Southern Fiction
Meeting Summary Nov. 2/07
Savannah Breeze by Mary Kay Andrews (Ada)
Mad Girls in Love by Michael Lee West (Rhian)
Charms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons (Kathryn)
Victory over Japan by Ellen Gilchrist (Teresa)
Paw Paw Patch by Janice Dougharty (Linda)
Sweet Water Creek by Anne River Siddons (Barb)
What You Have Left by Will Allison (Pat, inabsentia)
Ingrid (who showed up for the first time in years!) recommended Carl Hiasson's books. Kerry suggested listening to audio books by southern authors for the accent and atmosphere, particularly Fannie Flagg. There was some discussion /disagreement about what characterizes Southern literature and which states are actually considered Southern. There was also some discussion about changing our meeting day to Sundays instead of Fridays on account of the heavy traffic. No conclusions were reached about either.
The next meeting is the Christmas party at Kathryn's on Sunday, Dec. 9 around 5:00. Bring an appetizer, salad or dessert and, if you feel seasonally inspired, a Christmas poem, song, joke, story, picture book or whatever. I'll probably make a vegie chili or lasagna. Special guests will be invited.
Please add the summary of your novel by clicking on Comment.
The next meeting will be a Christmas party at Kathryn's on
Labels: Southern fiction
posted by Kathryn at 4:42 PM
3 Comments:
Charms for the Easy Life by Kaye Gibbons
This book reminded me a little of Steel Magnolias with its celebration of strong southern females. It is very much character-driven, recounting the story of Grandma Charlie Kate, a midwife and outspoken unlicensed physician, her beautiful and spirited daughter Sophia, and Margaret, the quieter and more introverted grandaughter. The three women live together in Raleigh, North Carolina from the Depression years through to the end of the Second World War, sometimes with, but mostly without the much weaker men in their lives. Reading this novel was like talking/listening to a close girlfriend. I enjoyed it.
What You Have Left is not only Southern fiction (set in South Carolina) but it is described as abandonment fiction. A topic for another day perhaps? Each chapter is told from a different point of view and by a different character so it reads like a book of short stories. It is the story of Holly whose mother died when she was young. Her father leaves her and she is raised by her grandfather. Despite marrying a stand up guy she struggles with alcohol and gambling. Later in life Holly finds some peace as she reconnects with her father and introduces him to her daughter. An easy read, quite enjoyable. Mostly character rather than plot driven. I liked it.
Sweetwater Creek by Anne Rivers Siddons is centers on a story of Charleston plantation society through the eyes of two very different families. One rich and one struggling to survive. It is told through the eyes of a twelve year old girl who has lost both her brother and her mother and now lives on a planataion which hopes to survive by breeding award winning hunting dogs. The story gets complicated when a young woman with a dark secret comes to live there for a summer. Basically the strengths as a southern novel are the descriptions of the South Carolina landscape.
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