On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

Greetings all!
We are coming to the end of a year unlike any other. But even bad years end in the season of peace. May your holidays remind you of the good times you have had and the love you have shared with your family and friends and may we all look forward to the day when this dread disease is nothing more than a horrible memory.

While we wait for that day, let’s come together and nominate books that we can share to keep us occupied.

As always, there are two categories, books originally published before 1980 or those published in or after 1980. Books read by the group in the last 24 months are not eligible. You are entitled to make a nomination in each category. Please post your nominations below and specify which category you are nominating it for.

Nominations will stay open for one week or until we receive six nominations in each category. Voting will take place in the first ten days of next month.

I'll post the nominations below here as they come in:

Here are the Pre-1980 nominations that we have received.
1. Summer of My German Soldier, by Bette Greene
2. The Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks, by Donald Harington
3. The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty
4. A Place on Earth, by Wendell Berry
5. The Ways of White Folks, by Langston Hughes
6.
Here are the Post-1980 nominations
1. Forgiveness Road: A Powerful Novel of Compelling Historical Fiction, by Mandy Mikulencak
2. The Neon Rain (Dave Robicheaux, book 1), by James Lee Burke
3. Like Lions (Bull Mountain Book 2), by Brian Panowich
4. Promise, by Minrose Gwin
5. The Coal Tattoo by Silas House
6. Lowcountry Boil, by Susan M. Boyer

Pre-1980 "The Summer of My German Soldier" Bette Greene

Post 1980 "Forgiveness Road: A Powerful Novel of Compelling Historical Fiction"
by Mandy Mikulencak

Pre-1980 The Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks by Donald Harington

Post 1980 The Neon Rain by James Lee Burke

Pre-1980 Big Fish by Daniel Wallace.

Post-1980 Hard Cash Valley

John wrote: "Post-1980 Hard Cash Valley"

I'll put Hard Cash Valley down if you wish. This is the third book in a series and has been nominated a few times. We have read the first book, Bull Mountain, but not the second, Like Lions. Would it be to the group's advantage to read that one first?

Tom, please include Like Lions. I don't believe that you need to read this one first, I might be good to prep the pump for Hard Cash Valley. You can tell that I'm a fan of Brian's.

John wrote: "Tom, please include Like Lions. I don't believe that you need to read this one first, I might be good to prep the pump for Hard Cash Valley. You can tell that I'm a fan of Brian's."

I'll tell you what. I will break policy and nominate Like Lions myself. That will free you up to nominate something else if you wish.

Tom,

Since you are nominating Like Lions, I would like to recommend for the post-1980 Promise by Minrose Gwin.

I would like to nominate The Ways of White Folks by Langston Hughes for the February Pre 1980 group read.
I would like to nominate Lowcountry Boil by Susan Boyer for the February Post 1980 group read.

Thank you.

Pre 1980

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

For pre 1980
The Optimist's Daughter by Eudora Welty

As I recall Big Fish is a post- 1980 book....

Post 1980

The Coal Tattoo by Silas House

Harold wrote: "As I recall Big Fish is a post- 1980 book...."

Right you are. Sorry John. I'm going to have to pull this one.

Judi wrote: "I would like to nominate The Ways of White Folks by Langston Hughes for the February Pre 1980 group read.
I would like to nominate Lowcountry Boil by Susan Boyer for the February Post 1980 group re..."

I'm not totally convinced that Langston Hughes's work can be considered Southern Literature but he was born in Missouri, the importance of his work can't be argued, and tomorrow is Christmas, so I'll give it to you.

It looks like we are full up on the Post 1980 and have one slot left for pre-1980. Any suggestions? John, you can still nominate one.

Tom wrote: "Judi wrote: "I would like to nominate The Ways of White Folks by Langston Hughes for the February Pre 1980 group read.
I would like to nominate Lowcountry Boil by Susan Boyer for the February Post ..."

Thank you.

post 1980-
Dysphoria by Sheldon Lee Compton
Where Alligators Sleep- Sheldon Lee Compton
Sway- Sheldon Lee Compton
How Fire Runs- Charles Dodd White
In The House Of Wilderness by Charles Dodd White
Trampoline by Robert Hope

post 1980-
The Ballad of the Sad Cafe by Carson McCullers
Go Down Moses by William Faulkner
Ellen Foster( 1987)- by Kaye Gibbons

Hi Rachel,
Are these suggestions or nominations? We have room for one more nomination in the pre-1980 category. Would you like to nominate a book in that category? Members are allowed to make one nomination in each category.

Final Selections for February
For the Moderator’s Choice, Diane has selected A Gracious Plenty by Sheri Reynolds for February. It came in a close second in the January polls and has been nominated 2 or 3 times and deserves a chance.

For the Pre-1980 selection:, we will be reading A Place on Earth, by Wendell Berry.
For the Post-1980 selection we will be reading The Coal Tattoo, by Silas House

Discussion boards will be set up for each book chosen in the week before the month begins.