Flora by Gail Godwin

It’s 1945 and ten year old Helen Anstruther lives in a dilapidated old house at the top of a rutted driveway in Mountain City, North Carolina. Her mother died when she was three and she’s just lost her beloved grandmother, Nonie, to a heart attack. Her father needs to find someone to stay with Helen while he goes to Oak Ridge, Tennessee to contribute to an important, but mysterious project related to the war. Twenty two year old cousin Flora is recruited to spend the summer looking after Helen.

Helen is a precocious child trying very hard to appear more grown up than her actual years and her behavior elicits mixed emotions. I spent part of the book feeling true sympathy for her and the rest wanting to shake her until her teeth rattled. Her loneliness and confusion engender empathy, while her treatment of Flora is infuriating.

In Flora, Gail Godwin creates what I sometimes think is the trickiest character of all—a genuinely good person. Flora is what another character calls “simple-hearted”. This is not similar to being simple-minded. Flora is likeable without being unbelievable and moral without being preachy. She isn’t perfect. She has her insecurities, like everyone else, but she manages to deal with them without resorting to cynicism, or meanness, or liquor. She was chosen by Helen’s father more out of convenience than anything else, but he couldn’t have found a better companion for Helen if he had tried.

The developing relationship between Helen and Flora is the heart of the story. Where will that relationship lead? The first line of the novel, which is narrated by Helen, contains hints, “There are things we can’t undo, but perhaps there is a kind of constructive remorse that could transform regrettable acts into something of service to life.”

This is a story of innocence and its loss, actions and their consequences, memory and forgetting. The themes of this short novel are played out not only in the relationship between Helen and Flora, but in the backdrop of an America doing what is deemed necessary to win a war. The writing is gorgeous and reminded me of one of my favorite short story writers, Alice Munro. Add this to the list of fabulous books published this year by North Carolina writers.

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A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash

A beautiful first novel by a writer born in North Carolina, Wiley Cash. It is a story of three generations of the Hall family, who live in western North Carolina, and the people who intersect their lives: Adelaide Lyle, the town midwife, Sheriff Clem Barefield, and the one person who plays a defining role in all their lives, Carson Chambliss, the preacher.  A preacher who speaks in tongues, who tests God will to rid people of evil by having them confront poisonous snakes and who papers over the windows of his church so no one not attending his service can be aware of what transpires inside.

The book is mostly the story of Jess Hall, the son of Bill and Julie Hall and grandson of Jim Hall, but it is the Reverend who sets the story in motion. Jess is very protective of his older brother, Christopher who is a mute and nicknamed ‘Stump ‘. And it is what happens to Stump that will either bring the community of Marshall closer together or forever divide it.

The book is divided into sections, each highlighting one of the main players while still bringing the story forward. It is a fascinating look at a part of our culture that is often ignored in today’s fast paced electronic existence. It is wonderfully written book that makes it easy to predict the author’s continued success.

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Read a previous post about this book.

Spring Fever by Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews, a pseudonym for Kathy Hogan Trocheck, has come through again! MKA, who lived in Raleigh for a couple of years, is well-known as the creator of sassy, southern women, and Annajane Huggins is no exception.

The setting is familiar: a small town in North Carolina that revolves around a soft-drink manufacturing plant (can anybody say “Cheerwine?). Having been divorced from Mason for five years, Annajane is as surprised as anyone to find herself sitting in the church at his wedding. As you might expect, nothing goes as planned, and Annajane finds herself wondering if leaving Mason was a mistake.

The first third of the book has a lot of flashbacks and background, and it made me a little impatient to get back to the present and move forward. But once we got going, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Pascoe, NC. The advantage to the slow build is that the relationship between Annajane and Mason seems real and understandably complex. Andrews provides an eerily accurate description of what hard work relationships are as we watch Annajane and Mason struggle to define exactly who they are to each other. MKA is a master at including witty, bright, and fun supporting characters, including the irrepressible Pokey, Annajane’s best friend, who just happens to be Mason’s sister, and perfectionist Celia, Mason’s fiancee with a thing or two up her sleeve.

The narration of the audio is especially well-done, even Mason’s daughter Sophie, and I often don’t like how narrators play the roles of little children. Whether you read or listen to Spring Fever, you’re about to enter a town you’ll never want to leave.

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Best ‘New to Us’ Books in 2012: Lynn W.’s Picks

Today’s blog talks about five audio books I’ve enjoyed during 2012. I listen to fiction and memoirs, and if read by the author, all the better. Each year, I stumble onto a children’s book title and find juvenile fiction altogether as engaging as adult fiction, so one is included here. — Lynn W.

This Time Together: Laughter and Reflection by Carol Burnett
Carol presents a series of short vignettes from her private and performing life. Some feature her grandmother, Nanny, a real character, who loved show business and the contacts she made through Carol and capitalized on them. There are funny stories, like how her adoration of Jimmy Stewart panned out the first time they met on a set when she got her foot stuck in a pail of whitewash and walked out with it still attached, too tongue-tied to say a word. The author reads this collection, adding to the emotional depth and also the comic moments.

The Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels – a Love Story by Ree Drummond
If ever there was a mismatch, it was Ree and Marlboro Man. Ree, a native Oklahoman, went to southern California for college and never looked back towards Tulsa except for holidays. Now in her mid-twenties, home is a pit stop on her way to the big time in Chicago. While there she hits a bar with friends and meets Marlboro Man, a tall, strong, real-life cowboy. Their story, read by the author in her authentic and charming Oklahoma voice, is a true love story. We never learn Marlboro Man’s name, but we sure feel the heat develop between them.

The Forgotten Affairs of Youth by Alexander McCall Smith
This eighth Isabel Dalhousie mystery set in Edinburgh, Scotland pleases the ear with soft Scottish accents and descriptions of the gray city and green countryside. Isabel Dalhousie, a philosopher, is approached by a visiting Australian philosopher seeking her biological father’s identity. This is the “mystery.” Isabel and her fiancé Jamie are planning their wedding, all the while watching their beautiful son grow from day to day. This series is a leisurely walk through Scotland’s capital, meeting along the way fascinating people and places and everyday concerns.

The Night Train by Clyde Edgerton
Two teenage boys in 1960s small town North Carolina form a friendship over their love of jazz, a relationship not exactly accepted in this segregated community. Dwayne absolutely loves James Brown’s Live at the Apollo album, while Larry Lime is a pianist wanting to learn Thelonious Monk’s style from a jazz musician called the Bleeder. Their story and shenanigans will entertain while showing music is truly one of the ways humans unite and move beyond their differences. This audio is well-read, giving voice to accents and origins with accuracy.

Everything on a Waffle by Polly Horvath
If your parents disappeared one stormy night and your fishing village neighbors were forced to take you in, how would you feel? Especially if almost everyone is sure your parents were drowned at sea and you are absolutely certain they are merely delayed returning? Primrose Squarp tells her own story; her twelve-year-old point of view of friends (does she have any left?) and neighbors (including Miss Perfidy, who is paid by the town to care for Primrose) is fresh and rings true. Over the months, Primrose rediscovers her uncle, goes into foster care, and begins work on a cookbook while she awaits her parents’ return. This is a delightful mood lifter.

Best ‘New to Us’ Books in 2012: Melissa O.’s Picks

I am what you would call an eclectic reader. I love mystery, science fiction, thrillers, inspirational, and I am an avid nonfiction reader. I also love young adult and even juvenile fiction. So you see my difficulty in describing my reading interests. The good news is this makes it easy for me to make reading suggestions! Here are five of my favorite older books I read or re-read this year. (Yes, I am a re-reader!)  — Melissa O.

Skull Duggery by Aaron Elkins
Gideon Oliver is a forensic anthropologist (think old bones instead of recent murders). When Gideon joins his wife on a trip to Mexico he finds himself reluctantly pulled into yet another murder mystery. And it turns out someone will kill to keep it unsolved! Elkins manages to bring just the right amount of humor into his books, and you get the added bonus of traveling the world with the bone detective as he gets roped into, or manages to trip into, another unsolved crime.

A Spell For Chameleon by Piers Anthony
I discovered this book in high school and it remains my favorite humorous fantasy series. We meet Bink, the only citizen of Xanth with no magic, a tragedy for which he will be exiled. So he sets out to find his magic and just might win the girl of his dreams in the process. This is the first of the Xanth novels and I reread it this year to remind myself why I love these books so much. If you are a fan of puns you will die laughing!

Taliesin by Stephen R. Lawhead
This is the first in the Pendragon Cycle and sets the stage for the next four books. Lawhead expands on the usual Arthurian legends by weaving the mythic city of Atlantis into the tale. Lawhead also skillfully weaves a more prominent Christian message into the novels, but in a way that will not put-off non-Christians. In addition to Taliesin we meet Charis, a bull dancer, and watch their lives come together in one of the greatest love stories I have read recently.

The Sacrifice by Robert Whitlow
When you read Whitlow’s inspirational legal thrillers you can tell he is writing from experience. A practicing attorney for decades, his books are gripping and believable. We also get the added bonus that Whitlow is a local author and sets many of his books, including this one, in North Carolina. Scott Ellis is an attorney who finds himself advising a mock trial team at a high school. Add in a school shooting and you won’t be able to put this book down.

The Loch by Steve Alten
Alten takes the legend of the Loch Ness Monster and twists it on its head while including the right amount of science to keep my inner biologist happy. Zach Wallace returns to Scotland when his estranged father is accused of murder. Unfortunately, Angus’s sole defense is that “something” in the Loch killed his business partner. Zach must solve the mystery even as more bodies continue to pile up. Much sleep was sacrificed as I was sucked into this story!

Best New Books of 2012: Janet L.’s Picks

What do a clerk in a 24-hour bookstore, a snake-handling faith healer, a man walking 500 miles to visit a sick friend, a hiker on the Pacific Crest Trail and Richard Burton have in common? (And it doesn’t involve marrying Elizabeth Taylor.) Rather, they all figure somehow in my five favorite books of 2012. My reading tastes are eclectic, but I read more literary fiction and mysteries than anything else. Language, atmosphere, setting, and believable characters are all important to me.  – Janet L.

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash
Marshall, North Carolina, has a new church, the River Road Church of Christ in Signs Following. It’s led by a charismatic preacher, Carson Chambliss, a man with a talent for snake handling. Stump Hall, a young autistic boy, witnesses something at the church that leads to tragedy. Sheriff Clem Barefield is determined to find out what happened, no matter what the consequences. This is Cash’s debut novel and it’s a beauty; gorgeous writing, believable characters and gothic overtones. Recommended for readers of Ron Rash, John Hart and Tom Franklin.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce
Harold Fry is surprised to receive a letter from Queenie Hennessey, who is seriously ill and has written to say goodbye. They were friends once, but parted in strained circumstances. Mild mannered Harold is so shocked by this news he behaves spontaneously and begins a 500 mile journey by foot to say goodbye to Queenie, convinced she will not die as long as he is walking. Recommended for readers of Anne Tyler, Elizabeth Berg and Anna Quindlen.

Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore by Robin Sloan
I adored this book. It has a likeable narrator, Clay Jannon, who clerks in a mysterious bookshop run by the fascinating Mr. Penumbra. The theme of Old Knowledge (books) vs. Internet knowledge allows the author to slip in scenes at Google, a museum dedicated to knitting overrun by children, arcane information about fonts, and a computer whiz who made a fortune creating realistic 3-D versions of breasts. This book is fun. It’s the kind of book that made a reader of me, the kind of book that keeps me reading, the kind of book I can’t wait to tell people about. Recommended for readers of Jasper Fforde and Terry Pratchett.

Wild by Cheryl Strayed
Hunched under a too heavy backpack quickly nicknamed Monster, Cheryl Strayed begins a real life journey along the Pacific Crest Trail that is spiritual as well as physical. Her plans for her hike are soon revealed as inadequate (who knew water weighed so much?) and she must improvise as she goes along—much as we all have to adjust in life when our best laid plans go awry. I found Strayed’s account of her hike riveting, profound, hilarious and suspenseful. Recommended for readers of Jeannette Walls, Jon Krakauer and Dave Eggers.

Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter
It’s 1962 and Pasquale Tursi, owner of the Hotel Adequate View in Porto Vergogna, Italy, is immediately smitten by Dee Moray, an American starlet who arrives at his hotel fresh from the set of the movie Cleopatra. Their story (with a supporting appearance from Richard Burton) connects to present day Hollywood and the career of Claire, assistant to legendary producer Michael Deane. Walter creates a truly romantic story that underscores his theme of how life and art intersect.

The Devil in Pew Number Seven by Rebecca N. Alonzo and Bob DeMoss

I had no idea what a fascinating and appalling story I was in for when I began this book. Unbelievably, it’s true.

Becky Nichols’ early childhood was filled with warmth and love. Her father, a traveling preacher, came to religion late in life and was determined to share the good news with everyone he possibly could. Her mother, who joyfully followed her husband in his travels, thought she might never have children and was extraordinarily grateful when God brought Becky to them, and astoundingly, a boy a few years later. The little family found themselves called to Sellerstown, N.C., a small community in southern North Carolina in need of Pastor Nichols’ fellowship. The people of Sellerstown welcomed the Nichols family with open arms, with one exception.

It wasn’t long before they found themselves being terrorized by a neighbor who wasn’t happy about the changes at the church. Arrogant and confident, he seemed pleased at the chaos he observed from his spot in the seventh pew of the church. The level of wrath is truly unbelievable. The family was bombed, threatened, and harassed, with windows exploding into the sleeping baby’s bedroom, yet Pastor and Mrs. Nichols refused to give in and leave. This choice would come to haunt them when their house was invaded by another disgruntled neighbor whose abused wife was seeking refuge with the Nichols’.

The power of tolerance and forgiveness are constant themes throughout the book, and I’m amazed at the ability of this family to withstand such tests with only their faith in God and their ability to believe in the good in people to hold them up. Even while their family was being pummeled with bombs and firearms, Pastor and Mrs. Nichols comforted their children by telling them that when God wanted them to leave, he would not be sending that message through the Devil. They were not afraid to die for the Lord. While I find this extremely frustrating, I’m still incredibly impressed by the strength of their ability to see the good in other people, no matter how they behave. If that isn’t enough, Becky explains that the perpetrator of all the terror came to her to ask for forgiveness, yet she had to tell him that she had ALREADY forgiven him. It would be an astounding act in itself to forgive someone who had caused such pain for her family, but to do so without even being asked boggles the mind. Becky spends the last chapter of the book talking about forgiveness and how, at least for her, it’s not about letting someone else out of prison but about letting HERSELF out of the prison that hatred can create.

I would be remiss not to add that the writing is lovely. Becky has offered a beautiful tribute to her parents and the influence they had on her and many other lives.

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Summer Rental by Mary Kay Andrews

Mary Kay Andrews is one of my favorites. Her characters are witty and her story lines usually have an unforeseen twist. Andrews’ Summer Rental is about three girlfriends who rent a North Carolina beach house. As this story of friendship and obstacles unfolds you will laugh and cry with these ladies.

Lifelong friends Ellis, Dori, and Julia decide it’s time for a much needed get-a-way. The girls rent a beach house in Nags Head, NC.  Ellis has been fired, and Dori is troubled by finances while something much bigger is bothering her as well. Julia, the model, has a secret she has been holding onto for years and has finally decided to share with her friends. Each lady is very uncertain about her future. When Dori’s sister backs out of the trip the trio is in need of a fourth roommate.  While at a local eatery, Dori overhears that Marin, a.k.a. Madison, is looking for a place to stay for a couple of weeks. Dori offers Marin the extra room and Marin accepts. Unbeknownst to her new housemates, Marin is on the run and like the others she is speculative of her future.

Ebbtide, the house the girls are renting, is a little less than desirable with its noisy window units, old appliances, cramped bedrooms and pests. The ladies are very curious about their handsome and mysterious neighbor, Ty Basemore, who lives in the apartment above the garage. Ty, a day trader and bartender, has some secrets and issues of his own that he is dealing with. Love is in the air when Ty and Ellis discover they have a “thing” for each other. Despite the fact that each character is dealing with their own personal battles they lean on each other for support, and manage to have fun and make the best of their time at the beach. Suspense, romance, trouble, and good fortune await the characters and will have you hanging onto Andrews’ every word.

Like her other books, this story has a good mixture of humor, romance and mystique. As usual, Andrews does a fabulous job of drawing you into the story. By the time you finish the book you will be longing for a week at the beach.

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Greatest Hits: Jim the Boy by Tony Earley

This week we’re featuring some of our “greatest hits” – the most popular Book-a-Day blog posts since we started this almost three years ago. Today’s is Jim the Boy by Tony Earley, reviewed by Brandy H.

I’ve always been a huge fan of the “coming of age” theme in literature.  As readers we get to experience the thrill of a character doing something for the first time, often in a different time and place.  Jim Glass Jr. is one of those characters.  Tony Earley’s debut novel takes us back to rural North Carolina during the Great Depression. This is a period in American History that has always intrigued and haunted me. Back in college, as part of my museum studies class, I put together an exhibit of “New Deal” photographs. Those images strongly shaped my historical memory and to this day I often associate the 1930′s with dusty landscapes and hardscrabble children sitting in ramshackle houses.

Jim the Boy tells a different, gentler, story of that time, one in which families lived and worked together and happiness was often found in the small things. I found myself having a bit of nostalgia for a simpler time in America.  The central character Jim lives with his widowed mother and three bachelor uncles on a farm in rural Aliceville, North Carolina. It’s 1934 and times are tough, but the family gets by with hard work and much love.  Jim experiences all the basics of growing up – his first baseball mitt, his first best friend, and his first encounter with a bully. But he also starts to ask some important questions, like what kind of person was his dead father? Who are the boys from the mountain and why are they so different from the town boys? And finally, what is going on in the world outside his small town? As Jim slowly learns the answers to these questions his uncles are there, right by his side, to guide him and teach him right from wrong.  One could say that this is a book about nothing … except what it’s like being human.  But honestly– there are some major themes, such as the role of family relationships and the fact that change is necessary.

One thought about the cover and style of this book: at first glance it looks like a book for teens from the 1950′s with its retro illustration and the smallish size. Don’t be fooled by the minimalistic quality of this book. The author has the ability to weave a rich and timeless story with few words – it’s so pure it’s like literary honey.  Are you ready for your “warm fuzzy” today?

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The World Made Straight by Ron Rash

Are you on the waiting list for Ron Rash’s newest book, The Cove? Why not take the time to explore some of Rash’s earlier works. I have read all of his books and have thoroughly enjoyed them all but my personal favorite is The World Made Straight. Rash always features wonderful vivid characters and Travis Shelton, the anti-hero of The World Made Straight is one of my favorites.

Travis is a 17 year old dropout living in Madison County North Carolina with his abusive father. On a fishing trip one day, Travis finds a field of marijuana in the woods, and steals some plants and keeps going back for more. You just know this is not going to end well for Travis and it doesn’t’.

The only good thing to come out of all this is the friend he finds in Leonard, a drug dealing former teacher who is obsessed with the Shelton Laurel Massacre, a real event in the Civil War that affects all of the characters in subtle ways. Leonard becomes a mentor to Travis and an assortment of other wayward travelers including teenage runaway Dena.

The story moves and flows and never lags and you will find out interesting facts about an actual event in the Civil War. The characters are true to life and you will become very fond of them. I found the book to be gripping and full of action and surprises. I hoped and prayed for a happy ending for Travis. Read the book to find out what happens …

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