Read a Banned Book!

In 1937, writer and ethnographer Zora Neale Hurston published her greatest work to little fanfare -- Their Eyes Were Watching God was largely ignored, and was even viewed as tawdry.  Decades later, scholars and readers rediscovered her classic and fell under the spell of its heroine, Janie Crawford, a strong-willed African-American woman who narrates the passionate and tragic events of her life in 1930s Florida.  It is now regarded as one of the most important works in 20th century African American literature.

Their Eyes Were Watching God is just one of many books that the American Library Association has recorded as being banned or challenged by various groups -- check out our Banned Books display in the Adult Department.  HM

Living History

Join former war correspondent and author Tony Horwitz as he investigates the sometimes curious mark The Civil War has left on the United States in Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War.  From experiencing "period rushes" with hardcore reenactors to puzzling out the differing interpretations of the Confederate flag on either side of the Mason-Dixon, Horwitz explores how attitudes and grudges born in America's bloodiest conflict are still shaping the country's social and cultural fabric today.

Interested in seeing a Civil War reenactment this summer? Check out http://www.michigan.org for events within Michigan.  HM

Southern Hospitality

Nestled in the foothills just outside of Nashville, Tennessee, The Loveless Café is an iconic destination in and of itself. It genuinely pays homage to true Americana. When a colleague of mine brought this book to my attention, I knew we would need to add it to our Library’s collection. The true Southern charm of this quaint and busy café is well worth the 30 minute drive from downtown; not to mention, the food and service is among some of the best Southern hospitality you could ever ask for. The recipes are quite practical, yet so delicious—then again, when you add Tennessee whiskey, cinnamon sticks, vanilla bean, butter, sugar, and heavy cream together, what wouldn’t be good, right? (Drunken Caramel Sauce, p. 206).

I personally own a copy of Southern Country Cooking from the Loveless Café: Hot biscuits, country ham. However, my collection just wouldn’t be complete without this book being added to my kitchen arsenal (don’t worry, I am not going to keep the Library’s copy, I will buy my own). If ever you venture to Nashville, a visit to the Loveless Café is a definite must, but as the book states, “now anyone who can’t travel to Nashville or wait two hours for a table can have a taste of the Loveless at home!”--BC

Southern mystery

Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin is about a mystery of a girls disappearance,decades old. It's also about how paths not taken and things not said can change the course of a life. Larry Ott and Silas Jones played together as children,secretly, as one was black and one was white. More than twenty years have passed and Silas is a constable in the small southern town they grew up in. Larry (scary Larry) was never arrested for the girls disappearance,but stands all but convicted by the town. He leads a solitary life with no friends. When another girl goes missing past wrongs are confronted. This is a novel about the nature of friendship,and how choices can affect a life. Beautiful writing and a complex plot elevate this above the standard mystery. ML