On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

The Southern Literary Trail is now accepting nominations for books that the group will be reading in September 2025.

We will consider books with a southern literary theme that have not been read by the group in the last 24 months. The two categories are books originally published in or before 1990 or those published after 1990. In the latter case, we will no longer consider nominations for new books unless they have been available for at least four months prior to the date we begin reading the book. 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 them 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. Cakewalk, by Lee Smith
2. Sanctuary, by William Faulkner
3. Cane, by Jean Toomer
4. The Fall of the House of Usher, by Edgar Allan Poe
5. Womenfolks: Growing Up Down South, by Shirley Abbott
6. A Long and Happy Life, by Reynolds Price
Books originally published after 1990
1. I Am Not Sidney Poitier, by Percival Everett
2. The Devil's Dream, by Lee Smith
3. The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois, by Honorée Fanonne Jeffers
4. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, by John Berendt
5. Glory Road, by Lauren K. Denton
6. What the Silent Say: Inspired by a true story, by Emerson Ford

I nominate I Am Not Sidney Poitier by Percival Everett (2009).

A Lee Smith theme from me for two of her works I haven't read yet. She is one of my favorite Southern authors and has graced my home state of North Carolina for over 50 years. That makes her a "native" around here.

Pre-1990: Cakewalk - one of the 12 books in South Carolina Press's 'Southern Revivals' series

Post-1990: The Devil's Dream - this one barely missed the pre-1990 cut, so two "vintage" nominations here

Pre-1990 Sanctuary by William Faulkner

Pre-1990. Cane Jean Toomer
Post-1990 The Love Songs of W.E.B. Du Bois Honorée Fanonne Jeffers

Post 1990: Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton (2019). 368 pages.

I nominate:

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: John Berendt (Post 1990)

The Fall of the House of Usher: Edgar Allen Poe (Pre 1990)

Chris wrote: "I nominate:

Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil: John Berendt (Post 1990)

The Fall of the House of Usher: Edgar Allen Poe (Pre 1990)"

Interesting choices. I'll be making my first visit to Savannah next spring so I may need to reread Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil again. As to Fall of Usher, I'd forgotten that Poe was a southerner.

Tom, they do tours of the locations described in Midnight in the Garden in Savannah.

I'm looking forward to it.

I'm going to add one that is on sale today only at Audible. For the post-1990 group, What the Silent Say: Inspired by a true story, by Emerson Ford.


That closes out the post-1990 nominations. We still have room for two pre-1990 nominations.

One more for pre-1990: Womenfolks: Growing Up Down South
Published 1983

Only one more needed for pre. Anyone?

How about A Long and Happy Life by Reynolds Price

Yay for coming thru, Lori! That does it for nominations.