On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

The Southern Literary Trail is now accepting nominations for books that the group will be reading in February 2023.

We will consider books with a southern literary theme that have not been read by the group in the last 24 months. Per our recently revised criteria, the two categories are books originally published in or before 1990 or those published after 1990. 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 1990
1. The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake
2. Coming of Age in Mississippi: The Classic Autobiography of a Young Black Girl in the Rural South, by Anne Moody
3. The Smiling Country, by Elmer Kelton
4. The Snare, by Elizabeth Spencer
5. Cross Creek, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings
6. Bloodline: Five Stories, by Ernest J. Gaines
Books originally published after 1990
1. The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt, by Andrea Bobotis
2. Shifty's Boys, by Chris Offutt
3. The Ice Garden, by The Ice Garden
4. Every Day by the Sun: A Memoir of the Faulkners of Mississippi, by Dean Faulkner Wells
5. The Rabbit Factory, by Larry Brown
6. The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family, by Kerri K. Greenidge

FYI: For the January Moderator’s Choice, I have decided to read Cormac McCarthy’s new book, The Passenger. This is McCarthy’s first book in ten years so I’m very excited to get to it. It is on my Christmas list.

As a reminder, February we will follow with McCarthy’s second new release, Stella Maris.

The Last List of Miss Judith Kratt by Andrea Bobotis for post 1990

For pre 1990 - The Stories of Breece D'J Pancake by Breece D'J Pancake
West Virginia author


For Post 1990 - Shifty's Boys by Chris Offutt
Kentucky author

Coming of Age in Mississippi: The Classic Autobiography of a Young Black Girl in the Rural South by Anne Moody for pre 1990

"The Ice Garden" by Moira Crone (post 1990).

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

Pre: The Smiling Country

Post: Every Day by the Sun: A Memoir of the Faulkners of Mississippi

Post: Every Day by the Sun: A Memoir of the Faulkners of Mississippi

The ice garden and smiling country both on hoopla if you have that platform through your library.

How about The Rabbit Factory by Larry Brown

That would be a post 1990 nomination.

Post 1990 nomination. The Grimkes by Kerri Greenridge.

T
I researched where Kerri Greenridge was born. Couldn't find out where. This book is based on her own family members who were enslaved on this plantation.
I do not know if this book will qualify. Perhaps someone can find where Kerri Greenridge was born. I fully understand if this nomination is not approved.

Pre: The Snare - Elizabeth Spencer

Dave beat me to it! I would also like to read The Snare.

The Snare is Pre-1990, published in 1972.

Judi wrote: "Post 1990 nomination. The Grimkes by Kerri Greenridge.

This is a new historical science fiction history of a slave holding family and one of the family's, slaves named Dana. Dana time travels from..."

I'm a bit confused. The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family is a newly published biography of Sarah and Angelina Grimke, two sisters famous for rejecting their privileged lives on a plantation in South Carolina to become firebrand activists in the North. Your description sounds more like that of Octavia E. Butler's Kindred, which was published in 1979 and read by the group last year.

Speaking of Kindred, a TV series based on it became available Friday for Hulu subscribers. It takes some liberties with the book's plot but is a fairly good representation of the story that I think Butler would have been proud of.

I will allow Grimkes as the final Post-1990 nomination. Its theme, if not its author, qualifies it.

Excited to see The Snare on the list. Really anxious to read that one.

Tom wrote: "Judi wrote: "Post 1990 nomination. The Grimkes by Kerri Greenridge.



Tom wrote: "Judi wrote: "Post 1990 nomination. The Grimkes by Kerri Greenridge.



Tom wrote: "Judi wrote: "Post 1990 nomination. The Grimkes by Kerri Greenridge.



Tom wrote: "Judi wrote: "Post 1990 nomination. The Grimkes by Kerri Greenridge.

Tom, I am sorry for my confusing nomination for the Post 1990. I edited my "Kindred" comments out. I was thinking of both books at the time. Thank you for accepting The Grimkes as a nomination.

In the middle of 'The Rabbit Factory' right now. Would be an interesting one to discuss.

I'm going to add Cross Creek, by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings to the list of Pre-1990 nominees.

Pre 1990:
Bloodline: Five Stories

Wyndy wrote: "Pre 1990:
Bloodline: Five Stories"

An excellent choice.

And with that, the nominations are closed.

Merry Christmas (or whatever holiday you celebrate). The polls will be posted first thing next year.