On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

Lori wrote: "Thanks Warren! That was going to be my nomination in that category!"

Greetings all!

Update: Nominations are now closed.

The Southern Literary Trail is now accepting nominations for books that the group will be reading in November, 2021.

We will consider books with a southern literary theme that have not been read by the group in the last 24 months. As always, there are two categories, books originally published in or before 1980 or those published after 1980. You may make one nomination in each category. Authors may not nominate their own works. 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.

The eligible nominations received will be listed below:

Books originally published in or before 1980
1. Galveston, by Suzanne Morris
2. Save Me the Waltz, by Zelda Fitzgerald
3. The Keepers of the House, by Shirley Ann Grau
4. The Golden Key and Other Short Stories, by James H. Street
5. The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake
6. The Best Short Stories of O. Henry
Books originally published after 1980
1. When Ghosts Come Home, by Wiley Cash
2. Oral History, by Lee Smith
3. Simon the Fiddler, by Paulette Jiles
4. Bewilderness, by Karen Tucker
5. The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
6. The Patron Saint of Red Chevys: A Novel, by Kay Sloan

I will nominate When Ghosts Come Home by Wiley Cash for post-1980.

For post 1980, I would like to nominate Oral History by Lee Smith. It's been nominated a few times but has yet to win, so let's give it another go:
"When Jennifer, a college student, returns to her childhood home of Hoot Owl Holler with a tape recorder, the tales of murder and suicide, incest and blood ties, bring to life a vibrant story of a doomed family that still refuses to give up...."

Thanks Warren! That was going to be my nomination in that category!

For pre 1980, I would like to nominate Galveston by Suzanne Morris:

"GALVESTON casts a spell... It is a novel that sweeps you into a long-ago world of passion, love and splendor...

It is an epic of the Texas town they called America's island of lost dreams...

It is a saga of three beautiful, headstrong women...

CLAIRE, whose memory of lost love poisoned the lives of everyone who cared for her.

SERENA, who sacrificed her last hopes of happiness for the child she would never see.

WILLA, liberated as only a Texas oil heiress could be... a woman who could have anything--except the secret of her own destiny. "

I would like to nomienate Simon the Fiddler by Paulette Jiles for the post-1980.

Post 1980: Bewilderness by Karen Tucker

Judith has nominated The Patron Saint of Red Chevys: A Novel by Kay Sloan as a Post-1980 selection.

That was quick. Nominations for the Post-1980 group are now closed.

We still have several slots for the Pre-1980 group. Keep those nominations coming.

I'll try for The Stories of Breece D'j Pancake by Breece D'J Pancake. Didn't we put it in the pre 1980 category last time it was nominated, Tom? If not, no worries.

Lori wrote: "I'll try for The Stories of Breece D'j Pancake by Breece D'J Pancake. Didn't we put it in the pre 1980 category last time it was nominated, Tom? If not, no worries."

We decided that since the author died in 1979 we would overlook the "published in..." provision and allow it.

Pre 1980: A Lantern in Her Hand - Bess Streeter Aldrich

Dave, I love that book and that author, but the setting is Nebraska, and the author is from the Midwest as well. That just won't work for this group. Sorry.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

What about this…. Available on kindle and audible

Ahh okey dokey no worries. How about The Keepers of the House by Shirley Ann Grau.

The Keepers of the House works just fine. We read as a group in October of 2016, so its been 5 years.

For the pre-1980, could I recommend The Best Short Stories of O. Henry.

John wrote: "For the pre-1980, could I recommend The Best Short Stories of O. Henry."

And with that, nominations are now closed. There are several story collections nominated for the pre-1980 set. This should be interesting.

For those of you who live in parts of the country where there are seasons, happy autumn. Here in California, we used to have two seasons, fire and flood. Now we are down to just one.

The polls for the November selections are open. Thanks to all of you who nominated and to all of you who participate. There are some excellent nominations on the ballot.

For the Pre-1980 nominations, Vote here!

For the Post-1980 poll, Vote here!

The polls will remain open for ten days and the winners will be announced mid-month.

The discussion boards for the October selections are up and ready for your comments.
For the Moderator’s Choice Selection, Laura has chosen Chris Offutt’s latest book, The Killing Hills. This is the second book by Offutt that the group has read and I am looking forward to it. The folders can be found here:

Initial Impressions: The Killing Hills, by Chris Offutt - October 2021
Final Impressions: The Killing Hills, by Chris Offutt - October 2021


The October discussion folders for the other selections can be found here:

For Kindred, by Octavia E. Butler., (Pre-1980):
Initial Impressions: Kindred, by Octavia Butler - October 2021
Final Impressions: Kindred, by Octavia Butler - October 2021


For Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt, (Post-1980):
Initial Impressions: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt - October 2021
Final Impressions: Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt - October 2021


Stay safe and happy reading.


Big Daddy Tom

The voting is ended. The winners for November are:
Galveston, by Suzanne Morris
Oral History, by Lee Smith

For the Moderator's Choice selection, I thought I would lighten things up a bit and select Razor Girl, by Carl Hiaasen.

The discussion boards for the November selections are up and ready for your comments.
For the Moderator’s Choice Selection, I thought I would lighten things up a bit and select Razor Girl, by Florida Native and Miami newspaperman Carl Hiaasen. The discussion folders for this and the other selections can be found here:

Initial Impressions: Razor Girl, by Carl Hiaasen- November 2021
Final Impressions: Razor Girl, by Carl Hiaasen- November 2021

For Galveston, by Suzanne Morris, (Pre-1980):
Initial Impressions: Galveston, by Suzanne Morris - November 2021
Final Impressions: Galveston, by Suzanne Morris - November 2021


For Oral History, by Lee Smith, (Post-1980):
Initial Impressions: Oral History, by Lee Smith - November 2021
Final Impressions: Oral History, by Lee Smith - November 2021