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St. Dale #1
St. Dale
This funny, touching novel is a modern-day retelling of the Canterbury Tales, following a group of unlikely friends on the Dale Earnhardt Memorial Pilgrimage. The “Number Three Pilgrims” travel to several of the sites of prominent victories of the late NASCAR legend and North Carolina native. In the course of their journey they visit Piedmont North Carolina, “the land of textile mills and furniture factories, of tobacco fields and hog farms — and race tracks.” At stops at the Richard Petty museum in Randolph County, the North Carolina Motor Speedway in Rockingham, and the Lowe’s Motor Speedway in Concord, the pilgrims find solace and inspiration in the life and legacy of Earnhardt.
112 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2005
80 people are currently reading
441 people want to read
About the author
Sharyn McCrumb
116 books1,127 followers
Sharyn McCrumb, an award-winning Southern writer, is best known for her Appalachian “Ballad” novels, including the New York Times best sellers The Ballad of Tom Dooley, The Ballad of Frankie Silver, and The Songcatcher. Ghost Riders, which won the Wilma Dykeman Award for Literature from the East Tennessee Historical Society and the national Audie Award for Best Recorded Books. The Unquiet Grave, a well-researched novel about West Virginia's Greenbrier Ghost, will be published in September by Atria, a division of Simon &Schuster.
Sharyn McCrumb, named a Virginia Woman of History by the Library of Virginia and a Woman of the Arts by the national Daughters of the American Revolution, was awarded the Mary Hobson Prize for Arts & Letters in 2014. Her books have been named New York Times and Los Angeles Times Notable Books. In addition to presenting programs at universities, libraries, and other organizations throughout the US, Sharyn McCrumb has taught a writers workshop in Paris, and served as writer-in-residence at King University in Tennessee, and at the Chautauqua Institute in western New York.
Sharyn McCrumb, an award-winning Southern writer, is best known for her Appalachian “Ballad” novels, including the New York Times best sellers The Ballad of Tom Dooley, The Ballad of Frankie Silver, and The Songcatcher. Ghost Riders, which won the Wilma Dykeman Award for Literature from the East Tennessee Historical Society and the national Audie Award for Best Recorded Books. The Unquiet Grave, a well-researched novel about West Virginia's Greenbrier Ghost, will be published in September by Atria, a division of Simon &Schuster.
Sharyn McCrumb, named a Virginia Woman of History by the Library of Virginia and a Woman of the Arts by the national Daughters of the American Revolution, was awarded the Mary Hobson Prize for Arts & Letters in 2014. Her books have been named New York Times and Los Angeles Times Notable Books. In addition to presenting programs at universities, libraries, and other organizations throughout the US, Sharyn McCrumb has taught a writers workshop in Paris, and served as writer-in-residence at King University in Tennessee, and at the Chautauqua Institute in western New York.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews
June 25, 2013
I am just crazy in love with this cute, clever, sweet, well-written book in which The Canterbury Tales are reworked by fans on a tour bus pilgrimage honoring Dale Earnhardt. The characters are flawed, yet warm-blooded and appealing, and the story sparkles with subtle humor. Some reviewers said this book was for NASCAR fans, but I enjoyed it more because I was so ignorant of NASCAR and found this book a great primer on the subject. Since I was reading the Kindle version on my PC, I kept a Mozilla page open to look up further info on Google maps, Google, and Wikipedia, following the Pilgrimage route, looking up pictures of the drivers and cars mentioned, and checking out comments--e.g. does Kurt Busch really look like the Keebler elf? (yes) I might be easily tricked, but I was totally blindsided by the sweet romantic ending. As soon as I finished, I just wanted to start over and re-read it.
April 24, 2022
I am not the audience for this book. I don't enjoy NASCAR, and the book did nothing to change my mind. Our book selected this book which a Chaucer-expert faculty member understood was a modern retelling of the Canterbury Tales. He discovered the characters to be odd mixtures of Chaucer's characters--sometimes exhibiting characteristics of more than one. Of course, McCrumb's book had fewer characters on their pilgrimage, but it really disappointed. An odd assortment of characters go on a tour of the NASCAR circuit to pay tribute to the deceased Dale Earnhardt. Before they begin, one character sights Dale as he stops to help her change a tire along the side of a North Carolina road. One couple plans to marry in Bristol. A New Hampshire priest brings along a dying boy. A judge comes along with her sister. The guide was a man who lived and breathed NASCAR and had even raced a little on the circuit. I breathed a sigh of relief as we reached the conclusion. McCrumb writes about Appalachian themes, and people in Appalachia certainly love NASCAR for the most part. I'm just not one of them so my distaste for the sport extended to the book--regardless of McCrumb's ability to write.
May 23, 2011
I have ALL THE FEELINGS about this book:
+ How awesome is is to have a NASCAR novel that's aimed at mainstream audiences? That takes the sport and its fans seriously?
- As someone who is already a NASCAR fan, I got tired of having things I know explained to me. (I did the same in one of my stories about NASCAR, so I get why, but it's the difficulty of trying to write for nonfans and fans at once. You're going to confuse one group or bore the other.)
+ The celebration of Dale in all his virtues and flaws.
- I LOVE JEFF GORDON SHUT UP.
+ In a way, this book is a series of character studies with a road trip plot grafted on. Great character work, just amazing.
- So-so plot, although I was willing to handwave a lot of the Surprise Fixing People's Lives because, St. Dale.
+ Surprise Jack Roush cameo is surprising! (He's the dude in the straw hat at the end.)
Three and a half stars, really, but repeatedly mentioning Junior Johnson makes me forgiving. I need to buy my dad this book for Father's Day. I can't decide if her non-sequel follow-up Once Around the Track is up my alley, but I do love me some pit crew action, so I will probably check it out.
+ How awesome is is to have a NASCAR novel that's aimed at mainstream audiences? That takes the sport and its fans seriously?
- As someone who is already a NASCAR fan, I got tired of having things I know explained to me. (I did the same in one of my stories about NASCAR, so I get why, but it's the difficulty of trying to write for nonfans and fans at once. You're going to confuse one group or bore the other.)
+ The celebration of Dale in all his virtues and flaws.
- I LOVE JEFF GORDON SHUT UP.
+ In a way, this book is a series of character studies with a road trip plot grafted on. Great character work, just amazing.
- So-so plot, although I was willing to handwave a lot of the Surprise Fixing People's Lives because, St. Dale.
+ Surprise Jack Roush cameo is surprising! (He's the dude in the straw hat at the end.)
Three and a half stars, really, but repeatedly mentioning Junior Johnson makes me forgiving. I need to buy my dad this book for Father's Day. I can't decide if her non-sequel follow-up Once Around the Track is up my alley, but I do love me some pit crew action, so I will probably check it out.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 22, 2016
I'm a big fan of McCrumb's Ballad series, but had put off reading this book because I fully expected not to like it. I grew up in Wilkesboro, where if you weren't an Earnhardt fan you were deemed a heretic, and I was never, ever a Dale fan. However, I clearly remember his death and I mourned with the rest of the racing community. But I found the book on CD, so I gave it a shot, and I was mesmerized. I have always been impressed by McCrumb's attention to facts in her stories, and this book was no exception (yes, I did check a couple just to make sure). The characters were well-crafted, showing the diversity of the NASCAR audience, breaking the redneck stereotype, and taking root in my heart throughout. McCrumb's modern take on the Canterbury tales, through the voices of #3 Pilgrims and those they encounter on their journey, was most enjoyable, and I would highly recommend it to readers, NASCAR stalwarts and novices alike.
September 1, 2016
One suspects Ms. McCrumb has a whim of steel, given the premise of this book is about as unlikely as the unicorn she has gazing at the departing Noah's ark. Pulling it off requires a minor miracle, apropos of the secular deification of Dale Earnhardt, and she does it with panache. The "pilgrims" are a very diverse group, and their characterizations are well drawn. Strangers to start with, the story is much about how they get on together and cohere. I don't know much about NASCAR, but the technical details ring true to my ear. A fun read.
Want to read
November 12, 2018From the author: “Thomas Becket had been a Saxon in Norman England — in other words, a redneck.” Lord, do I adore this premise.
August 14, 2020
If you want to learn more about Nascar racing, this book provides a wonderful introduction. But the book offers more than that introduction. It recounts the story of a pilgrimage taken by fans of Dale Earnhardt, filled with both humor and religious inquiry.
September 26, 2010
This is the second book I have read by the author. It was humorous but not out- loud funny. This book takes you on a bus ride tour of racing track where Dale Earnhardt raced as a memorial to him. The tour is led by a has-been race driver wanting to get back to racing after a serious wreck. Again, Ms. McCrumb gives you wonderful and unusual characters that you begin to feel as if they are your friends. I also learned a few things about racing. I had to google some of Earnhardt's races including his final trip on the track. I will probably read her second racing book, "Once Around the Tracks". Ms McCrumb is an excellent writer!
June 25, 2011
This book is billed as an update on "The Canterbury Tales" and I admit, while I am not intimately familiar with the Tales, I can see the comparison (although, I'd never consider McCrumb to be Chaucer) - this little book has a lot to say about pilgrimages, how we approach a "celebrity," and the bonds of traveling together.
October 29, 2025
“But what was it about some people—no more beautiful or talented than a hundred others—that touched a chord in humanity that elevated one person’s death to the level of tragedy? Some quality of glamor or drama that made strangers weep for them.”
3.5 ⭐️
This was an interesting concept, a modern retelling of The Canterbury Tales revolving around a NASCAR pilgrimage in the wake of Dale Earnhardt’s death. There are subtle and not-so-subtle nods to The Canterbury Tales. For example, Bill Knight’s flashback is the first story we hear on the Earnhardt memorial tour, alluding to how the Knight is the first Pilgrim to tell a story on the road to Canterbury. Similarly, it’s noted that Ray Reeve brings up the rear of their wreath-delivering procession; the Reeve always travels in the back in Canterbury.
The Canterbury Tales is a highly critiquing piece of literature, full of satire and irony, so one has to wonder how much of that influenced this novel. It seems that it’s moreso the format and character molds being used here, less of the scathing social commentary. However, St. Dale does have themes of parasocial relationships and public grief.
Now is when I must confess that I didn’t finish St. Dale… but it isn’t because I wasn’t enjoying it. I had bought it as a present and was reading it before seeing my friend. I didn’t give myself enough time before gifting it, but I made it over halfway and wanted to review it. Unless there is some dramatic twist or tonal shift at the end, I feel confident that my rating would stay consistent. Perhaps one day I’ll borrow it back from my friend to finish it.
It is not necessary to read The Canterbury Tales before reading this, though I found enjoyment in comparing the two. A familiarity with NASCAR is also not necessary; everything is explained for the reader.
I thought this was a solid read. However, I would only recommend it if you have an interest in NASCAR (or medieval pilgrimages).
3.5 ⭐️
This was an interesting concept, a modern retelling of The Canterbury Tales revolving around a NASCAR pilgrimage in the wake of Dale Earnhardt’s death. There are subtle and not-so-subtle nods to The Canterbury Tales. For example, Bill Knight’s flashback is the first story we hear on the Earnhardt memorial tour, alluding to how the Knight is the first Pilgrim to tell a story on the road to Canterbury. Similarly, it’s noted that Ray Reeve brings up the rear of their wreath-delivering procession; the Reeve always travels in the back in Canterbury.
The Canterbury Tales is a highly critiquing piece of literature, full of satire and irony, so one has to wonder how much of that influenced this novel. It seems that it’s moreso the format and character molds being used here, less of the scathing social commentary. However, St. Dale does have themes of parasocial relationships and public grief.
Now is when I must confess that I didn’t finish St. Dale… but it isn’t because I wasn’t enjoying it. I had bought it as a present and was reading it before seeing my friend. I didn’t give myself enough time before gifting it, but I made it over halfway and wanted to review it. Unless there is some dramatic twist or tonal shift at the end, I feel confident that my rating would stay consistent. Perhaps one day I’ll borrow it back from my friend to finish it.
It is not necessary to read The Canterbury Tales before reading this, though I found enjoyment in comparing the two. A familiarity with NASCAR is also not necessary; everything is explained for the reader.
I thought this was a solid read. However, I would only recommend it if you have an interest in NASCAR (or medieval pilgrimages).
June 8, 2018
I've been reading Sharyn McCrumb since "Bimbos of the Death Sun" and have loved many of her books. This was an interesting book for me since I've never followed NASCAR. I don't dislike it or disparage it. It just wasn't a sport that my family followed so I never had an interest in it.
I thought the idea of a secular (and reluctant) saint was interesting, and I remember how many of my friends grieved when Princess Diana was killed. A bus tour celebrating the life and death of Dale Earnhardt in the spirit of the Canterbury Tales seemed like an entertaining concept and, for the most part, it worked. I did have problems with McCrumb's constant not-so-subtle knocks on the "wine-and-cheese" crowd - a term she repeated almost every chapter. She seemed as dismissive of those who didn't understand motor sports as those fans claim the rest of the world is to them.
Her assembled group of pilgrims were very knowledgeable about the sport and I could understand that because my sons know more baseball minutiae than I could grasp in a lifetime. The tour director, a former driver, was my favorite character because he embodied both the will and the bad luck that seems to characterize racing. A couple of the other characters were fully fleshed out but most of them were just passengers on the bus. I would have liked to learn more about them and had a little less textbook information about NASCAR.
The book was interesting and I'm glad I read it, but not enough to continue with this series. I'll wait for Spencer Arrowood or Elizabeth MacPherson to tell a story before I visit Ms. McCrumb again.
I thought the idea of a secular (and reluctant) saint was interesting, and I remember how many of my friends grieved when Princess Diana was killed. A bus tour celebrating the life and death of Dale Earnhardt in the spirit of the Canterbury Tales seemed like an entertaining concept and, for the most part, it worked. I did have problems with McCrumb's constant not-so-subtle knocks on the "wine-and-cheese" crowd - a term she repeated almost every chapter. She seemed as dismissive of those who didn't understand motor sports as those fans claim the rest of the world is to them.
Her assembled group of pilgrims were very knowledgeable about the sport and I could understand that because my sons know more baseball minutiae than I could grasp in a lifetime. The tour director, a former driver, was my favorite character because he embodied both the will and the bad luck that seems to characterize racing. A couple of the other characters were fully fleshed out but most of them were just passengers on the bus. I would have liked to learn more about them and had a little less textbook information about NASCAR.
The book was interesting and I'm glad I read it, but not enough to continue with this series. I'll wait for Spencer Arrowood or Elizabeth MacPherson to tell a story before I visit Ms. McCrumb again.
June 26, 2020
This is an enjoyable story that ties NASCAR with the Canturbury Tales. Does that seem like an odd pairing? It may be, but it works. A group of "pilgrims" are led on a Dale Earnhardt Pilgrimage bus tour by Harley, a former NASCAR driver who wants to get back into the game, and hopes that by leading the tour, he will be able to get a job through networking with people who are still racing. There are a few people on the tour who, for different reasons, don't know much about the sport, and the author uses this to help explain things to the reader. The different characters are interesting, and their stories vary widely. This isn't a true modern re-telling, but more an homage to the Tales. All-in-all, a cute read, especially for those who have enjoyed NASCAR in its humble roots and the more current form.
August 2, 2025
St. Dale is far from perfect. What it does offer, however, is a charming tale of fellowship and an enlightening look at how uniting over a common bond can create an opportunity to form indestructible bonds of kinship. As a huge Dale fan who grew up watching NASCAR regularly (I'm from the Bristol area; you either love or hate racing if you're from that area), I had an English teacher choose this book for me during a unit on Appalachian studies and I fell in love with it. I also had an insane moment of connection with this book: during their time in Bristol, the group notes an Earnhardt shrine in the Logan's Roadhouse in town. I was actually sitting at that table in the restaurant when the news broke of Dale's passing. Sentiment aside, the story contained within this cover is a heartfelt, beautiful exploration of humanity and the relationship between the common man and their celebrities.
February 21, 2022
A better book than I expected. I thought of it as a quick, shallow novel about NASCAR. I also figured it to be dated. The surprise that it turned out to be a Canterbury Tales style pilgrimage in memory of a people’s saint, Dale Earnhardt and the shrines, the tracks he raced.
The “pilgrims” on the trip all have their reasons, other than hero worship. It’s a interesting group with lots of viewpoints
If you had to pick a main character it would be Harley Claymore, a former driver who’s hit some hard times. Right now he’s the tour director to provide the experience. But he still has his hopes that he’ll race again.
Good character development, good ear for small town vs more urban southern life.
The “pilgrims” on the trip all have their reasons, other than hero worship. It’s a interesting group with lots of viewpoints
If you had to pick a main character it would be Harley Claymore, a former driver who’s hit some hard times. Right now he’s the tour director to provide the experience. But he still has his hopes that he’ll race again.
Good character development, good ear for small town vs more urban southern life.
September 22, 2019
I debated between 1 and 2 stars for this book. I used to be a diehard NASCAR fan back in the day. That all ended the day Dale Earnhardt died and I have not had much interest in NASCAR since then. I’m giving 2 starts only because I enjoyed the nostalgia of reading about old races and drivers that I remember from when my heart was really in the sport. Other than that, this book was dreadfully boring. I made myself slog through it and was rewarded with an even more boring ending. It makes sense why this book was only a dollar at Dirt Cheap.
February 4, 2024
My go-to book to cure the off-season blues or to revisit NASCAR's glory days. I wasn't an Earnhardt fan - yes, I was a fan of "Wonderboy," his biggest rival - but I cried at the news of his death. McCrumb has captured Earnhardt's personality perfectly in this book: a larger-than-life holy terror on the track, a down-to-,earth celebrity who is just a little bemused by his popularity off the track. Whether you're a fan of the sport or not, there is no denying that Dale Earnhardt changed the face of motorsports.
September 28, 2019
A busload of passengers embark on the Dale Earnhart Memorial Pilgrimage together riding the roads to racetracks and places where Dale's memory is kept alive. Each person has their own story. Along the way they get to know one another. Written by Sharyn McCrumb, who knows how to spin a yarn about folks from the South, we learn about NASCAR racing. It is unlike any book I've ever read but I thoroughly enjoyed the journey.
March 17, 2023
I wasn’t sure how I’d react to St. Dale. I’m not a NASCAR fan, though I *have* heard of a number of the drivers mentioned in the book. However, this *is* Sharyn McCrumb, after all, so what’s not to like?? I am *so* glad I read it. I grew to like the characters, as well as their back stories. Overall, I found it to be a fun read, and I did learn enough about NASCAR to appreciate why so many people are fans. Thank you, Sharyn!! <3
October 1, 2018
NASCAR
If I had taken the time to read the blurb about St. Dale, I never would have picked it up. I am a little disgusted that I wasted my reading time on this book but all things considered, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
If I had taken the time to read the blurb about St. Dale, I never would have picked it up. I am a little disgusted that I wasted my reading time on this book but all things considered, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been.
December 20, 2019
Who “took” Sharyn McCrumb and what did they do with her? Awful, no character development, boring even if you “get” NASCAR, unrealistic happy ending for everyone...ugh! I’m done...her well has obviously run dry!
May 25, 2017
I really want to re-read this...a loose retelling of the Canterbury Tales all set in the contemporary USA featuring people dealing with the death of Dale Sr. Amazing.
September 21, 2018
Not a fan
I am not a fan of NASCAR racing but through this book O have learned a lot, understand m ore and have an appreciaton for the drivers
I am not a fan of NASCAR racing but through this book O have learned a lot, understand m ore and have an appreciaton for the drivers
April 1, 2019
I’m not a racing fan but love McCrumbs storytelling style. The story was a fun ride and would have earned 5 stars if the characters were easier to tell apart.
May 26, 2019
Just fun! And funny!
October 26, 2019
Well written with great characters. I just wasn’t as interested in the race car trivia.
December 29, 2019
If you love Nascar you'll love this. Otherwise give it a pass.
March 20, 2021
Absolutely top notch feel-good book.
August 24, 2022
as always, Sharyn McCrumb is a delight to read. This was not her usual storyline and I am not a Nascar person but it was very enjoyable.
December 3, 2024
Um, no. Unless you are a NASCAR fan, then maybe. I tried but couldn’t focus or find a plot. Cover said it was suppose to be a mystery but couldn’t find that either. Skim read and gave up.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 124 reviews