderful book. He was a young man too. Sixty four is too young.

Thank you letting us know that, Diane. I agree about Miss Jane. It was heart-rending and so perfectly expressed.

Sorry to hear this. I have Miss Jane sitting on my physical book shelf. ((sigh))

Oh no! So young. I agree about Miss Jane. That's one in the running for a reread if I live long enough.

Me too, Cathrine. A thoughtful, contemplative book that's a peaceful read.

It’s one that I may well read again too, if I find the time. Images from the book come to mind as I write these words.

Shirley Anne Grau, Pulitzer Prize Winning author of The Keepers of the House, died August 3, 2020. A resident of a senior living facility, died of complications from a stroke.

From Wikipedia:
Grau's collection of stories, The Black Prince, was nominated for the National Book Award in 1956.[6] Nine years later, her novel The Keepers of the House was awarded the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.[7][8] The night she was called about the Pulitzer Prize, she thought it was a practical joke from a friend whose voice she thought she recognized. "'I was awfully short-tempered that morning because I'd been up all night with one of my children,' Grau said ... 'So, I said to the voice I mistook, "yeah and I'm the Queen of England too," and I hung up on him.'" The Pulitzer Prize committee member did not give up and called her publisher Alfred A. Knopf. "The news got to me,Grau's collection of stories, The Black Prince, was nominated for the National Book Award in 1956.[6] Nine years later, her novel The Keepers of the House was awarded the 1965 Pulitzer Prize for Fiction.[7][8] The night she was called about the Pulitzer Prize, she thought it was a practical joke from a friend whose voice she thought she recognized. "'I was awfully short-tempered that morning because I'd been up all night with one of my children,' Grau said ... 'So, I said to the voice I mistook, "yeah and I'm the Queen of England too," and I hung up on him.'" The Pulitzer Prize committee member did not give up and called her publisher Alfred A. Knopf. "The news got to me,

Keeper of the House was read by Trail members several years ago and was really liked by most of us. I read one of her others, The House on Colosseum Street, and remember it being very good as well. I do have The Hard Blue Sky on my shelves, so that might need to be short-listed. I thought she was an excellent writer.

Hi, Mike, good to see you in the thread. ;-)

I keep hoping we will read Miss Jane with the group. I’ve nominated it once or twice, it got close once, I think.

Kim wrote: "Hi, Mike, good to see you in the thread. ;-)"

Thank you! It's good to be here.

Lawyer wrote: "Kim wrote: "Hi, Mike, good to see you in the thread. ;-)"

Thank you! It's good to be here."

What she said,

And what he said.

I have only read The Keepers of the House, but I thought it was an excellent read. We are losing this generation rapidly now, which is very sad...she was 91.

Lawyer, what Tom said!

Sue wrote: "Lawyer, what Tom said!"

Tom wrote: "Lawyer wrote: "Kim wrote: "Hi, Mike, good to see you in the thread. ;-)"

Thank you! It's good to be here."

What she said,

And what he said."

I'm home after a long day of Chemo. I mentioned I had recently experienced numbing and tingling in my finger tips. Turns out the culprit was one oof the chemicals I. Had been given. That had I not mentioned it, the condiition could have grown worse. Could have become permanent. I said I gotta turn pages. I will no longer receive that chemical. It remains to be seen what new cocktail will be given me when I return later in August.

I read O'Connor's "Mystery and Manners" at the Cancer Center today. I must confess that my thoughts on beating this had not been positive. However, Flannery O'Connor's attitude during her long battle with Lupus was indomitable. She never stopped writing. She never withdrew from her friends. In short, Flannery O'Connor has inspired me to fight this emperor of all maladies. Nor will I disappear from my friends here and in my home town who have lent their support to me.

♥

Lawyer wrote: "Nor will I disappear from my friends here and in my home town who have lent their support to me..."

Good to hear!

Yes, keep fighting! I'm glad Flannery O'Connor can inspire you to do so.

Found out that Alice Koller died on August 31st. She was 94 years old and she left a mark on me with her book, An Unknown Woman. I read it at just the right time in life and felt inspired and encouraged. Perhaps it would not affect the modern girls that way, my generation of girls were still struggling with new freedoms. I felt very sad reading her obituary to find that her own life took such a negative turn...I would have wished her nothing but the best.

Winston Groom died today at the age of seventy-seven. Best known as the author of Forrest Gump, was an exceptional historian writing volumes covering America's wars from 1812 through World War II. I had the pleasure of meeting him at numerous book signings. He was an author who graciously signed back titles in addition to his most recently published work. Groom served as a Lieutenant in the United States Army in Vietnam from 1967 to 1969. His novel Better Times Than These is one of the finest about the Vietnam War. NYTIMES:
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/09/18/bo...

I never read Forest Gump in book form, but I understand it was much different from the iconic movie.

I don't think he's a Southern author but I was sad to hear the prolific science fiction author Ben Bova died this week.

Lost Larry McMurtry, age 84. Lonesome Dove one of the finest novels ever written, and of course, many many more great novels from this author. Sad to see him go.

Maybe a Lonesome Dove Trail read soon would be a good idea.

I was just talking that over w Laura in the Horseman thread. I’m planning to read this summer. Sounds perfect for summer!!

I have MOD choice in June, but not sure how a 960 page book would be received.

Might make sense to spread the read over two months, Diane.

Maybe schedule it over more than one month. Some of my groups do that with long books. Perhaps the whole summer? Maybe I would try it. I haven’t read it or any of his books, actually.

Diane I have July Mod, right? Maybe a 2 month combined mod choice? Just a thought and certainly not a commitment. Because it’s a long one.

I just checked with Laura, we are game. I am June, she is July, so timing works.