Reviewed by Phil Jason I almost missed this one, which is among the most original and striking Florida novels I’ve encountered in my almost nine years of walking this beat. No gorgeously hued Sunshine State here. This is the Florida of grit and grime state: the North Florida that is really Southern, rather than the […]
“Liar’s Bench,” by Kim Michele Richardson
April 22, 2015 by 1 Comment
Reviewed by Philip K. Jason This glorious debut novel is one of an unexpectedly fine crop of recent and new Southern fiction. It confronts the tragic persistence of racism and the resilient, transcendent power of the human spirit. It is at once a story of young love, of traditions both poisonous and healing, and of […]
“Heart of Palm,” by Laura Lee Smith
January 27, 2015 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Phil Jason Reprinted, with permission, from Florida Weekly. This is the one I’ve been waiting for. The big surprise. A debut novel set in Florida that has it all: family, community, dreams, secrets, the best kind of local color, tragedy, humor, hatred, compassion, love, change. It’s 2008. Arla Bolton Bravo, of the fashionable […]
“Bitten: My Unexpected Love Affair with Florida,” by Andrew Furman
October 24, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Phil Jason This review originally appeared in Florida Weekly. Reprinted with permission. Florida is blessed with writers devoted to its natural splendors and to exploring the relationship between human endeavor, the environment all creatures share, and the severely threatened nonhuman creatures. I’ve had the privilege over the years to read and write about […]
“Whisper’s Edge,” by LuAnn McLane
June 26, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Philip K. Jason Ms. McLane’s fourth entry in her popular “Cricket Creek” series (and her eighteenth title overall) continues to explore the charm of a friendly Kentucky riverfront town in the midst of change. While business ventures can enhance the town, they can also undermine its caring, relaxed, neighborly character. In this installment, […]
June Read of the Month: “The Little Way of Ruthie Leming,” by Rod Dreher
June 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Reviewed by Philip K. Jason This soulful biography has the makings of an American classic. It has attributes that are likely to put it on all kinds of reading lists: family dynamics, coping with illness, grieving, religious questioning, small town life, and regional culture to name a handful. Its subtitle pushes some of these buttons: […]