On the Southern Literary Trail discussion

The Southern Literary Trail is now accepting nominations for books that the group will be reading in December 2025.

We will consider books with a southern literary theme that have not been read by the group in the last 24 months. The two categories are books originally published in or before 1990 or those published after 1990. In the latter case, we will no longer consider nominations for new books unless they have been available for at least four months prior to the date we begin reading the book. 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 them 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. The Night of the Iguana, by Tennessee Williams
2. A Rose for Emily and Other Stories, by William Faulkner
3. A Summons to Memphis, by Peter Taylor
4. Buckdancer's Choice, by James Dickey
5.
6.
Books originally published after 1990
1. The List, by Steve Berry
2. If I Had Two Wings, by Randall Kenan
3. A Land More Kind Than Home, by Wiley Cash
4. Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta, by Richard Grant
5. Necessary Lies, by Diane Chamberlain
6. The Floating Girls, by Lo Patrick

I nominate The Night of the Iguana by Tennessee Williams (1961)

Post 1990 The List by Steve Berry


pre 1990 (1930) Many editions A Rose for Emily and Other Stories by William Faulkner

If I Had Two Wings by Randall Kenan, post 1990.

A Land More Kind Than Home by Wiley Cash, post 1990

For the post 1990 nominations, I nominate Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta by Richard Grant, first published October 2015.

Pre 1990: A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor (1986), 209 pages, Pulitzer Prize winner.

Terry wrote: "Pre 1990: A Summons to Memphis by Peter Taylor (1986), 209 pages, Pulitzer Prize winner."

This sounds very interesting. I was not aware it won the Pulitzer Prize.

The Summons to Memphis looks great. I did know of this book!

After 1990. Necessary Lies by Diane Chamberlain.

After 1990, I would like to recommend: The Floating Girls by Lo Patrick.

Pre-1990 Buckdancer's Choice: Poems James Dickey

Post-1990 Split the Lark: Selected Poems R.T. Smith

Poems in Buckdancer's Choice are available in collected editions.

It appears that we may be one over on the post-1990. Sam will need to resubmit Split thr Lark next month.

Very good Tom.

We still have openings for a couple pre-1990 nominations.

Pre 1990 Horseman, Pass By - Larry McMurty

Nominations are closed and the polls have been posted.