On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

The Southern Literary Trail is now accepting nominations for books that the group will be reading in March 2023.

We will consider books with a southern literary theme that have not been read by the group in the last 24 months. Per our recently revised criteria, the two categories are books originally published in or before 1990 or those published after 1990. You may make one nomination in each category. Authors may not nominate their own works. Please post your nominations below and specify which category you are nominating it for.

Nominations will stay open for one week or until we receive six nominations in each category. Voting will take place in the first ten days of next month.

The eligible nominations received will be listed below:

Books originally published in or before 1990
1. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, by Fannie Flagg
2. Familiar Ground, by Elizabeth Cox
3. Mules and Men, by Zora Neale Hurston
4. Journey for Joedel, by Guy Owen (Orig. Pub Dt 1970)
5. Our Southern Highlanders: A Narrative of Adventure in the Southern Appalachians and a Study of Life Among the Mountaineers, by Horace Kephart
6. To Dance with the White Dog, by Terry Kay
Books published after 1990
1. The Ice Garden, by Moira Crone
2. Stars of Alabama, by Sean Dietrich
3. The Truth About Grace, by Cassie Dandridge Selleck
4. Lark Ascending, by Silas House
5. The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family, by Kerri K. Greenidge
6. The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

The Ice Garden by Moira Crone post-1990

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...

I would like to nominate Stars of Alabama: A Novel by Sean of the South by Sean Dietrich for Post-1990.

For Pre 1990

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg

Post 1990

The Truth About Grace by Cassie Dandridge Selleck from various dates for various editions in 2018

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/4...

Pre 1990

Familiar Ground by Elizabeth Cox originally published in Oct 1986

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...

Wow! So far we have a totally new batch of nominations. I'm surprised that in all this time, I don't recall anyone nominating Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe before.

Also, I'm excited to see The Truth About Grace nominated. Cassie is a long-time member of The Trail and we have read and discussed her previous book, The Pecan Man, in the past.

I nominate Lark Ascending by Silas House post-1990.

The nominations are off to a great start and I'm excited about all of them.

Diane wrote: "The nominations are off to a great start and I'm excited about all of them."

I agree Diane, I want to read them all.

Is there a certain criteria for deciding whether an author is a Southern author in the case where an author is associated with multiple regions? A classic example would be Poe with northern and southern associations.

Sam wrote: "Is there a certain criteria for deciding whether an author is a Southern author in the case where an author is associated with multiple regions? A classic example would be Poe with northern and sou..."

Our requirements are not as stringent as they have been in the past but the factors to be considered are:
1. The author: Where he/she was born or spent most of his life,
2. The setting: Does the story take place in The South?
3. The theme: Does the subject matter/theme of the story involve southern life or issues?

Of the three qualifying factors, the third is the most important. Poe wasn't born in the South but he did grow up there and attended the University of Virginia so he arguably has an understanding of southern life. While I haven't read all of his stories, I don't recall any, though, that were set in The South or addressed southern issues so you would need to make a case for including one of his works. Another short story author who wrote about multiple regions is O. Henry, who was born in North Carolina and, although a lot of his stories are set in New York, also wrote stories that touched on race, the impoverishment of southerners after the Civil War, and of the war itself.

Bottom line: It's a judgement call that involves several criteria. If you can make a semi-cogent argument in favor of an author, we might be willing to include it and let the voters be the ultimate arbiters.

Tom wrote: "Sam wrote: "Is there a certain criteria for deciding whether an author is a Southern author in the case where an author is associated with multiple regions? A classic example would be Poe with nort..."

Thanks for the well-explained response.

I would like to nominate "The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family by Kerri Greenridge for a Post 1990 category.

Thank you.

Judi wrote: "I would like to nominate "The Grimkes: The Legacy of Slavery in an American Family by Kerri Greenridge for a Post 1990 category.

Thank you."

You're welcome. This book has been getting a lot of buzz lately.

The Pre-90 nominations have not been coming in so I'm going to nominate Mules and Men, by Zora Neale Hurston.

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/1...

Pre1990

We need 2 more nominations for pre and 1 more for post.

Journey for Joedel -- post 1990

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8...

Pre 1990

Our Southern Highlanders: A Narrative of Adventure in the Southern Appalachians and a Study of Life Among the Mountaineers by Horace Kephart

Laura wrote: "Pop. 1280

Pre1990"

Funny. I was just thinking of that this morning.

Howard wrote: "Journey for Joedel -- post 1990

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8..."

Hi Howard. Amazon and ABE Books show that Journey for Joedel was first published in 1970, which would put it in the Pre-1990 category. I will put it there.

It looks like one more is needed for Post 1990 so I will nominate The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

It looks like that wraps it up. Thanks guys. I'm pretty excited about all these nominations.

There has been a late change in the line-up. Laura has rescinded her nomination of Pop. 1280 and replaced it with To Dance with the White Dog, by Terry Kay. The reason for this is that Dave has decided to pick Pop. 1280 as his Moderator's Choice selection for March.

The polls will be posted at the end of the month.