On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

I'm now accepting nominations for our March Group Reads. Nominations will remain open until January 21, or until six nominations are received in Pre and Post-1980 categories, which ever condition occurs first.

Lawyer Stevens

I would like to nominateMystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O'Connor for Pre-1980

Beverly wrote: "I would like to nominateMystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O'Connor for Pre-1980"

Wonderful! Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose is nominated Pre-1980.

We seem to be slow getting out the gate for March nominations. Where is everyone? Except Beverly? I'll go ahead and add a couple of nominations to the mix. For post-1980, SAINTS AT THE RIVER, by Ron Rash. For pre-1980, THE FABLE, by William Faulkner. This one is a Pulitzer winner. It was nominated before, but didn't make the cut. Now it's your turn.

Diane wrote: "For pre-1980, THE FABLE, by William Faulkner. This one is a Pulitzer winner. It was nominated before, but didn't make the cut. ..."

Because of its previous recent nomination I searched it out (I hadn't known of its existence before that) and purchased a copy. I didn't know when I would get around to reading it, but it is great to see it nominated again. Not only did it win the Pulitzer, it also won the National Book Award, which I have found to be sometimes more reliable than the Pulitzer when it comes to judging literature.

I would like to nominate the following:

Post-1980: BLOOD ON THE LEAVES by Jeff Stetson:
"In the 1960s, racism was rampant in Jackson, Mississippi, and it was common for white men caught in the act of killing blacks to be acquitted by all-white juries. But 40 years later, someone is seeking justice; those same men are turning up dead - in the identical manner in which they killed their victims. Now, James Reynolds, who has overcome the odds - and his own personal demons - to become the only black prosecutor in Jackson, will face the toughest case of his life: He'll have to prosecute prime suspect Martin Matheson, a brilliant professor, the son of a venerated Civil Rights leader, and the newly appointed folk hero for thousands of African Americans hungry for retribution."


Pre-1980: GERONIMO REX by Barry Hannah:
"Geronimo Rex, Barry Hannah's brilliant first novel, which was nominated for the National Book Award, is full of the rare verve and flawless turns of phrase that have defined his status as an American master. Roiling with love and torment, lunacy and desire, hilarity and tenderness, Geronimo Rex is the bildungsroman of an unlikely hero. Reared in gloomy Dream of Pines, Louisiana, whose pines have long since yielded to paper mills, Harry Monroe is ready to take on the world. Inspired by the great Geronimo's heroic rampage through the Old West, Harry puts on knee boots and a scarf and voyages out into the swamp of adolescence in the South of the 1950s and '60s. Along the way he is attacked by an unruly peacock; discovers women, rock 'n' roll, and jazz; and stalks a pervert white supremacist who fancies himself the next Henry Miller."

I’d like to nominate the following books:

Pre-1980: ‘The Grass Harp’ by Truman Capote, published in 1951.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Post-1980: ‘Victory Over Japan: A Book of Stories’ by Ellen Gilchrist, National Book Award winner in 1984.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

I would like to nominate again for the Post-1980 read:

Promise by Minrose Gwin

Pre 1980:

Vein of Iron
Ellen Glasgow considered Vein of Iron, published in 1935, to be her best work. "No novel has ever meant quite so much to me, " she wrote a friend. The critics agreed; the book was favorably reviewed on the front page of the New York Times Book Review and outsold all but one other work of fiction in the year of its publication. Opening in the years just before the First World War and laid in the Valley of Virginia, the book traces the experience of a family with four generations of strong women. Faced with a crisis when the bread-winner, a philosopher-minister, is defrocked for his unorthodox views, the women provide the "vein of iron" which carries the family through removal to Richmond (Queensboro in the book), through war and depression until the final return to the mountains.

Diane wrote: "We seem to be slow getting out the gate for March nominations. Where is everyone? Except Beverly? I'll go ahead and add a couple of nominations to the mix. For post-1980, SAINTS AT THE RIVER, by Ro..."

Yes, Ma'am! Two for two!
A Fable by William Faulkner is nominated Pre-1980.
Saints at the River by Ron Rash is nominated Post-1980.

Warren wrote: "I would like to nominate the following:

Post-1980: BLOOD ON THE LEAVES by Jeff Stetson:
"In the 1960s, racism was rampant in Jackson, Mississippi, and it was common for white men caught in the act..."

Thanks, Warren. Geronimo Rex by Barry Hannah is nominated Pre-1980.
Blood on the Leaves byJeff Stetson is nominated Post-1980.

Post 1980:

The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma's Table

From the beloved, best-selling author of All Over but the Shoutin', a delectable, rollicking food memoir, cookbook, and loving tribute to a region, a vanishing history, a family, and, especially, to his mother.

Margaret Bragg does not own a single cookbook. She measures in "dabs" and "smidgens" and "tads" and "you know, hon, just some." She cannot be pinned down on how long to bake corn bread ("about 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the mysteries of your oven"). Her notion of farm-to-table is a flatbed truck. But she can tell you the secrets to perfect mashed potatoes, corn pudding, redeye gravy, pinto beans and hambone, stewed cabbage, short ribs, chicken and dressing, biscuits and butter rolls. The irresistible stories in this audiobook are of long memory -- many of them pre-date the Civil War, handed down skillet by skillet, from one generation of Braggs to the next. In The Best Cook in the World, Rick Bragg finally preserves his heritage by telling the stories that framed his mother's cooking and education, from childhood into old age. Because good food always has a good story, and a recipe, writes Bragg, is a story like anything else. (less)

I’d like to nominate The Hard Blue Sky by Shirley Anne Grau for pre 1980.

Wyndy wrote: "I’d like to nominate the following books:

Pre-1980: ‘The Grass Harp’ by Truman Capote, published in 1951.
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Post-1980: ‘Victory Over Japan: A Book of Stor..."
Two winners, Wyndy!
The Grass Harp by Truman Capote is nominated Pre-1980. Capote's second novel. More novella length, really. Three misfits take up residence in a tree house. I refer to this one as Capote on the sunny side of the street.

Victory Over Japan: A Book of Stories by Ellen Gilchrist is nominated Post-1980.

John wrote: "I would like to nominate again for the Post-1980 read:

Promise by Minrose Gwin"

Done, John. Promise byMinrose Gwin is nominated Post-1980.

I'd like to nominate Bearskin
by James A. McLaughlin

For Post 1980- -
The Truth About Grace (a sequel to Pecan Man) by our own Cassie Dandridge Selleck

Thank you.

It appears that we now have enough books in each category to create a poll. No more nominations please.

This appears to be the lists so far. As we have seven nominations for the Post-1980, Lawyer may decide to trim it down a bit before putting up the polls.
Pre-1980
1. Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose by Flannery O'Connor
2. A Fable, by William Faulkner.
3. Geronimo Rex, by Barry Hannah
4. The Grass Harp, by Truman Capote
5. Vein of Iron, by Ellen Glasgow
6. The Hard Blue Sky, by Shirley Anne Grau

Post-1980
1. Saints at the River, By Ron Rash
2. Blood on the Leaves by Jeff Stetson
3. Promise by Minrose Gwin
4. The Best Cook in the World: Tales from My Momma's Table, by Rick Bragg
5. Victory Over Japan: A Book of Stories, by Ellen Gilchrist
6. Bearskin, by James A. McLaughlin
7. The Truth About Grace, by Cassie Dandridge Selleck

Tom wrote: "It appears that we now have enough books in each category to create a poll. No more nominations please.

This appears to be the lists so far. As we have seven nominations for the Post-1980, Lawyer ..."
Uhm, Big Daddy, you living life in the fast lane? Feel free to set up the polls if you feel the need for speed. I've put in a day of community volunteer work. It's called life.😁

Lawyer wrote: "Uhm, Big Daddy, you living life in the fast lane? Feel free to set up the polls if you feel the need for speed. I've put in a day of community volunteer work. It's called life.😁 ."

When the glass is full, it's best to turn off the tap. 😁 Thanks for taking the time to volunteer for your community. I look forward to the day when I can do the same, but for now it is still the salt mines for me.

I'll set up the polls using the books listed above. Laura has chosen Sounder as the Mod's choice for March.

We are going to have some great books to choose from for March!

The March polls are up and running and ready for you to cast your votes.

The link to the Pre-1980 Poll is here.

The link to the Post-1980 Poll is here.

The Moderator's Choice Selection, chosen by Tall Woman Laura, will be Sounder, by William H. Armstrong.

Thanks, Tom. We really do have a great selection this month. I want to vote for all of them!

I may be in serious trouble. All three of the winning/chosen works for March are books that have been on my TBR list for far too long.

The polls are now closed and the selections for March have been chosen. Many thanks to all of you who voted. All of the books chosen look really great and I’m certain you will enjoy them.

After two months as the maid of honor, Bearskin, by James A. McLaughlin is the winner in the Post-1980 category. The winner in the Pre-1980 category is The Grass Harp, by Truman Capote. Last, but not least, is the Moderator’s Choice selection. Chosen by the willowy Tall Woman, Laura has selected Sounder by William H. Armstrong.

Also, the discussions boards are up and running for the February selections. They can be found here:

For Music of the Swamp, by Lewis Nordan (Moderator’s Choice):
Initial Impressions: Music of the Swamp, by Lewis Nordan, February, 2019
Final Impressions: Music of the Swamp, by Lewis Nordan, February, 2019


For The Dollmaker by Harriette Simpson Arnow, (Pre-1980):
Initial Impressions: The Dollmaker, by Harriette Simpson Arnow, February 2019
Final Impressions: The Dollmaker, by Harriette Simpson Arnow, February 2019

For The Known World, by Edward P. Jones, (Post-1980):
Initial Impressions: The Known World, by Edward P. Jones, February 2019
Final Impressions: The Known World, by Edward P. Jones, February 2019


Happy reading!

Big Daddy Tom