January 2012 TIOLI - Books set in states mentioned in Dr MLK's speech

I'm setting up this thread in the event that there are references to Dr. Martin Luther King or segregation or other related topics that you would like to discuss apart from the main TIOLI thread.

The books that are included in this challenge are mainly the southern states of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, South Carolina, Louisiana, and Tennessee. That's why the challenge requires that you read a book set in one of these states first.

Subsequently, you may choose to continue to read books from these particular southern states (as opposed to the "additional states"). It's interesting, in my experience, to see how contemporary novels set in these particular states so often refer back to events of the 60's and 70's and have to do with Dr. MLK and segregation. Feel free to share any exerpts from such novels here.

Southern states within the USA mentioned in King’s speech:
Alabama
Georgia
Louisiana
Mississippi
South Carolina
Tennessee

Additional states within the USA mentioned in King’s speech:
California
Colorado
New Hampshire
New York
Pennsylvania

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Clarification:

1. Does the entire book have to take place in the state or just some portion?

Some portion of the book must be identifiably set in one of the qualifying states.

2. Can I list a non-Southern state book before I finish my first Southern state book?

Yes, you can. However, you must COMPLETE reading a southern state book before reading one set in an "additional" state.

I may read Coming of Age in Mississippi (Mississippi) by Anne Moody or The Water is Wide (South Carolina) by Pat Conroy. I'm a little leery of Conroy because I didn't like My Reading Life at all. I found it too florid.

The Water is Wide is a really good book about Pat Conroy's experience as a teacher of poor black children on an island in South Carolina. This book was made into the 1974 film called Conrack. Read the book; then view the film. I'm sure you'll enjoy both, Morphidae.

I've been meaning to read some Southern fiction so this challenge gives me no excuse not to. For some reason I really want to read Cold Sassy Tree (Georgia) which I do not own but I've been a good girl and chosen The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (Georgia) which is in my TBR pile instead. If I read this I will then move on to The Godfather which is set in New York.

4 > The Heart is a Lonely Hunter was a 5-star read for me in 2011!

I just finished Mudbound by Hillary Jordan and think it would fit in beautifully with this challenge (it's mostly set in Mississippi and Tennessee). Really, I thought it was a great book and I just want to talk about it with people. :)

I intended to finish The Diary of a Southern Lady in December, but it didn't make it into my luggage when I came to my dad's house. It's a 19th century diary of a woman who lived in Yazoo County, Mississippi. It was sent to me for review so I need to get it finished soon. I also have a review copy of Record of the Organizations Engaged in the Campaign, Siege, and Defense of Vicksburg by John S. Kountz which I suppose also fits here that I need to review for a publication.

I made a note on the main thread that I finally added Adventures of Huckleberry Finn for Mississippi. It's a re-read for me, but it's been about 15 years since I last read it and nothing else I could find was catching my fancy for January. I've read The Heart is a Lonely Hunter, Mudbound, and The Help all within the last year (loved the first two, have some ambivalent feelings about the latter). Anyway, I hope someone joins me in going back up (down?) the Mississippi River with ol' Huck.

I'd like to recommend books by Steve Yarbrough who does some gritty writing about the south in his native state of Mississipi. Try Oxygen Man or Prisoners of War.

For Georgia, try a book by G.D. Gearino. I'd suggest either Counting Coup or What the Deaf Mute Heard.

Both of these are lesser known authors but I think their writing provides a powerful punch.

Anything by my favorite author Pat Conroy is terrific. He writes about South Carolina. My favorite books of his are The Lords of Discipline and The Great Santini. You can even read his cookbook which is called (ta da...) The Pat Conroy Cookbook.

Do share some of your own recommendations here on this thread.

I have a short biography of MLK - Martin Luther King by Geoffrey Hodgson. I was not sure which southern state(s) King was particularly associated with (which is one reason why I need to read the biography!) but a quick look at his details on wikipedia shows that some key events/periods of his life take place in several of the qualifying states including Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee, so I perhaps I should list all three?

>10 gennyt:

so I perhaps I should list all three?

Yes. List them as (Georgia/Alabama/Tennessee).

I found this quote from Turning Angels by Greg Iles interesting.

What's the third type of black leader? ... The prophetic leader. That's Martin, Malcolm...Ella Baker. Or James Baldwin in the intellectual sphere ... The current generation has produced no leaders of this type, much less of that caliber. I'm watching Barak Obama, but I'm not sure yet.

I checked to see when this book was written. It was copyright 2005.

I like the book very much although I'm not much on murder mysteries. What makes books I've read by by Greg Iles stand out, however, is that his home town of Natchez, Mississippi, has just as big a role in his novels as do his characters. As an FYI, this above quote was from book 2 of a 4-book series, although it can certainly be read as a stand-alone novel.

I'm reading this book so quickly now that I may end up using it for a December TIOLI challenge instead of this January one! :)

ETA: Feel free to add to this thread any quotes relevant to Dr. Martin Luther King or anything related to the civil rights movement from the books that you have listed for this challenge.

My husband said to also recommend John Berendt's book, Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, a narrative nonfiction book set in Savannah, Georgia. I heartily second his recommendation of that book, but I must warn you ahead of time that it wil very much make you want to visit the city of Savannah.

Madeline, my hat is off to you over this Challenge - I think it is one of your most creative yet! I am going to be visiting Lousiana with A Free Man of Color a historical mystery set in New Orleans.

I heartily endorse Rosalita's (#6) recommendation of Mudbound. An excellent read.

I searched out my copy of Julius Lester's To be a slave which was a Newbery Honour Book in 1969, but now see that it doesn't fit the southern state criteria, it doesn't have a specific setting at all.

> 14

I'm so glad you like this challenge, Judy. I had been agonizing over whether to use it or not, and if so, which states to include. In the end, I think I set it up the best way possible. Enjoy your book!

> 15

now see that it doesn't fit the southern state criteria, it doesn't have a specific setting at all.

:(

Your thoughts, reactions?

I'm curious as to your reaction to some of the books that you've been reading for this challenge. If you're not used to reading books set in American southern states, what has been your reaction to the setting so far? Do you find anything written in these books that you find unsettling?

Okay, so here's a dilemma: The only info I can actually find about where The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is set is "the Mississippi Valley." SO - without knowing that it's set in Mississippi, should I still read/count it? I see that we ruled out To Be a Slave based on the same criteria. Madeline, you've created a very difficult (for me) challenge this month!

In addition, I'm finding myself resistant to reading it (I say "reading" on the wiki, but I really just got it from the library this afternoon). I don't know what exactly is causing my resistance. It's a controversial book and that doesn't slow me down. I can read with time and place in mind.

Truthfully, I don't think that The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn fits the criteria of my challenge. Per wikipedia, "the story begins in fictional Langlem, Missouri, on the shore of the Mississippi River. So the state is *Missouri*. It's the *river* that's named Mississippi. My challenge called for the setting to be in the state, not in the river.

A part of Tennessee borders the Mississipi River across from the southeastern tip of Missouri. However, the state of Mississippi is nowhere near Missouri!

I actually had questioned Huck Finn in that challenge the first time I saw it. As a native of Mississippi, I certainly associate it with Missouri.

> 19

I'm becoming even more intrigued by your question. In trying to sort out a definite answer, I was trying to figure out where the raft might have landed in its travels. Of course, it's been a very long time since I read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.

If the raft started from part of the Missouri shore, how would it float to Ohio or Illinois (Jim's intended destination)? Wouldn't the Mississippi River flow southward? That makes no sense to me. Help me out here someone!

It's been too long since I've read Huck Finn to remember where it lands, but the Hannibal area where he began would have started is north of St. Louis. They did go as far as Arkansas so they would have been along the Tennessee banks, but I don't recall any stops in Tennessee. I think the vast majority of the action is set in states other than those in King's speech.

Madeline, Cairo, Illinois, the intended destination is where the Ohio River meets the Mississippi River. It's across the river from Missouri.

Well, I didn't even vote, but the discussion is leading me to think we can rule it out. The limited research suggests Missouri and Illinois as more accurate state settings for the novel (and this jives with what others are finding). I've found another read and I really want to be true to the challenge, SO: I may still read The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, but not for this challenge, and probably not this month.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, here I come!

I voted no, mainly because most of the action is on the river, if I remember correctly, and rivers are essentially liminal spaces, part of why the action can unfold in the way that it does on a space that's not actually anywhere.

I joined in on Huckleberry Finn as a shared read, without really giving it any thought, and while I associate it very strongly with the "Mississippi" River, I agree that it's not set in Mississippi and so shouldn't count. I am going to remove my entry from the list (and vote no in the poll).

> 26

Thanks for your understanding, Anne.

I've just finished my 2nd TIOLI challenge book The Wanderer: The Last American Slave Ship and the Conspiracy that Set Its Sails by Eric Calonius and I thought it was a really good read. It certainly told me a lot of things I was ignorant about in that period of American history. It had a good narrative flow too, something hard to do, I think, when presenting researched information.

I thought y'all might be interested in this link to a list of books about Dr. King: http://blog.chron.com/texasliberal/2012/01/2012-martin-luther-king-reading-refer...

Hi guys!

I finally fulfilled the 1st challenge. I read Daisy Fay and the Miracle Man: A Novel by Fannie Flagg

The novel was set in Mississippi and told from the point of view of young Daisy Fay. It started a little slowish, but it was well worth the read. I loved Daisy. Reminded me a little of Pippi Longstockings. LOL! The girl has spunk. I've only read Fried Green Tomatoes and I am looking forward to reading much more of Fannie this year. I was thrilled to read her 1st book! Thanks, Fannie!

And thanks for the challenge...otherwise I wouldn't have sought out a novel set in the southern sates. I've read plenty. I normally gravitate towards Louisiana. This was a real treat :)

I also read a short biography about MLK. Do I get extra credit? LOL! thanks again :)