Review by Phil Jason Author-adventurer Doug Alderson has had a lifelong love for nature, especially that of Florida and the American South. His several books attest to his knowledge and dedication to sharing it. This latest, on the American alligator, is filled with information and enthusiasm. Indeed, it has everything a non-specialist reader would want […]
“The Rising Place,” by David Armstrong
June 23, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Review by Philip K. Jason The premise of this highly original novel is as follows: A young lawyer has moved to Hamilton, Mississippi to begin his career. His first job is to draft a will for a seventy-five-year old spinster named Emily Hodge. Emily has spent her life in this town. She is well-known, but […]
“Bells for Eli,” by Susan Beckham Zurenda
March 18, 2020 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Philip K. Jason Coming of age narratives, particularly about young women, have long been a staple in the literature of the American South. Zurenda’s marvelous book is a major achievement in this genre. It is deeply moving, troubling, and gloriously poetic. It brings to life small town South Carolina during the 1960s and […]
January Read of the Month: “The Moonshiner’s Daughter,” by Donna Everhart
January 1, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Philip K. Jason It’s 1960 in Wilke’s County, North Carolina and sixteen-year-old Jessie Sasser has a problem. In fact, she has several problems. One is an awkward and demeaning relationship with her father. He seems remote and silently critical. Jessie has asked him over and over to explain the death of her mother, […]
September Read of the Month: “Moon Water,” by Pam Webber
September 4, 2019 by 1 Comment
Review by Philip K. Jason This tantalizing and sometimes frightening coming-of-age story centers on a strong-minded girl of sixteen, Nettie, and her battles with faith, sexuality, and a near-apocalyptic storm. Set in mountainous Central Virginia in 1969, the novel vividly captures the time and place with authority and respectful understanding. An intriguing extra ingredient is […]
May Read of the Month: “The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek,” by Kim Michele Richardson
May 1, 2019 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Philip K. Jason Readers are likely to find Ms. Richardson’s fourth novel to be one of the most original and unusual contributions they will encounter in the realm of the current literature of the American South. Set in the heart of the Great Depression, this engaging story rests on two little-known historical features. […]