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The Dry Grass of August
In the segregated South, a young girl’s life is changed “A beautifully written literary novel [and] a real page-turner.” —Lee Smith, New York Times-bestselling author of Blue Marlin On a scorching day in August 1954, thirteen-year-old Jubie Watts leaves Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family for a Florida vacation. Crammed into the Packard along with Jubie are her three siblings, her mother, and the family’s black maid, Mary Luther. For as long as Jubie can remember, Mary has been there—cooking, cleaning, compensating for her father’s rages and her mother’s benign neglect, and loving Jubie unconditionally. Bright and curious, Jubie takes note of the anti-integration signs they pass, and the racial tension that builds as they journey further south. But she could never have predicted the shocking turn their trip will take. Now, in the wake of tragedy, Jubie must confront her parents’ failings and limitations, decide where her own convictions lie, and make the tumultuous leap to independence . . . Infused with the intensity of a changing time, here is a story of hope, heartbreak, and the love and courage that can transform us—from child to adult, from wounded to indomitable. “Taut, thoughtful and complex.” —Publishers Weekly “A must-read for fans of The Help.” —Woman’s World “An ending so shocking and real it had me in tears.” —Eleanor Brown, New York Times-bestselling author of The Weird Sisters
224 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2011
3094 people are currently reading
25152 people want to read
About the author
Anna Jean Mayhew
4 books396 followers Anna Jean "A. J." Mayhew’s first novel, The Dry Grass of August won the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction, was a finalist for the book award from the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance, and has been translated into seven languages. She was a writer in residence for a month at Moulin à Nef Studio Center in Auvillar, France.
A. J.’s second novel, Tomorrow's Bread, is about the destruction of inner city neighborhoods in urban renewal programs that swept across the country, beginning in the 1950s and continuing today. As a native Charlottean, A. J. witnessed the demolition of the Brooklyn community in Second Ward, and her feelings about that travesty prompted the writing of Tomorrow's Bread. The novel was selected for the TRIO program, a traveling exhibit of art, music, and literature that celebrates the inspirational power of great storytelling.
A. J. lives with her Swiss-born husband and a French-speaking cat in Hillsborough, NC, where she's working on a third novel.
A. J.’s second novel, Tomorrow's Bread, is about the destruction of inner city neighborhoods in urban renewal programs that swept across the country, beginning in the 1950s and continuing today. As a native Charlottean, A. J. witnessed the demolition of the Brooklyn community in Second Ward, and her feelings about that travesty prompted the writing of Tomorrow's Bread. The novel was selected for the TRIO program, a traveling exhibit of art, music, and literature that celebrates the inspirational power of great storytelling.
A. J. lives with her Swiss-born husband and a French-speaking cat in Hillsborough, NC, where she's working on a third novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,315 reviews
February 9, 2017
The dry grass of August in a really interesting and engaging novel and while a lot of people seem to be comparing it in one way or another to The Help, I am not going to do this as I feel this book needs to be read and enjoyed in its own right. I bought the paperback edition and I love the cover and the quality of this publication and this is is the reason I still love my physical books!
The Dry Grass of August takes place in 1954 in Charlotte, North Carolina and tells the story of 13 year old Jubie Watts and the relationship she has with her black maid Mary, and the blatant racism and prejudices that surround her. This is not just a story about race relations in the south but a warm and engaging story about a 13 year old girl’s relationship with her middle class southern family and her love for Mary her second mother the lady who cooked and cleaned and cared for her 3 siblings.
I loved the characters in the Dry Grass of August and felt they became so real as the story unfolds. I especially liked the character of Mary and loved her quiet kind but yet strong nature throughout the story. I also loved the complex characters of the jubie’s mother and father and think these characters would make for excellent discussion at the bookclub I attend. There are a lot of issues in this novel and not all of them are addressed by the end of the story, but I liked this as that is the way life works, loose ends don’t always get tied up unfortunately.
I also read the author interview at the end of the Novel and was amazed that Anna Jean Mayhew started this book 18 years ago and it took this long to finish it. She also says it was not written for the young adult market but that it would make excellent reading as it would give them a look into history through the eyes of someone their age. This is a very short read, it is a novel that will make you mad and sad.
January 30, 2019
EXCERPT: In August of 1954, we took our first road trip without Daddy, and Stell got to use the driver's license she'd had such a fit about. It was just a little card saying she was Estelle Annette Watts, that she was white, with hazel eyes and brown hair. But her having a license made that trip different from any others, because if she hadn't had it, we never would have been stuck in Sally's Motel Park in Claxton, Georgia, where we went to buy fruit cakes and had a wreck instead. And Mary would still be with us.
ABOUT THIS BOOK: The Dry Grass of August offers a riveting depiction of Southern life in the throes of segregation and what it will mean for a young girl on her way to adulthood and for the woman who means the world to her.
On a scorching day in August 1954, thirteen-year-old Jubie Watts leaves Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family for a Florida vacation. Crammed into the Packard along with Jubie are her three siblings, her mother, and the family's black maid, Mary Luther. For as long as Jubie can remember, Mary has been there cooking, cleaning, compensating for her father's rages and her mother's benign neglect, and loving Jubie unconditionally.
Bright and curious, Jubie takes note of the anti-integration signs they pass and of the racial tension that builds as they journey further south. But she could never have predicted the shocking turn their trip will take. Now, in the wake of tragedy, Jubie must confront her parents failings and limitations, decide where her own convictions lie, and make the tumultuous leap to independence.
Infused with the intensity of a changing time, here is a story of hope, heartbreak, and the love and courage that can transform us from child to adult, wounded to indomitable.
MY THOUGHTS: This is a quietly powerful book that is going to merit a second reading from me at some point. Its characters, particularly Jubie, will stay with me for some time. She has a good heart, and I would like to know what happens to her as an adult.
I wasn't quite born when this book starts out, and yet this time feels as familiar to me as if I had lived it. And it is a tribute to Mayhew's writing skills that I did feel like I was living this road trip along with Jubie and her family.
I can remember the reports of racial unrest over the integration of schools and buses when I was a child. I had never realized that there were curfews, and had never thought about the difficulties encountered when travelling with a colored maid. The Dry Grass of August was an eye-opener in more ways than one. There is something very 'personal' about this book which has been lacking in other similar books I have previously read.
Particularly impressive is the fact that this is Mayhew's debut novel - at the age of seventy-one. I feel that there is hope for me yet!
The one fly in the ointment for me was the unresolved question of the room at the back of Bill's warehouse. Link says to Jubie at Mary's funeral, 'Ask your father about the room behind the warehouse.' Despite it coming up again, we never actually find out about the room, what it was for, or why Link thought Jubie needed to be aware of it. A day after finishing this read, that room is still niggling at me. I want to know!
Beautiful cover!
❤❤❤❤
THE AUTHOR: Anna Jean (A.J.) Mayhew’s first novel, The Dry Grass of August, won the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction, and was a finalist for the Book Award from the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. She has been writer-in-residence at Moulin à Nef Studio Center in Auvillar, France, and was a member of the first Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Writers' Network. A native of Charlotte, NC, A.J. has never lived outside the state, although she often travels to Europe with her Swiss-born husband. Her work reflects her vivid memories of growing up in the segregated South. A.J.—a mother and
grandmother—now lives in a small town in the North Carolina Piedmont with her husband and their French-speaking cat.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my WordPress page sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
ABOUT THIS BOOK: The Dry Grass of August offers a riveting depiction of Southern life in the throes of segregation and what it will mean for a young girl on her way to adulthood and for the woman who means the world to her.
On a scorching day in August 1954, thirteen-year-old Jubie Watts leaves Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family for a Florida vacation. Crammed into the Packard along with Jubie are her three siblings, her mother, and the family's black maid, Mary Luther. For as long as Jubie can remember, Mary has been there cooking, cleaning, compensating for her father's rages and her mother's benign neglect, and loving Jubie unconditionally.
Bright and curious, Jubie takes note of the anti-integration signs they pass and of the racial tension that builds as they journey further south. But she could never have predicted the shocking turn their trip will take. Now, in the wake of tragedy, Jubie must confront her parents failings and limitations, decide where her own convictions lie, and make the tumultuous leap to independence.
Infused with the intensity of a changing time, here is a story of hope, heartbreak, and the love and courage that can transform us from child to adult, wounded to indomitable.
MY THOUGHTS: This is a quietly powerful book that is going to merit a second reading from me at some point. Its characters, particularly Jubie, will stay with me for some time. She has a good heart, and I would like to know what happens to her as an adult.
I wasn't quite born when this book starts out, and yet this time feels as familiar to me as if I had lived it. And it is a tribute to Mayhew's writing skills that I did feel like I was living this road trip along with Jubie and her family.
I can remember the reports of racial unrest over the integration of schools and buses when I was a child. I had never realized that there were curfews, and had never thought about the difficulties encountered when travelling with a colored maid. The Dry Grass of August was an eye-opener in more ways than one. There is something very 'personal' about this book which has been lacking in other similar books I have previously read.
Particularly impressive is the fact that this is Mayhew's debut novel - at the age of seventy-one. I feel that there is hope for me yet!
The one fly in the ointment for me was the unresolved question of the room at the back of Bill's warehouse. Link says to Jubie at Mary's funeral, 'Ask your father about the room behind the warehouse.' Despite it coming up again, we never actually find out about the room, what it was for, or why Link thought Jubie needed to be aware of it. A day after finishing this read, that room is still niggling at me. I want to know!
Beautiful cover!
❤❤❤❤
THE AUTHOR: Anna Jean (A.J.) Mayhew’s first novel, The Dry Grass of August, won the Sir Walter Raleigh Award for Fiction, and was a finalist for the Book Award from the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance. She has been writer-in-residence at Moulin à Nef Studio Center in Auvillar, France, and was a member of the first Board of Trustees of the North Carolina Writers' Network. A native of Charlotte, NC, A.J. has never lived outside the state, although she often travels to Europe with her Swiss-born husband. Her work reflects her vivid memories of growing up in the segregated South. A.J.—a mother and
grandmother—now lives in a small town in the North Carolina Piedmont with her husband and their French-speaking cat.
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Kensington Books via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
Please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com for an explanation of my rating system. This review and others are also published on my WordPress page sandysbookaday.wordpress.com https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 8, 2025
This is a historical fiction that takes place in the South in 1954. It is sad, but during this time in Southern America black people did not have the same rights. In this book Mary a black maid dies, and after her death secrets starts to come out about a person of the family she was a maid for. I cannot say more without giving away to much. I did like this book, but I felt it was just ok.
June 1, 2016
I loved this book! A wonderful debut novel. It is the summer of 1953 and 13 year old "Jubie" from Charlotte, North Carolina sets off on a family trip (with their black maid) heading down south to Florida. There are two stories told thru her eyes. One, is the travels down south and the deep rooted racism of the time and things they encounter. The other, is a family story of secrets and lies. If you enjoyed "The Help" you will like this book although it is more a "family" story.
January 20, 2019
A touching coming of age story set among the turmoil of overt discrimination and racial tensions in the Deep South in the 1950’s.
SUMMARY
Road Trip! It’s a hot August in 1954 and thirteen year old Jubie Watts, her family and their maid are all headed to Pensacola, Florida in their Packard. Everyone except Jubie’s dad is going. Jubie’s sister, Stell just got her drivers license and can’t wait to share the driving with Jubie’s mom. Sitting in the back with Jubie and her siblings is Mary Luther is the Watts’ black maid, who has been cooking and cleaning for the family as long as Jubie can remember. As the family travels from Charlotte NC across Southern Georgia, Jubie cannot help but become aware of the anti-integration signs and discrimination that exist everywhere they stop. And then tragedy strikes. Jubie, overcome with grief and her own moral convictions, takes action into her own hands. Showing independence and courage, Jubie does what is right and is transformed.
REVIEW
THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST is a touching chronicle of a period of time in Jubie’s life that would forever define who she would be. It’s a coming of age story emanating from a tragic event. My favorite part of the book was Jubie’s compassion, strength and growing awareness of the world she lives in. Jubie’s relationship with Mary was typical of girls raised in the South by a working or distant mother. I appreciated Mary’s role of quiet strength.
The writing was good, and it was a quick read. I struggled slightly with the chapter jumping back and forth in time, but I generally liked the way the story was told. There were a multitude of characters and issues brought out in the book including child abuse, infidelity, rape, racism, suicide, and embezzlement just to name a few, and as a result the story branched in many different directions. This is ANNA JEAN MAYHEW’s debut novel, which was an eighteen year process. Thanks to Netgalley, Kensington and Anna Jean Mayhew for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Kensington Books
Published January 29, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
SUMMARY
Road Trip! It’s a hot August in 1954 and thirteen year old Jubie Watts, her family and their maid are all headed to Pensacola, Florida in their Packard. Everyone except Jubie’s dad is going. Jubie’s sister, Stell just got her drivers license and can’t wait to share the driving with Jubie’s mom. Sitting in the back with Jubie and her siblings is Mary Luther is the Watts’ black maid, who has been cooking and cleaning for the family as long as Jubie can remember. As the family travels from Charlotte NC across Southern Georgia, Jubie cannot help but become aware of the anti-integration signs and discrimination that exist everywhere they stop. And then tragedy strikes. Jubie, overcome with grief and her own moral convictions, takes action into her own hands. Showing independence and courage, Jubie does what is right and is transformed.
REVIEW
THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST is a touching chronicle of a period of time in Jubie’s life that would forever define who she would be. It’s a coming of age story emanating from a tragic event. My favorite part of the book was Jubie’s compassion, strength and growing awareness of the world she lives in. Jubie’s relationship with Mary was typical of girls raised in the South by a working or distant mother. I appreciated Mary’s role of quiet strength.
The writing was good, and it was a quick read. I struggled slightly with the chapter jumping back and forth in time, but I generally liked the way the story was told. There were a multitude of characters and issues brought out in the book including child abuse, infidelity, rape, racism, suicide, and embezzlement just to name a few, and as a result the story branched in many different directions. This is ANNA JEAN MAYHEW’s debut novel, which was an eighteen year process. Thanks to Netgalley, Kensington and Anna Jean Mayhew for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Publisher Kensington Books
Published January 29, 2019
Review www.bluestockingreviews.com
September 26, 2012
I thought this was one of the worst books I have ever read. I can appreciate the attempt the author took on, but I feel it was sub standard to be quite blunt. For me, it was like a soap opera. First, this story has been told over and over, and it has been told much better than this one. So, here you go: it has a dysfunctional family, child abuse, childhood emotional neglect, attempted sexual abuse of a house maid, criminal business practices, marital infidelity, substance abuse, racism, racial injustice, to name a few issues. The author did not seem to be able to focus on a central theme, it was all over the place. What was the point of this story I kept asking? Too many stereotypes.
I felt it was a waste of time for me personally, and only completed it because it was chosen as a book group selection. I do not recommend this book needless to say. Read To Kill A Mockingbird for quality writing, expert characterization, and much to think about if you are looking for life in the 50's in the south. If you read it as a teenager, revisit it. Mockingbird is a true classic and will be read over and over. I felt The Dry Grass selection was trite, the characters stereotypical, and the author uses sensationalism throughout the story, and it will not be elevated in a way that Mockingbird has been for years.
The author posed too many lackluster, dysfunctional characters. Another great book if you want to know what life was like in the south for black people is Isabelle Wilkerson's "The Warmth of Other Suns". Google that book and add it to your list. It is an in depth account about the lives of real black people who migrated north and west from the south. It is a fascinating read, and although non-fiction it reads like a novel. It will elevate you in ways The Dry G of August does not. It provides many topics for discussion and Isabelle Wilkerson is an amazing author. You can get on her website and read an interview with her. The Color Purple, while it has been around for awhile, is another one to seek out and perhaps revisit. Happy Reading!
I felt it was a waste of time for me personally, and only completed it because it was chosen as a book group selection. I do not recommend this book needless to say. Read To Kill A Mockingbird for quality writing, expert characterization, and much to think about if you are looking for life in the 50's in the south. If you read it as a teenager, revisit it. Mockingbird is a true classic and will be read over and over. I felt The Dry Grass selection was trite, the characters stereotypical, and the author uses sensationalism throughout the story, and it will not be elevated in a way that Mockingbird has been for years.
The author posed too many lackluster, dysfunctional characters. Another great book if you want to know what life was like in the south for black people is Isabelle Wilkerson's "The Warmth of Other Suns". Google that book and add it to your list. It is an in depth account about the lives of real black people who migrated north and west from the south. It is a fascinating read, and although non-fiction it reads like a novel. It will elevate you in ways The Dry G of August does not. It provides many topics for discussion and Isabelle Wilkerson is an amazing author. You can get on her website and read an interview with her. The Color Purple, while it has been around for awhile, is another one to seek out and perhaps revisit. Happy Reading!
June 22, 2011
I almost couldn't put down this novel set in the segregated South in the early 1950s--Mayhew's first--and wouldn't have if it weren't for that pesky thing called a job.
The story of the summer that 13-year-old June "Jubie" Watts comes of age is a breathtaking glimpse into the relationship between a black maid and her white charges. Like the best-selling The Help, Mayhew breaks new ground exploring the dynamics of this relationship.
When an unspeakably tragic event occurs, Jubie is forced to follow her own heart about the issue of race and what it means to be a decent human being. Jubie's voice is so authentic that the character echoes Scout Finch, but with preteen hormones!
Her parents are not as idealized as Atticus Finch, but rather complicated and deeply flawed. Stell Ann, Jubie's older sister, seems to be a good person but is, at 16, worried about appearances. Jubie's parents are never idealized. Her alcoholic, philandering father is by no means Atticus Finch, and her mother is a deeply flawed being. Still, the novel ends with some hope for Mrs. Watts.
It's been a while since a book actually made me cry. Highly recommended for fans of Southern fiction, historical fiction, and even teens who will find a real kinship with Jubie.
Oh, and big thanks to my little sis for going through so much trouble to get me a copy of this thing!
The story of the summer that 13-year-old June "Jubie" Watts comes of age is a breathtaking glimpse into the relationship between a black maid and her white charges. Like the best-selling The Help, Mayhew breaks new ground exploring the dynamics of this relationship.
When an unspeakably tragic event occurs, Jubie is forced to follow her own heart about the issue of race and what it means to be a decent human being. Jubie's voice is so authentic that the character echoes Scout Finch, but with preteen hormones!
Her parents are not as idealized as Atticus Finch, but rather complicated and deeply flawed. Stell Ann, Jubie's older sister, seems to be a good person but is, at 16, worried about appearances. Jubie's parents are never idealized. Her alcoholic, philandering father is by no means Atticus Finch, and her mother is a deeply flawed being. Still, the novel ends with some hope for Mrs. Watts.
It's been a while since a book actually made me cry. Highly recommended for fans of Southern fiction, historical fiction, and even teens who will find a real kinship with Jubie.
Oh, and big thanks to my little sis for going through so much trouble to get me a copy of this thing!
May 8, 2023
The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew. Very good book centered around 1950s racism. I read on a news forum today “we need to go back to the 1950s.” I was like for this? No we don’t need to go backwards.
This book about Southern life in the midst of segregation. This is a powerful girl who has yet to mature. Living in an ideal world where color doesn’t exist. With a drunk bigot of a father and a weak kneed mother who yammers and bitches but does no more. This girl loses the most important person in her life beaten right in front of her. The maid was walking the girl and her sister home after a revival. Her crime? Walking after dark in a white neighborhood. Her bigoted father commits his own crimes. The family faces lots of death and humiliation. Nothing as powerful or great as this girl losing her only trusted friend “ guilty for being black”. I could read it but thinking about it while reading, just angers me. Sadly, 2023 nothinv much has changed
This book about Southern life in the midst of segregation. This is a powerful girl who has yet to mature. Living in an ideal world where color doesn’t exist. With a drunk bigot of a father and a weak kneed mother who yammers and bitches but does no more. This girl loses the most important person in her life beaten right in front of her. The maid was walking the girl and her sister home after a revival. Her crime? Walking after dark in a white neighborhood. Her bigoted father commits his own crimes. The family faces lots of death and humiliation. Nothing as powerful or great as this girl losing her only trusted friend “ guilty for being black”. I could read it but thinking about it while reading, just angers me. Sadly, 2023 nothinv much has changed
April 24, 2024
“You repent. God forgives you. But the Lord don’t work in advance. He don’t pardon sins you fixing to commit.”
― Anna Jean Mayhew, The Dry Grass of August
3.5 stars.
This was a beautiful tale of a family in the south during the days of Segregation. The writing was quite lovely and the story itself quite sad. But that being said, I did not love it.
This is the type of book I should have adored. It was for a book group and it looked to be great. And it is in a way. The writing, the moodiness, the atmosphere. Dry Grass of August is not a bad book and I think most fans of Historical Fiction would like it. And yet..
I think I'd have enjoyed it more had I not read several similiar books around the same time. That may have interfered a bit. I know sometimes if I read to many mysteries that do not differ all that much my enjoyment goes down a bit.
But also.and this is not a spoiler because it is from the beginning of the book...the book TELLS you from the beginning who is going to meet a cruel fate and I prefer it (usually) when we do not know that from the beginning. As a result, I was kind of turning the pages in dread of an event I knew was around the corner.
Also for me, I felt it was a bit to long. I was becoming exhausted toward the end. Also at one point it did seem every time I turned the page there was another death. I had a tough time. I will say.
I have liked other books dealing with this subject much better including "The Invention of Wings" , "Flowers in the snow", and let's not forget "The Color Purple".
But I still enjoyed it. The writing is evocative and lovely and really succeeded in capturing that time period and making the reader think of what life was like during those days. I think a three is a perfect rating.
I may at some point read this again as I think there are some books I tend to enjoy more the second time around and this strikes me as possibly one of them.
― Anna Jean Mayhew, The Dry Grass of August
3.5 stars.
This was a beautiful tale of a family in the south during the days of Segregation. The writing was quite lovely and the story itself quite sad. But that being said, I did not love it.
This is the type of book I should have adored. It was for a book group and it looked to be great. And it is in a way. The writing, the moodiness, the atmosphere. Dry Grass of August is not a bad book and I think most fans of Historical Fiction would like it. And yet..
I think I'd have enjoyed it more had I not read several similiar books around the same time. That may have interfered a bit. I know sometimes if I read to many mysteries that do not differ all that much my enjoyment goes down a bit.
But also.and this is not a spoiler because it is from the beginning of the book...the book TELLS you from the beginning who is going to meet a cruel fate and I prefer it (usually) when we do not know that from the beginning. As a result, I was kind of turning the pages in dread of an event I knew was around the corner.
Also for me, I felt it was a bit to long. I was becoming exhausted toward the end. Also at one point it did seem every time I turned the page there was another death. I had a tough time. I will say.
I have liked other books dealing with this subject much better including "The Invention of Wings" , "Flowers in the snow", and let's not forget "The Color Purple".
But I still enjoyed it. The writing is evocative and lovely and really succeeded in capturing that time period and making the reader think of what life was like during those days. I think a three is a perfect rating.
I may at some point read this again as I think there are some books I tend to enjoy more the second time around and this strikes me as possibly one of them.
January 20, 2019
I really enjoyed THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST! As a native of Charlotte, NC — growing up in the 50s-60s in the South, very relatable. We also vacationed in Florida often (also have been a full-time Florida resident since 2003). I adored the relationship between 13-year-old Jubie—a white teenager, and 47-year-old Mary— the black maid.
For fans of Laura Lane McNeal's Dollbaby, Mary Marcus' Lavina, and Lisa Patton's Rush (three favorites). In addition, fans of popular Delia Owens' Where the Crawdads Sing will enjoy.
A stunning debut from Anna Jean Mayhew! A heartfelt Southern historical fiction and coming-of-age. I felt as though I was reliving my youth. I purchased the audiobook narrated by Karen White (exceptional) and a special thanks to Kensington and #NetGalley for an advanced reading copy. For those of you who missed this the first time around, coming Jan 29, 2019. Beautiful cover.
Also look for the author's second book: Tomorrow's Bread Coming Mar 26, 2019. I will be pre-0rdering and looking forward to reading!
#JDCMustReadBooks
For fans of Laura Lane McNeal's Dollbaby, Mary Marcus' Lavina, and Lisa Patton's Rush (three favorites). In addition, fans of popular Delia Owens' Where the Crawdads Sing will enjoy.
A stunning debut from Anna Jean Mayhew! A heartfelt Southern historical fiction and coming-of-age. I felt as though I was reliving my youth. I purchased the audiobook narrated by Karen White (exceptional) and a special thanks to Kensington and #NetGalley for an advanced reading copy. For those of you who missed this the first time around, coming Jan 29, 2019. Beautiful cover.
Also look for the author's second book: Tomorrow's Bread Coming Mar 26, 2019. I will be pre-0rdering and looking forward to reading!
#JDCMustReadBooks
October 4, 2011
3 and 1/2 stars (I think I'm giving out more 3 and 1/2 stars for what are basically 3-star books, if only to make sure review-readers know that I did like a 3-star book.)
I bought this book while I was on vacation in North Carolina last week, as I like to go into the local independents and see what is regionally of interest. This was recommended to me by the owner, who said it was well-written, after she asked me what I liked to read. (Literary fiction was my answer.)
Not only is it well-written, but the characters and their development are very well-drawn. It's not only a 'coming-of-age story' for the 13-year-old narrator, but maybe even more so for her mother. It evokes a year (1954) that's before my time, and though I was impressed with all the details of the time period, I feel that maybe there are too many given at some points.
The book starts off slow, imbuing you with place and atmosphere (essential to this tale of racism in the South at a volatile time with things on the cusp of change) and becomes somewhat (too?) plot-heavy near the end. But, all in all, a 'good read,' and a quite important one too.
I bought this book while I was on vacation in North Carolina last week, as I like to go into the local independents and see what is regionally of interest. This was recommended to me by the owner, who said it was well-written, after she asked me what I liked to read. (Literary fiction was my answer.)
Not only is it well-written, but the characters and their development are very well-drawn. It's not only a 'coming-of-age story' for the 13-year-old narrator, but maybe even more so for her mother. It evokes a year (1954) that's before my time, and though I was impressed with all the details of the time period, I feel that maybe there are too many given at some points.
The book starts off slow, imbuing you with place and atmosphere (essential to this tale of racism in the South at a volatile time with things on the cusp of change) and becomes somewhat (too?) plot-heavy near the end. But, all in all, a 'good read,' and a quite important one too.
August 3, 2011
I felt this book was a solid three-star read, and it was certainly a quick read. I love the title and the imagery it conjures up. It is beautifully written; and I think if Mayhew's book had come out prior to The Help, I might have given it a higher rating. The topics are very similar in the two books, however, I have to say I did not feel a huge connection between any of the characters in Dry Grass of August.
None of them seem to really delve into anything below the surface. The main character suffers some abuse, but never talks about how she FEELS about that. She develops a friendship with an African American boy, but they never discuss why that was taboo during that time period - or how she felt about the fact that she wanted to be friends with this boy, but by society's standards at that time, wasn't allowed to be.
Really, the parts I enjoyed most were the descriptions of that era - certain phrases, describing products from that time period. Plus, it takes place in an area near where I grew up, so that made it an interesting read as well.
None of them seem to really delve into anything below the surface. The main character suffers some abuse, but never talks about how she FEELS about that. She develops a friendship with an African American boy, but they never discuss why that was taboo during that time period - or how she felt about the fact that she wanted to be friends with this boy, but by society's standards at that time, wasn't allowed to be.
Really, the parts I enjoyed most were the descriptions of that era - certain phrases, describing products from that time period. Plus, it takes place in an area near where I grew up, so that made it an interesting read as well.
January 10, 2019
This story follows a North Carolina family in the 1950s. In some areas of the country the 50's have been portrayed as a generally happy innocent time of prosperity. Not so in the South. The fomenting racism, the slow awakening of the need for civil rights for all, and the inevitable clashes of both sides made for a confusing difficult time for those young people coming of age.
This story is seen through the eyes of a thirteen year old girl, Jubie Watts. Her family is a source of stability initially but as time and circumstances progress, she is increasingly conflicted. She finds herself questioning everything she had first thought to be truth. This comes to a head when a tragedy shakes the foundation of her family.
This was beautifully written and I would recommend it to high school teachers for use in classrooms and book clubs. This is a subject that our young people need more exposure to. And it is tailor made for book club discussions.
This story is seen through the eyes of a thirteen year old girl, Jubie Watts. Her family is a source of stability initially but as time and circumstances progress, she is increasingly conflicted. She finds herself questioning everything she had first thought to be truth. This comes to a head when a tragedy shakes the foundation of her family.
This was beautifully written and I would recommend it to high school teachers for use in classrooms and book clubs. This is a subject that our young people need more exposure to. And it is tailor made for book club discussions.
June 22, 2011
This book was so good!! The main character is Jubie, a 13 year old girl living in Charlotte, North Carolina in the late 1950s. Two stories are told: one is Jubie's trip down South with her, mother, her siblings and their black maid Mary. The other story is back story, to learn more about their family. Secrets are revealed in the back story that make you understand things happening on the trip much better. Plus, the deep racism of 1950s Florida and Georgia heighten the tension to it's inevitable climax. I literally couldn't put this book down!!
June 25, 2016
Mayhew’s debut novel is a story of racism in the 1950’s South, a coming-of-age novel, and a look at a family falling apart.
Jubie (June Bentley Watts) is our 13-year-old narrator, growing up in an upper-middle-class family in Charlotte NC with her three siblings. Her life, to this point, is centered on family and school; she is aware of change in the world, yet still somewhat sheltered by her age and the adults around her. But a family vacation to visit her Uncle Taylor in Pensacola will open her eyes to tensions within her family and throughout the Southern United States.
There are some emotionally gut-wrenching scenes in the book, and Mayhew tries to explore how these events shape Jubie and her family. But she doesn’t succeed. I think Mayhew was trying to include too much and the plot got away from her. The family drama would have been plenty to handle in a novel. The racial tensions of a country facing major change just after Brown v Board of Education would also have fueled a full novel. In trying to incorporate both these significant plots, Mayhew failed to do justice to either one.
There are moments of very good writing and I was interested and engaged in the novel, but felt as if I’d missed something by the time I got to the end. It’s a good first effort, but I don’t think it will pass the test of time.
Karen White does a very good job on the audio book.
Jubie (June Bentley Watts) is our 13-year-old narrator, growing up in an upper-middle-class family in Charlotte NC with her three siblings. Her life, to this point, is centered on family and school; she is aware of change in the world, yet still somewhat sheltered by her age and the adults around her. But a family vacation to visit her Uncle Taylor in Pensacola will open her eyes to tensions within her family and throughout the Southern United States.
There are some emotionally gut-wrenching scenes in the book, and Mayhew tries to explore how these events shape Jubie and her family. But she doesn’t succeed. I think Mayhew was trying to include too much and the plot got away from her. The family drama would have been plenty to handle in a novel. The racial tensions of a country facing major change just after Brown v Board of Education would also have fueled a full novel. In trying to incorporate both these significant plots, Mayhew failed to do justice to either one.
There are moments of very good writing and I was interested and engaged in the novel, but felt as if I’d missed something by the time I got to the end. It’s a good first effort, but I don’t think it will pass the test of time.
Karen White does a very good job on the audio book.
August 14, 2019
The book is totally great.
December 6, 2017
Onvan : The Dry Grass of August - Nevisande : Anna Jean Mayhew - ISBN : 758254091 - ISBN13 : 9780758254092 - Dar 289 Safhe - Saal e Chap : 2011
April 4, 2019
A very great read. A heartbreaking story. Racism, an affair, and cutting corners on a construction project ends in death and sorrow. The real true way it was in the throes of segregation. Thirteen year old Jubie loved and cheerished their maid, Mary. While on a vacation to Florida the story reveals what Mary had to put up with. She wasn't allowed to eat with the family at restrautants, use the restroom inside a public place or sleep in a rented hotel. Here is a story of hope, heartbreak, and the love and courage that can transform us from child to adult. Jubie and Mary families will never be the same.
September 18, 2019
The style of writing is very descriptive and at some points it’s very heavy with dialogue. That’s not the kind of writing that gets me through the story. Therefore, I’m not the right reviewer for this book.
September 3, 2021
3 1/2 stars
I saw an Instagram friend make note of this book in early August, saying it's been compared to The Help, but she thought it was a much different, possibly better story. I agree that it is a much different story, told in first person by the 13-year-old daughter of a Charlotte, NC family during the 1950's Jim Crow south. The story starts with a family road trip. Mama, Jubie, her older sister Stell, younger sister Puddin' and toddler Davie are off to see Mama's brother and daughter in Pensacola, FL, leaving Daddy behind. Also with them is their "girl", their maid Mary. I was easily swept up in the story, vividly written by Mayhew and full of family disfunction, corruption, racism both subtle and overt; a family odyssey that included tragedy and a dawning awareness for Jubie of the injustices that surround her, both personal and societal. If I were to compare it to another book, I'd say more similar Call Your Daughter Home than The Help, but it does a good job of standing on its own. Karen White, the audiobook narrator was outstanding.
Why I'm reading this: It's August and the audiobook was available from Libby!
I saw an Instagram friend make note of this book in early August, saying it's been compared to The Help, but she thought it was a much different, possibly better story. I agree that it is a much different story, told in first person by the 13-year-old daughter of a Charlotte, NC family during the 1950's Jim Crow south. The story starts with a family road trip. Mama, Jubie, her older sister Stell, younger sister Puddin' and toddler Davie are off to see Mama's brother and daughter in Pensacola, FL, leaving Daddy behind. Also with them is their "girl", their maid Mary. I was easily swept up in the story, vividly written by Mayhew and full of family disfunction, corruption, racism both subtle and overt; a family odyssey that included tragedy and a dawning awareness for Jubie of the injustices that surround her, both personal and societal. If I were to compare it to another book, I'd say more similar Call Your Daughter Home than The Help, but it does a good job of standing on its own. Karen White, the audiobook narrator was outstanding.
Why I'm reading this: It's August and the audiobook was available from Libby!
January 15, 2016
I picked this up because of the cover. I know the rule is don't judge a book by its cover, but I do. Not always, I mean if it sounds good but has a stupid cover whatever, but I love good looking books. Also titles. I love me a good title. This book, has both of those things, plus, it happens to be a very well written novel. It reminded me a little bit of The Secret Life of Bees mixed with The Help and Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Those are all stories that I liked, and I enjoyed this one as well.
The narrator is a 13 year old girl named June Bentley Watts aka: Jubie and she is fantastic. She is smart, caring, thoughtful, observant, all good things. But she also takes a lot in from what she sees and learns from it. Jubie is the second oldest child in a family of five, her older sister Stell (Estelle) is polite, pretty, religious, does most things right, where Jubie does not. Her younger sister Puddin (Carolina) is adorable and sweet, and her toddler brother Davie can do no wrong because he is a baby, but more importantly, he is a boy. Jubie's father seems to single her out in punishments (spankings, beatings etc.) and her mother tends to ignore her children, letting their maid, Mary, take the reins. The novel starts at the beginning of the summer and Jubie and her family (minus her father) are going to stay with their uncle for vacation. Their maid, Mary is coming along. This being 1954 in the south, they run into race issues. But the novel is not about race, its about Jubie and the people in her life.
Jubie is an interesting and lovely character to get to know, her world feels very real and the author (first time) really knows her stuff. Its a great read, with a very pretty cover:)
The narrator is a 13 year old girl named June Bentley Watts aka: Jubie and she is fantastic. She is smart, caring, thoughtful, observant, all good things. But she also takes a lot in from what she sees and learns from it. Jubie is the second oldest child in a family of five, her older sister Stell (Estelle) is polite, pretty, religious, does most things right, where Jubie does not. Her younger sister Puddin (Carolina) is adorable and sweet, and her toddler brother Davie can do no wrong because he is a baby, but more importantly, he is a boy. Jubie's father seems to single her out in punishments (spankings, beatings etc.) and her mother tends to ignore her children, letting their maid, Mary, take the reins. The novel starts at the beginning of the summer and Jubie and her family (minus her father) are going to stay with their uncle for vacation. Their maid, Mary is coming along. This being 1954 in the south, they run into race issues. But the novel is not about race, its about Jubie and the people in her life.
Jubie is an interesting and lovely character to get to know, her world feels very real and the author (first time) really knows her stuff. Its a great read, with a very pretty cover:)
July 15, 2016
First--I listened to the audio version, and I thought the narrator was stellar. I think sometimes that can make a huge difference.
When I'm undecided about reading a book, I go straight to the panning reviews--for some reason that I haven't bothered to analyze, these are often more helpful (maybe it's just that I'm slightly cynical myself). The first one-star review that I read identified the likely audience, and really nailed me, personally--grew up in the fifties in Missouri, clearly remember the year our school was integrated, and how my new friend automatically went to the back door when she came to my house to play. So closely did I identify with the target reader that I decided to read the book--and I thought it was excellent. Yes, the confluence of secret societies, murder, etc. is unrealistic, but I don't require absolute realism in fiction (if I did it would certainly limit my choices--and realism can be pretty dull). The details were almost always spot-on (only two anachronisms jumped out at me, one of diction, one of dress--not enough to affect my enjoyment). I thought the weaving together of the two arcs was well done, and the main characters were fleshed-out enough to be interesting.
When I'm undecided about reading a book, I go straight to the panning reviews--for some reason that I haven't bothered to analyze, these are often more helpful (maybe it's just that I'm slightly cynical myself). The first one-star review that I read identified the likely audience, and really nailed me, personally--grew up in the fifties in Missouri, clearly remember the year our school was integrated, and how my new friend automatically went to the back door when she came to my house to play. So closely did I identify with the target reader that I decided to read the book--and I thought it was excellent. Yes, the confluence of secret societies, murder, etc. is unrealistic, but I don't require absolute realism in fiction (if I did it would certainly limit my choices--and realism can be pretty dull). The details were almost always spot-on (only two anachronisms jumped out at me, one of diction, one of dress--not enough to affect my enjoyment). I thought the weaving together of the two arcs was well done, and the main characters were fleshed-out enough to be interesting.
April 26, 2011
There are novels that should be included in a collection of Southern literature before and during the struggles of the African American to gain basic civil rights in our country, and this novel should be a part of that collection. Each novel that I value as a part of my collection tells a different and important part of that story. To Kill a Mockingbird, Four Spirits, and The Help are three others that I value. As in The Help, this novel focuses on the hard life of being a domestic in the white world, the indignities and dangers that must be dealt with on a daily basis. The relationship between the domestic/caregiver and the children is also explored, with the white parents not always faring so well in comparison. Children are color-blind, class-blind, and belief-blind. They love because they value the worth of all people to be loved, without the realization that there is any other way. Hate is a foreign and unrealized option. That we all could keep this open-heartedness throughout life would result in a world voiced in John Lennon's song "Imagine." The main character in The Dry Grass of August, thirteen-year-old Jubie, and her love for the family maid, Mary Luther, and Mary's love for Jubie is a testament to the undisputed power of that emotion in the face of the evil of prejudice and hate.
January 30, 2012
If you read and enjoyed "The Help", you must read this book! It's part coming of age story about Jubie Watts, a 13 year old North Carolinian and part story about Southerners (white and black) during the early days of civil right movement. Like "The Help"'s Mae Moebly, Jubie's mother, Pauly, is distant, leaving her to find love and acceptance from the family's "girl", Mary, just as Mae Moebly found love and acceptance from the family maid, Aibileene.
Things are not right in the Watts household. Jubie's parents' marriage is foundering, her father drinks too much and is physically abusive. The story switches back and forth between past events within the family and current events during a family trip. Pauly has taken Jubie, her sisters (Stell Ann and Puddin') and baby brother (Davie) as well as Mary to visit her brother in Florida. Traveling through the Deep South during the days of segregation is an eye-opening, dangerous and ultimately life-changing event for the Watts family and Mary.
"The Dry Grass of August" lacks the humorous elements found in "The Help" (the "beautification" of Hilly's front lawn with toilets, Minny's "special" pie for Hilly, etc.) I suspect it is also a more accurate depiction of the lives of African Americans in mid 20th century South. And, although it is natural to compare this book with "The Help" due to a similar setting, it is not a retread of "The Help". It is as much a story of Jubie and her family as it is a story of Mary and civil rights in the South.
I loved this book.
Things are not right in the Watts household. Jubie's parents' marriage is foundering, her father drinks too much and is physically abusive. The story switches back and forth between past events within the family and current events during a family trip. Pauly has taken Jubie, her sisters (Stell Ann and Puddin') and baby brother (Davie) as well as Mary to visit her brother in Florida. Traveling through the Deep South during the days of segregation is an eye-opening, dangerous and ultimately life-changing event for the Watts family and Mary.
"The Dry Grass of August" lacks the humorous elements found in "The Help" (the "beautification" of Hilly's front lawn with toilets, Minny's "special" pie for Hilly, etc.) I suspect it is also a more accurate depiction of the lives of African Americans in mid 20th century South. And, although it is natural to compare this book with "The Help" due to a similar setting, it is not a retread of "The Help". It is as much a story of Jubie and her family as it is a story of Mary and civil rights in the South.
I loved this book.
September 17, 2012
It's the 1950's in Charlotte, NC and 13 year old Jubie and her family (minus her father and plus their black maid Mary) are on their way to Florida for a family vacation. On their way, Jubie takes note of increase in segregation and hostilities towards Mary, whom Jubie adores. The trip does not end well, as manifested in the first couple of chapters, the rest of the book being a flash back of incidences that occur to their family down in Florida and on their way back home.
I did not like this book at all. The characters fell flat for me, everyone being one dimensional in their personalities. Mary was a saint, the dad was a monster, the mom was a complainer, etc. The book jumped around so much at the end, I didn't know what was the point of all the incidences after they drove through Georgia. It all seemed a bit far fetched that all of those things (funeral, business law suits, suicide, divorce, etc) would happen so closely together and resulting in the conclusion of the book. I was told this book was like "The Help", which I loved, and it didn't even come close in my opinion. I don't object to a sad book that deals with tough issues, but I didn't really see the point in this one.
I did not like this book at all. The characters fell flat for me, everyone being one dimensional in their personalities. Mary was a saint, the dad was a monster, the mom was a complainer, etc. The book jumped around so much at the end, I didn't know what was the point of all the incidences after they drove through Georgia. It all seemed a bit far fetched that all of those things (funeral, business law suits, suicide, divorce, etc) would happen so closely together and resulting in the conclusion of the book. I was told this book was like "The Help", which I loved, and it didn't even come close in my opinion. I don't object to a sad book that deals with tough issues, but I didn't really see the point in this one.
August 22, 2020
Book Club read #33 - September 2020
A very good picture of Southern life in the 1950s - racism, coming of age, family dysfunction, women's rights. Excellent character study; Jubie's experiences were loosely based on the author's own.
A very good picture of Southern life in the 1950s - racism, coming of age, family dysfunction, women's rights. Excellent character study; Jubie's experiences were loosely based on the author's own.
Read
January 26, 2011I was sent an ARC of this one by the publisher. Yesterday I started thumbing through. 3 hours later, I was still reading, mesmerized.
An authentic look at the South of the 50s, the novel is a truly beautiful, page-turner of a story. The young narrator's voice is perfect, not so innocent that the events around her are missed. But so much of what happened in that part of the country (my home, FYI) was just plain hard to figure out for anyone. What at first glance might seem like another "Help" knock-off, is far from it. A lot happens to this family, in deep denial that anything is wrong. A summer trip to the beach has so many layers that more than one, fast read will be necessary. And it's the kind of book I'll look forward to reading more than once. Although some of the events are certainly sensational and remarkable, they are never sensationalized. Just a terrifically told story about race, family, first love and so much more, set in troubling times.
An authentic look at the South of the 50s, the novel is a truly beautiful, page-turner of a story. The young narrator's voice is perfect, not so innocent that the events around her are missed. But so much of what happened in that part of the country (my home, FYI) was just plain hard to figure out for anyone. What at first glance might seem like another "Help" knock-off, is far from it. A lot happens to this family, in deep denial that anything is wrong. A summer trip to the beach has so many layers that more than one, fast read will be necessary. And it's the kind of book I'll look forward to reading more than once. Although some of the events are certainly sensational and remarkable, they are never sensationalized. Just a terrifically told story about race, family, first love and so much more, set in troubling times.
January 31, 2019
A young girl's coming of age story set in Charlotte North Carolina. This debut novel set in the 1950's features a riveting depiction of Southern life in the throes of segregation. The family has always had a black maid, Mary. She cooks,cleans and compensates for the father's rage and a mother that cares more about her looks than her children. A family vacation to Florida takes a shocking turn and now the family must learn how to deal with the tragedy. Jubie's eyes become opened to her parents failings and limitations as she awakens to adulthood because of her circumstances. A must read coming of age story!
Pub Date 29 Jan 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
Pub Date 29 Jan 2019
I was given a complimentary copy of this book from Kensington Books through NetGalley. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.
April 19, 2011
Written about a family road trip taken in early 1950's, kids crammed in back, along with
the colored girl hired to help with the kids, being turned away from motels because they didn't allow "colored". You love the characters and are taken a step back in time.
the colored girl hired to help with the kids, being turned away from motels because they didn't allow "colored". You love the characters and are taken a step back in time.
September 7, 2011
A book along the same lines as The Help... just not as good!!! Still a touching story of segregation in 1950's South...
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