Alabama Noir

by Don Noble (editor)

Alabama joins Mississippi as fertile Deep South soil for the Noir Series.

Akashic Books continues its award-winning series of original noir anthologies, launched in 2004 with Brooklyn Noir. Each book comprises all new stories, each one set in a distinct location within the geographic area of the book.

Brand-new stories by: Ace Atkins, Tom Franklin, Anita Miller Garner, Suzanne Hudson, Kirk Curnutt, Wendy Reed, Carolyn Haines, Anthony Grooms, Michelle Richmond, Winston Groom, Ravi Howard, Thom Gossom Jr., Brad Watson, Daniel Wallace, D. Winston Brown, and Marlin Barton.

From the introduction by Don Noble:

Some locales seem to come with their own soundtrack. Don Ho and his tiny bubbles provide the background music for Hawaii, Edith Piaf for Paris. The reggae of Bob Marley evokes Jamaica. The soundtrack for Alabama is without question provided by our troubled troubadour Hank Williams. The 2016 biography Hank by Mark Ribowsky paints a dark picture of the musician’s short, alcoholic, drug-filled life: a life of loneliness and pain. He goes so far as to call Hank’s life story “noir-ish” . . .

In Alabama Noir we encounter “troubles and foibles” galore, darkness in many forms. The stories range from the deadly grim to some that are actually mildly humorous. We see desperate behavior on the banks of the Tennessee River, in the neighborhoods of Birmingham, in the affluent suburbs of Mobile, in a cemetery in Montgomery, and even on the deceptively pleasant beaches of the Gulf of Mexico.

Fans of noir should all find something to enjoy.

Genres: Fiction, Short Stories, Noir

256 pages, Paperback

First published April 7, 2020

Reviews

[Carolyn Breckinridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dr. Don Noble (editor) has chosen well in his collection of Alabama authors for ‘alabama noir.’ For those who enjoy darker and not-so-dark short stories set in the deep south, this is a great read fueled by the varied styles and plots of sixteen talented writers. There are a number of misconceptions someone not from the south might have upon finishing this book, such as pecan season being in the heat of the summer (in fact, it is in the fall,) coral growing near the Gulf Coast region (one must travel hundreds of miles into south Florida to find coral at all,) and Alabama having a high alcoholism rate (it actually is on record for being near the bottom of states for this specific problem.) And the dialect in one of the stories, in my opinion, surely would not be recognizable to anyone familiar with the speech patterns of this area. Such issues aside, this collection is an enjoyable read, and the stories are certain to lure readers into picking up other written works by some of their favorites. Each story has its merits, from the acclaimed talent and skill of Winston Groom, to the realistic account of trauma and resultant anxiety and misery depicted in the work of Thom Gossom, Jr., to the razor-sharp writing skills of Tom Franklin. And that’s not even to mention the well-fed alligator found in the story by Brad Watson, the spot-on characterization by Wendy Reed, the evocative images conjured by Anthony Grooms, the empathic twist offered by Ravi Howard and the stark, harsh realities found in the story by D. Winston Brown. The list of talent goes on. Dr. Noble has chosen to divide these stories into four sections, set apart by songs written by the late Hank Williams: Cold, Cold Heart; Your Cheatin’ Heart; I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry; and The Angel of Death. There are, simply said, stories for noir lovers covering many of the miserable situations in which human beings unfortunately sometimes become embroiled.

[Pop · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am a born and raised in Alabama, except for a brief year in Mississippi. I grew up in the west side of Birmingham during the 50s and 60s. All my schooling in segregated schools. I’m white, but never what is called WOKE. I had black friends, one especially, George, who was welcomed to my family’s home and I in his. I joined the Army a week after high school graduation, toured in Germany and Vietnam. Came back home to Birmingham, married a high school sweetheart and this March 8, 2023, we will have been married 55 years. Still living just outside Birmingham.

So, to make a long story short, I enjoyed this book recognizing all the cities, towns and counties. And I’m not so surprised by the authors of these short stories and their tales. All of them could have happened and some probably did. They probably could have happened anywhere in the USA, but the authors are definitely from Alabama and that’s what made it a really good read for me.

[Tonstant Weader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Alabama Noir is another release in the Akashic Noir series of anthologies set in cities, states, and countries of the world. Each edition calls upon a local author to curate and edit the book for their locale. Don Noble has lived in Alabama for fifty years and in addition to writing books, he has a weekly radio show about books that features his own reviews. Could they have chosen a better editor? I doubt it.

Noble organized this collection of short stories around the titles of songs by Tennesee’s native son Hank Williams. They are Cold, Cold Heart, Your Cheating Heart, I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry, and The Angel of Death. The arrangement makes sense and the selection of stories is excellent. Standing out from the rest are “What Brings You Back Home” by Michelle Richmond and “Her Job” by Tom Franklin. The first is a story of revenge, cold and professional revenge but tooted in fury. The second is a heartbreaking story of compassion and mercy. The shock and surprise of “Exhaustion” by Anita Miller Garner in the first story was a wake-up to the reader that this was going to be true noir where story wins the day.



Alabama Noir is an excellent representative of the Akashic Noir series and ranks among the best. Some editors try to expand the meaning and expression of noir by including poetry or plays, some try to stretch it to include more experimental fiction.

I understand the impulse, the desire to remove the genre fiction label, to make it “LITERATURE.” I am more democratic than that and think great literature is defined by the quality of the prose, story, and themes and genre fiction can be fine literature. I remember my book group resisted my suggestion of “Gaudy Night” by Dorothy Sayers because it was just genre fiction. But when we read it (I was persuasive.) they not only loved it, it touched off a great discussion and the realization that by avoiding genre fiction, they are missing out. Readers of Alabama Noir won’t miss out because Don Noble resisted that impulse to show off and focused on bringing great stories.

I received an e-galley of Alabama Noir from the publisher through Edelweiss.

Alabama Noir at Akashic Books
Don Noble interview at Alabama Living

https://tonstantweaderreviews.wordpre...

[Brad · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alabama Noir is a collection of short stories written by Alabama authors and set in the state. My wonderful book friend Shannon @southern_girl_who_reads sent this to me. I have been in the Carolinas a long time but grew up in small-town Alabama (Anniston) Some of of the nicest, most helpful people live there. But these stories are about the dark places and the people willing to do anything. Gators 🐊 can be handy sometimes 😱 Winston Groom, of Forrest Gump fame, is probably the most recognizable author. The editor, Don Noble, was one of my lit professors at Alabama. He taught Contemporary American Fiction and introduced me to Joseph Heller, Ken Kesey, Alice Walker, Ralph Ellison and Walker Percy. You have no idea of the depth of The Invisible Man until a lit professor takes you through it. This Noir series has a bunch if books and you can probably find one set in your city or state or country. Great option if you’re looking for something different and a little dark. And thanks Shannon

[Kerry Pickens · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read dozens of books in this series, and I love new writers to explore. Some places have more charm and atmosphere, as well as a fountain of creative talent. The Deep South is one of those places.

[Abibliofob · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great little short story collection set in Alabama. Good way to try different authors to see what they can do. I give thanks to Akashic Books and Edelweiss for letting me try this one.

[Cece · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book as a whole didn’t do much for me. There were a few short stories that I did enjoy the writing. I believe when I purchased this I had the expectation of being something a little less violent/depressing. With that being said making notes of few authors to review some of their other works.

[Sally · Rating 4 out of 5]

A number of years ago a series of books was started – collections of noir stories, each book containing all new stories by a variety of authors, each set in a distinct location. This is Alabama Noir.

Noir is an acquired taste, but once you’ve acquired it you’ll really enjoy it. When I think of noir I think of books written by Mickey Spillane, Raymond Chandler and James M. Cain and classic movies starring Humphrey Bogart, Robert Mitchum, Alan Ladd, and James Cagney. Noir is quirky, edgy, dark, no heroes, everyone has an ulterior motive, no one can be trusted. They’re outcasts, with hopeless lives in desperate situations. There might be a little humor, but if there is it’s dark. And the endings often leave you scratching your head, asking yourself what just happened? And wanting to know what happened after the ending.

Alabama has its own dark periods in history that are perfect for noir: KKK beatings and burnings, violence against demonstrators, crimes against the helpless. Alabama Noir deals with race, prejudice, injustice, superstitions, curses, magic, conspiracies, greed, revenge, death, violence, and despair - a lot of despair. But these are riveting stories that you won’t be able to put down. Things are seldom nicely and neatly wrapped up, but these are very satisfying reads. Thanks to LibraryThing and Akashic Books for providing an advance copy of Alabama Noir for my honest reviews. I enjoyed it and recommend it.

[Joe Crowe · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is terrific. End of review.

This is an anthology of short fiction about Alabama, my home state and where I'm sitting as I type this review. So I'm more than a little biased.

The stories here are by authors I'm familiar with and some that I'm reading for the first time. That's the beauty of anthologies, of course; odds are very good you will find both a story you like and a new author to follow.

My favorites here are "Xenia, Queen of the Dark" by Thom Gossom Jr. and "Triptych" by Daniel Wallace, which takes place in Shelby County, just a few exits down from me on I-65.

Akashic Books has a zillion other collections of location-centric noir, from Amsterdam Noir to Zagreb Noir. Check out the list for places you have been or lived or heard about, from the likely suspects (Brooklyn, New Orleans) to Milwaukee and Oakland.
http://www.akashicbooks.com/subject/n...

[Wendy Fuess · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an anthology. I loved some stories but was indifferent about others.

[Matthew Meade]

... While the stories presented in the collection may be uneven, Akashic’s project is so strong that it overshadows any individual writer’s missteps. Alabama Noir presents a group of stories diverse in their approach, their subject matter, their sub-genre, their influences, and their political perspective, and it can be fascinating to see how those varied influences intersect. The series as a whole is a triumphant and vibrant series that continues to ask questions about genre, the juncture of medium, the relevance of literature in context of film, the place of crime and transgression in the world...

Read my full review here: https://anotherchicagomagazine.net/20...

[Billye · Rating 3 out of 5]

Alabama Noir is an interesting collection of very dark stories set in Alabama. As with most collections, the quality of the writing varies. At least one of the stories may not actually be true noir, although it is one of the stronger selections in terms of writing. Readers who are familiar with the state of Alabama will very much appreciate the heartfelt representation of the many regions and cultures that are included here. This book is definitely a solid part of the Noir series. The stories are often grittier in this collection than in the other books from this series. The stellar narration performances are engaging and strongly support the material. I would recommend this to readers who are looking for gritty (sometimes gory), dark entertainment.

[David Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great collection of dark tales from a sometimes maligned state. From the northern woods to the cities of Birmingham and Montgomery to the Gulf Coast and port of Mobile, Alabama is covered. I found the opening tale's southern-accent literalism annoying - yes of course they speak like that in Alabama - so couldn't really get into it, but the rest were all good. The best was The Good Thief, which encompasses the ethics of the death penalty, mouthwatering southern baking and a great plot twist, all in 10 pages. I love the cover as well, a swamp tinged in green that just draws you in to this book.

[Caroline Mann · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a 3.5 rating.

As a lover of true crime storytelling and of my home state, I couldn't not read this. This collection is fun, fast-paced (mostly), and soaked in Alabama - Alabama geography, folklore, history, and perspective.

Some stories collected here deserve five stars while some might only warrant one or two. My votes for best of Alabama Noir are Suzanne Hudson's "Deep Water, Dark Horizons" and Daniel Wallace's "Triptych."

[John Boyda · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another entry in the Akashic Noir series. As with previous publications in this series, I didn't find anything the really jumped out at me - in fact there were a couple of stories in this one that I didn't bother finishing. So, this collection was "just okay" in my estimation. I wouldn't go out of my way to recommend it but I wouldn't dissuade anyone from reading it either.

[Les Gehman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another excellent addition to Akashic Publishing's Noir Series. In face, of the books I've read, this is my favorite. Almost all of the stories are outstanding, and very well written.

[Note: A copy of this book was provided to me by the publisher as a LibraryThing Early Reviewer.]

[Carley Windorff · Rating 4 out of 5]

This collection of short stories made me, for the first time, appreciate the form of a short story as a device to deliver bite-sized satisfaction regarding modern social ills. Very satisfying nougats of justice.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Living in Alabama, I was excited to read this book. Some of the short stories were very good. Others not so much. I found some of them too long and I lost interest. Somewhat disappointed.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A mixed bag of noir short stories all set in Alabama and written by Alabamians.

[Diana · Rating 4 out of 5]

ALABAMA NOIR edited by Don Noble is an addition to Akashic Books’ celebrated Noir series. Each title is an anthology of short stories exemplifying the Noir genre and featuring a city, state, country or region.
Noir is a genre of crime fiction characterized by cynicism, fatalism and moral ambiguity. It features bleak and sleazy settings, hard-boiled characters and enough bleakness, pessimism, fatalism and cruelty to sink a battleship.

Each title utilizes a similar format - a location Map; a Table of Contents which lists the stories, their authors and locations; an Introduction by the editor(s); an About the Contributors section.

The Introduction in every Noir title sets the tone for the stories that follow. The editor often describes the area and gives a bit of background or history. ALABAMA NOIR’s introduction is written by editor, John Noble, and he uses Dashiell Hammett’s novel, THE MALTESE FALCON, as his template for discussing many of the stories.
“Revenge in myriad forms has always been a staple of noir” and is found in ALABAMA NOIR.
“Violence not sparked by revenge is often sparked by love and/or lust in noir, often generated by the femme fatale. In THE MALTESE FALCON, that femme was Brigid O’Shaughnessy. In ALABAMA NOIR, there are several strong and deadly females.”
Violence and greed is also covered, as is “extreme stress, fear, terror, and despair.”

Authors include Anita Miller Garner, Suzanne Hudson, Kirk Curnutt, Wendy Reed, Carolyn Haines, Anthony Grooms, Michelle Richmond, Winston Groom, Ace Atkins, Ravi Howard, Tom Franklin, Thom Gossom Jr., Brad Watson, Daniel Wallace, D. Winston Brown, Marlin Barton.

ALABAMA NOIR had some particularly cringe-worthy, gruesome stories to tell.
I needed a shower after reading “Custom Meats” by Wendy Reid. It was particularly horrifying.
I learned how to build a coffin in “Triptych” by Daniel Wallace. This one was a tiny bit lighter and I even smiled a time or two. (Which was a good thing - I needed a break!)
I think that “What brings you back home” by Michelle Richmond should be required reading for every person, especially budding politicians.
And I did really like reading the Introduction. It was a particularly good, clever one.
All the stories were forays into the dark world of Noir.

Thank you to Akashic Books for the ARC (Advance Reading Copy) of ALABAMA NOIR.

[nx74defiant · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received from Library Thing Early Reviewers.

Collection of short noir stories set in Alabama. It did not get off to a good start. I didn't like the stories in Part I, fortunately the next 3 parts are better.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

There are a couple stories I'm still thinking about. That's a good sign.