[backwbowl]

hello and thanks:
I enjoy reading stories about different family cultures fiction or non fiction, any suggestions welcomed.

[bkcunningham1]

Lee Smith is an author from a small coal mining town in the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia near my hometown. She is a retired professor of English from North Carolina State University. She has won O'Henry Awards for short stories and has been on the New York Times Best Seller List numerous times. Her narritive form uses the oldtime Appalachian dialect in many of her novels. I loved her earlier work like Black Mountain Breakdown , Fair and Tender Ladies. The Devil's Dream and Oral History are really good too. Ohh, I love all of her work and consider her a friend. She has been referred to as a modern day Faulkner and Carson McCullers.

[Herb]

I would suggest Big Stone Gap, if you love it as I expect she has written a few more that are terrific. Then I suggest by Jan Karon a set of books The Mitford Years . They are best read in order and the first of about 15 is At Home in Mitford. I hope you enjoy them. Herb

[bkcunningham1]

I didn't ask the original question, but I wanted to thank you Herb for the suggestion of a new writer I hadn't read. Jan Karon's books will be next on my reading list. Also, Big Stone Gap, Va., is right there in my old neck of the woods.

Did you know Adriana Trigiani plans to make a move based on Big Stone Gap ?

http://www2.tricities.com/tri/news/l...locally/41871/

[tpop1]

Pat Conroy's books usually have rich portrayal of Low country - Carolina families. Fiction based on his life I believe. The Great Santini, Prince of Tides, Beach Music, Soth of Broad...all favorites of mine!

[Herb]

Thanks BK for telling me about the big gap movie. The book is so full of feelings and inner turmoil I wonder how that will translate on the screen.
I'm also from VA, Onancock on the eastern shore. Herb

[bkcunningham1]

My father-in-law lives in Tappahannock, Va., across the bay from you and my stepdaughter took her her family from Baltimore, MD, arear to Ocean City this Memorial Day weekend. I have a friend who works at a newspaper in Kilmarnock. I love Chincoteague Island. I am a little familiar with that part of my birth state. Beautiful!!

[Pats2010]

Originally Posted by tpop1

Pat Conroy's books usually have rich portrayal of Low country - Carolina families. Fiction based on his life I believe. The Great Santini, Prince of Tides, Beach Music, Soth of Broad...all favorites of mine!

I read South of Broad a few weeks ago and totally enjoyed it. I am now reading Prince of Tides. Pat Conroy rocks!!!!!!!

[Pats2010]

Originally Posted by Pats2010

I read South of Broad a few weeks ago and totally enjoyed it. I am now reading Prince of Tides. Pat Conroy rocks!!!!!!!

I'm about half way through the book and it is not disappointing. Darn is that guy good.

[Hancle704]

David Baldaci's, Wish You Well was one of his best and unlike rest of his action books.

If you want to read some great stories I highly recommend books by Wilbur Smith. Check out his bibliography at:
http://www.wilbursmithbooks.com/nove...liography.html

The Coutney Family books are outstanding action tales set in Africa. Suggest you follow the sequence as characters re-appear in the series.

His River God set in Egypt at time of Pharoahs was also excellent.