Working Girl Blues: The Life and Music of Hazel Dickens by Hazel Dickens and Bill C. Malone

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

While women have had a long and illustrious history as part of country music, bluegrass was pretty much a male dominated genre—at least until Hazel Dickens came along.  According to Malone’s introduction, she was one of the first women performers in this type of music.  Born in 1935 in Mercer County, West Virginia, Dickens was one of eleven children.  Her father cut and sold timber to mining companies while several of her relatives (brothers, cousins, and such) went to work inside the mines.  As a young woman, she was part of the exodus from the hills to cities farther north—in Dicken’s case, Baltimore—but took with her a love of music. She grew up listening to all sorts of country music as well as Primitive Baptist songs.  While Baltimore was difficult, she also made some important connections that helped her transition from the shy, socially awkward girl into the acclaimed singer, songwriter, and activist.

One of those contacts was Mike Seeger, who was impressed by Dickens’ firm grasp on her music.  She had very definite opinions on how the music should sound and wasn’t afraid to give those opinions.  She also had begun to try her hand at songwriting. The rest is music history.

The book is divided up into two main sections.  The first, written by Malone, covers Dicken’s life up to 2008.  I found it fascinating reading:  Dickens’ life was a hard one, but she never backed down.  The second part contains the lyrics to her songs and Dicken’s commentary on what inspired each one.  There is no sheet music, however.

While I love music, I’m no expert; I can’t say exactly what constitutes specific musical genres. What I can say is that when I listen to Hazel Dickens sing, I hear the “high lonesome sound” so beloved of bluegrass fans; to me, it’s also the sound of the traditional ballad singers—not the folk revival versions, but from the hills.  Her songs are in the 60s protest tradition, but Dickens’ songs are grittier and definitely personal.  She sings from experience and her heart. One of her best known songs is “Black Lung,” which was inspired after her brother’s death from that dread disease.  Listening to it, I was stuck by both the pain and the power.

Dickens deserves a wide audience.  I hope this book may introduce her work to a new generation.

2024 Radio Bristol Book Club

 

Have you caught the Radio Bristol Book Club?  Each month the Birthplace of Country Music and the Bristol Public Library come together to discuss a book which reflects Appalachian culture, music, heritage, or history. The show airs the 4th Thursday of every month at 12 p.m.  You can listen online or over the radio; archives of past programs are available online.  Check it out at Radio Bristol Book Club!

On December 28, at noon you can hear the discussion of Grandma Gatewood’s Walk: The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail by Ben Montgomery.

Want a sneak peek at next year’s line up so you can read ahead?  Here’s the schedule:

January 25, 2024
A Place Called District 12: Appalachian Geography and Music in the Hunger Games by Thomas W. Paradis

February 22, 2024
Bittersweet in the Hollow by Kate Pearsall

March 28, 2024
Tales from the Moonshine Trade by Kathy Shearer

April 25, 2024
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver

May 23, 2024
Linthead Stomp: The Creation of Country Music in the Piedmont South by Patrick Huber

June 27, 2024
Burning Bright by Ron Rash

July 25, 2024
Black Country Music: Listening for Revolutions by Francesca T. Royster

August 22, 2024
Stories I Ain’t Told Nobody Yet by Jo Carson

September 26, 2024
Missing May by Cynthia Rylant

October 24, 2024
The Third Rainbow Girl: The Long Life of a Double Murder in Appalachia by Emma Copley Eisenberg

November 21, 2024
Even as We Breathe by Annette Saunooke Clapsaddle

December 19, 2024
Coal Miner’s Daughter by Loretta Lynn

Christmas All Through the South

Reviewed by Jeanne

Christmas All Through the South: Joyful Memories, Timeless Moments, Enduring Traditions is a gorgeous coffee table type book from Southern Living. The content is divided up into chapters with the headings, “Joyful Anticipation,” “Delightful Destinations,” Heartfelt Gatherings,” Sparkling Celebrations,” and “Festive Recipes.” Each section has essays by various authors about the season, including pieces by Rick Bragg, Ace Atkins, and Mark Childress, which evoke memories and feelings about the time.

This being a Southern Living publication, the book is filled with beautiful and evocative photos.  It’s a real feast for the eyes.  Some of the photos are of Christmas lights and snow-covered lanes, others are rustic scenes of cozy cabins; there are beautifully decorated rooms, festive scenes, and historic sites, such as Biltmore or New Orleans’ French Quarter.

Most of all, there are photos of food.  Oh, my are there photos of food!  I was not in the least bit hungry when I started thumbing through this book but it wasn’t long before my stomach was rumbling and my mouth was watering.  The book includes recipes for everything from Christmas morning brunch with red velvet pancakes to a cocktail supper with roasted oysters and Bourbon Ginger Punch. 

As enticing as the photos are, I have to say my favorite part was the text. I loved not only the personal recollections but the interesting tidbits about how different parts of the South celebrate the holiday.  I was unfamiliar with the Reveillon dinners, for example, which are a Louisiana staple, or the Christmas Eve bonfires along the Mississippi.

This is a wonderful book to spend time with, whether it’s a few minutes between holiday chores or an hour while waiting for guests to arrive.  Bonus points for having an index!

The Flight of the Reindeer: The True Story of Santa Claus and His Christmas Mission by Robert Sullivan

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Do you ever find yourself doubting that reindeer can fly?  Maybe even there is a split second where you question Santa’s very existence. Never fear, we have just the book to put things all to rights—and to help you explain to that inquisitive six-year-old just how it all works.

Robert Sullivan devoted considerable time and effort in compiling this thorough investigation in which he reveals the history and the science behind the legend.  He interviews scientists, Arctic explorer and environmentalist Will Steger, a veterinarian, and historians to illuminate the truth.  Of course, some things are limited to speculation, such as the exact site of Santa’s birth, though it was probably in south central Greenland somewhere around two thousand years ago.

Flying reindeer, on the other hand, have a much longer lineage, at least judging from the cave paintings.  Santa’s deer are Peary caribou, who are the best fliers.  They are also very long-lived: the current team has been around for a couple of thousand years, except for Rudolph, who is a mere youngster at about 1500 years. 

Of course, a lot of adjustments have had to be made, especially in the last hundred years or so.  For one thing, airspace is a lot more crowded.  This means that Santa has had to enlist a lot of helpers, from meteorologist Al Roker to the President of the United States in order to make his rounds.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg—or Santa’s sleigh if you will, so you really should pick up this lovely oversized book to get all the details.  The Glenn Wolff illustrations are charming, and there are some nice photographs as well.

I think of this book as sort of The Polar Express for a more scientifically minded audience.  Though it pains me to admit any flaw, I do bemoan the lack of an index. It’s just the librarian in me.

Nevermore: Shadow of the Wind, Next Year in Havana, Storyteller of Casablanca, Of Time and Turtles

 

Reported by Rita 

If you are looking for a post-WWII mystery with beautifully written, well-rounded characters, then one Nevermore reader recommends The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafón. Daniel Sempere is the son of an antiquarian book dealer in Barcelona who finds a mysterious book called The Shadow of the Wind by Julian Carax. When Daniel looks for more books written by this author, he finds that someone is destroying all of the copies. What are they trying to hide?  Daniel is determined to find out. KN

The historical fiction theme continued with Next Year in Havana by Chanel Cleeton, but with storylines decades apart. The first begins in 1958 in Cuba where Elisa Perez, a sugar baron’s daughter, becomes romantically involved with a revolutionary.  The second picks up in Miami in 2017 where Elisa’s granddaughter Marisol Ferrera sets off to Cuba in search of family secrets. Our reader loved the historical aspects of this book, which lead to reading more about Cuba and the era. AC

 

Another highly recommended dual timeline novel is The Storyteller of Casablanca by Fiona Valpy. Twelve-year-old Josie and her family flee France in 1941 for Casablanca to await safe passage to America. Seventy years later, struggling wife, mother, and expat Zoe finds Josie’s diary under the floorboards of her daughter’s bedroom. Josie’s perspective may just be what Zoe needs to find hope again. MH

It wasn’t all historical fiction. Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell by Sy Montgomery is a touching and informative look at turtles. From protecting nests, incubating eggs, rescuing sea turtles, and releasing hatchlings, this book explores the efforts of Turtle Rescue League to rehabilitate injured and sick turtles. An easy read that our reader gave 5 stars. CD

Also Mentioned:

The Last Politician: Inside Joe Biden's White House and the Struggle for America's Future by Franklin Foer

The Importance of Not Being Ernest: My Life with the Uninvited Hemingway by Mark Kurlansky

The Slave Dancer by Paula Fox

Unlocked: An Oral History of Haden's Syndrome by John Scalzi

Stock Up

Main and the Avoca Branch will be closed Friday, December 22 until Tuesday, December 27, so be sure and stock up on books before then!

If you are in a festive mood, we have some seasonal books on display!

Looker by Laura Sims

Reviewed by Kristin

The narrator is never is named, but that does not seem to matter. She describes herself as a youthful middle-aged woman, a non-tenure track college lecturer recently separated from her husband, Nathan. She is the center of this tale.

The other unnamed woman is “the actress”. She lives down the street from the narrator in her perfect house, with her perfect husband, her perfect children, and her perfect face plastered across busses and movie screens alike. The actress has everything that the narrator does not have.

As the narrator’s life continues to spiral downward, she becomes more and more obsessed with the actress. Chance and planned encounters on the street and at the block party escalate the tension as the narrator tries to gain the attention of the actress.

Looker is the debut novel from Laura Sims, who later wrote How Can I Help You, the book that I recently reviewed here. 

The two novels have some things in common—ratcheting tension, women characters caught in some form of obsession, and a big bang at the end. However, the second book’s characters are not just repeats of the narrator and the actress. Sims certainly knows how to write explosive short fiction, and I think we have not seen the last of her.

Looker warning: there are a couple of violent scenes, one of which bothered me far more than the other. It was brief and although it was not just gratuitous violence, I still found it unpleasant and shocking.

Jolabokaflod!

 

 

Ramblings by Jeanne 

 In Iceland, there's a tradition of giving books on Christmas Eve. Everyone then spends the evening reading their new acquisitions.  It's called Jolabokaflod, meaning Christmas Book Flood:  a fine name for a fine tradition.

I sometimes travel at the holidays and I have my own book tradition:  I visit the Gift Shop at the Bristol Public Library where there is a lovely selection of books at rock bottom prices.  I buy three or four books that look interesting but I probably wouldn't read otherwise and I take them with me to read during layovers.  I can then jettison whatever books I finish and lighten my luggage.  (I'm just not into ebooks; even if I were, the charging stations enroute are sometimes less than reliable.) 

This year I really hit the jackpot.  Every book I picked turned out to be memorable and made the time fly by-- no pun intended.

Serafina and the Black Cloak by Robert Beatty had piqued my interest awhile back because it was set at Biltmore. The story revolves around a young girl who lives on the grounds with her father, who works for the Vanderbilts.  Serafina sees a disturbing encounter one night and becomes convinced that there is a dangerous man on the premises. The question is, can she prove it? This was a well done juvenile historical fantasy that made excellent use of its setting and introduced the reader to intriguing characters. It's the first in a series as well.

Squeeze Me by Carl Hiaasen was an impulse choice.  I had only read one of Hiaasen's books previously, but was hoping for a return (or at least an update) on some characters from the previous books and I wasn't disappointed.  Hiaasen is known for his ecological themes, and this time the focus is on the pythons who are multiplying rapidly. His humor may not be for everyone, but this time some lines made me laugh out loud.

 As should be obvious from my reviews, I read a lot of mysteries but somehow I never started reading the Kinsey Millhone books. That was remedied when I found  A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton. I was hooked from the first chapter and since have gone on to read two more in the series.

It was like a Christmas stocking full of unexpected goodies!

For about $2, I had hours of entertainment.  Yes, that's right:  $2. The BPL Gift Shop is a treasure trove!   And believe it or not, they are now having a sale with prices cut even more:  paperbacks are 10 for $1, hardback books are 50% off. You can't beat that.

So if you're still looking for gifts, do your pocketbook a favor and check out some of the bargains at the Gift Shop.  You may find just the perfect coffee table book for Uncle Joe or a great cookbook for Grandmother. Or you may be like me, and just find stuff for yourself.   At those prices, you can treat everyone!

Nevermore: Cuba, Myth of Normal, Baron in the Trees, Beyond That the Sea

 

Reported by Kristin

 

A Nevermore member seeking to expand horizons and wishing to understand more of Cuba’s modern history, picked up DK Eyewitness Travel: Cuba by Irina Bajini. This travel guide browsing was inspired by reading a historical fiction book set in Cuba. As with all DK guides, this one is very comprehensive with fabulous pictures, maps, and a little history for each area described. VC

 

Sparking much discussion, another reader mentioned The Myth of Normal: Trauma, Illness & Healing in a Toxic Culture by Gabor Maté and Daniel Maté. Written with the layperson in mind, Dr. Gabor Maté has used his decades of experience to examine how Western living and medical care can sometimes hurt more than heal. As stress manifests itself in our physical bodies, we are seeing more autoimmune diseases, especially in women. Our reader said that listening to the audiobook was “kind of stressful” hearing about all the things that might kill us, but that the author clearly challenges what we hear from society. HM

 

The Baron in the Trees by Italo Calvino was a big hit with one of our readers. Living in 18^th century Italy, young Cosimo di Rondó is part of the landed gentry. Rather than live as he is expected, the boy decides to live in the trees. This whimsical story was much enjoyed as the boy grows to be a man while still living high, even though our reader did comment that “it gets kind of grim when he gets older.” AH

 

One of our usual Nevermore attendees was unable to come today, so she emailed a report. In her own words, here is a review of Beyond That, the Sea by Laura Spence-Ash. “I give it 5 (FIVE!!!!) stars. I loved this book and was sorry when it ended. It begins with a 9-year-old girl from England who came to the US to live with a family during WWII, and followed them into the ‘80s. The way it was written and flowed reminded me of “Olive Kitteridge.” I cared about each of the characters, and life sometimes dealt them harsh blows. How they went on made me love them even more.” CD

 

Also Mentioned:

 

Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky

The Last House on the Street by Diane Chamberlain

When I am an Old Woman I Shall Wear Purple edited by Sandra Martz

A Feast of Eggshells by Florence Stevenson

Someone Always Nearby by Susan Wittig Albert

The Women of Chateau Lafayette by Stephanie Dray

Moomin by Tove Jansson

The Ancient Greeks: Their Lives and Their World by Alexandra Villing

The Autobiography of Benjamin Franklin by Benjamin Franklin

Final Girls by Riley Sager

This is How It Always Is by Laurie Frankel

 

New Books:

The Last Outlaws: The Desperate Final Days of the Dalton Gang by Tom Clavin

Founding Partisans by H.W. Brands

Emperor of Rome: Ruling the Ancient World by Mary Beard

Buffalo Bill in the Limelight Across Virginia by John Flood

Buried in a Book by Lucy Arlington

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Journalist Lila Wilkins’ life is upended when she suddenly loses her job. To make matters worse, her son has been caught joyriding with a couple of friends on the local high school’s football field, leaving damaged bleachers in his wake.  Now not only is Lila unemployed, but she owes a lot of money.  With no other alternative, she applies for a job at the Novel Ideas literary agency, puts her house up for sale, and moves in with her mother—not something she’d planned to do at age 45.

Her job at the agency consists mainly of reading and largely rejecting query letters which come in at an alarming rate.  At least they mostly arrive via email, but then one actually shows up in person.  The man’s clothing is disreputable looking, he has an unpleasant odor, and he’s carrying flowers.  Apparently, he’s something of a regular and possibly homeless; no one pays him any attention except to tell him to leave.

When he turns up dead, no one seems to care except for Lila who can’t help but feel she should have at least taken a look at his query letter. . . which seems to have disappeared.

This is a first in the Novel Ideas series, and it handled being a first in series book very well.  It never really bogged down while introducing the characters and setting.  I liked Lila and some of her cohorts at the agency; I thought her mother, Althea, was a hoot—she does psychic readings and is always warning Lila about potential disasters.  I was less enchanted with her son, Trey, who seemed to feel he could do no wrong; at least by the end he seemed to be growing up a bit.

This was a light, cozy mystery with some literary references and a vaguely North Carolina setting of “Inspiration Valley.” It’s all a bit wish fulfillment, which made perfect sense to me when I realized that “Lucy Arlington” was actually a pseudonym for Ellery Adams (who has other idealized locales in her books) and Sylvia May.  I’m definitely interested in reading more, though I did notice that they wrote only the first three books before handing the series over to Susan Furlong.  I’ll be interested to see if I detect a difference.

The books in the series are:

Buried in a Book

Every Trick in the Book

Books, Cooks, and Crooks

Played by the Book

Off the Books

A is for Alibi by Sue Grafton

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Yes, I’m very late coming to the Kinsey Millhone party! When I first became aware of Sue Grafton’s series, she was well into the alphabet, so I just kept putting off reading.  I’d heard about how Grafton chose to keep the series grounded in the 1980s, making later entries turn into historical novels.  I’d read about how tough Kinsey was and how the character blazed a trail for female PI characters.  I’d read about all the awards and accolades. I still didn’t pick up the series.

When Grafton passed away suddenly, leaving the series to end at Y, I rather felt there would be no ending and maybe I shouldn’t even start the series.

Recently I was getting ready to go out of town, so I was browsing the BPL’s wonderful giftshop.  I found a copy of the first book, A is for Alibi, for a quarter so I decided I’d take it.  If I didn’t like it, I could leave the book behind.

Thirty pages in, and I knew I was not leaving the book behind.

Not only was this a good mystery, but I loved the ambiance. Grafton’s descriptions brought the scenes alive, and her character sketches were deftly done.  Most of all, I discovered I really liked Kinsey.  She’s someone I’d like to have as a friend, though she doesn’t really encourage close ties.  I admired her tenacity, her integrity, and her intelligence.  I love the way that she analyzes situations and people, without sentiment. She’s cool-headed, but not perfect.

In this first entry, Kinsey is approached by a woman who has just gotten out of jail for murdering her husband.  She hires Kinsey to prove she didn’t do it, leaving Kinsey to start digging up information about a very cold and very closed case. And Kinsey doesn’t rule out the possibility that her client might have done it after all.

It was a fascinating ride that ended in one of the best endings I can recall reading in a while. All I can say is, “Wow.”

I consulted with a friend who says the series doesn’t have to be read in strict order, though of course one would not want to skip to Y immediately.  I picked up C is for Corpse and immediately was drawn into that story as well.  I can see I’m going to be reading the whole series!

Nevermore: Heartbreak, Old Babes, Healing

 

Reported by Rita

Can grief literally break a heart? Heartbreak: A Personal and Scientific Journey by Florence Williams explores the effects of grief on the human body on a cellular level where it appears loss can effect physical health. The story is the author’s own personal experience of loss and discovery. Full of scientific research and interesting information, our reader gave this title 5 stars. KM

If life was hard for the average teenage girl growing up with a single mother in the 1950s, imagine what it was like if that single mother was a witch. My Evil Mother by Margaret Atwood is a humorous coming of age novella that shows what that life would be like. Our reader had only two word to express their feelings for this story…LOVED IT! This novella is included in Atwood’s Old Babes in the Woods:  Stories. MH

Not all of the books discussed in Nevermore get positive reviews. Healing: When a Nurse Becomes a Patient by Theresa Brown is one such book. The author chronicles her journey from cancer nurse to cancer patient. Our reader found the author to be self-absorbed and entitled, giving the title 1 star. CD

Also mentioned:

Jack by Marilynne Robinson

The Last Chairlift by John Irving

A World of Curiosities by Louise Penny

Empress of the Nile: The Daredevil Archaeologist Who Saved Egypt's Ancient Temples from Destruction by Lynne Olson

In the Distance by Hernan Diaz

Birds Without Wings by Louis de Bernières

A Haunting on the Hill by Elizabeth Hand

I Could Pee on This: and Other Poems by Cats by Francesco Marciuliano

 

New books:

 

The Wind Blows in Sleeping Grass by Katie Powner

Mary and the Birth of Frankenstein by Anne Eekhout

Making It So: A Memoir by Patrick Stewart

Mountains of Fire: The Menace, Meaning, and Magic of Volcanoes by Clive Oppenheimer

The Christmas Guest by Peter Swanson

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

There’s a long tradition of mystery stories set at Christmas; in addition to Christmas mysteries, the British also have a tradition of ghost stories set at that festive time, and Peter Swanson quotes from arguably the most famous of these stories just before the start of this novella.  The story opens with a woman preparing to spend her usual solitary Christmas with a bit of housecleaning. She finds an old familiar diary and soon finds herself immersed in a Christmas time some thirty years earlier when she was a student.

Californian Ashley Smith is studying art in London and planning on spending Christmas alone when she is asked to be a guest at a country house in the Cotswolds. Fellow student Emma Chapman issued the invitation, knowing that Ashley wouldn’t be returning to America for the holidays.  It’s something out of a fairy tale, a wonderful English village with the manor house, Emma’s handsome brother Adam, and evenings by the fireplace.  But Ashley confides to her diary that she’s a little uneasy. Maybe instead of a fairy tale, she’s in a dark gothic tale.  After all, a girl was found murdered nearby just a few months earlier and the killer is still at large—and Emma’s brother Adam is considered a suspect.

This is a shivery tale, told from the points of view of a somewhat naïve student and then from a mature woman.  Some of the surprises come early, but there’s a twist at the end that made it memorable for me.  If you like Christmas mysteries, this is a good choice: the English setting, the dark undercurrents, and the secrets. At just over 90 pages, it makes for a relatively quick read, which is what I’m looking for at this very busy time of year.  Swanson is the winner of numerous mystery awards, and from this book I would say there are well deserved.

A Foxfire Christmas: Appalachian Memories and Traditions

 

Reviewed by Jeanne

Many people are familiar with the Foxfire series of books which collected oral histories of Appalachian traditions.  Students in Georgia interviewed people about folkways from planting by the signs to butchering hogs to caning chairs.  A collection of books ensued, and then specialized collections such as this one which features holiday memories.

The book is divided up by topics: Preparation and Decoration, Gifts and Santa, Food and Menus, and so forth.  One that surprised me was Serenading, which I took to mean caroling.  Not exactly! Serenading was done at Christmas when groups of young people would get together and slip off to someone’s house to create a ruckus until the people inside would invite them in.  Cowbells, firing shotguns, beating buckets, anything to make a noise.  Mind, this was mostly done at night and some people even said they would wait until the lights were out in the house before they started.  More than one compared it to modern day Halloween, with tricks and treating. 

I remembered hearing about Christmases of long ago when people strung popcorn and made paper chains to decorate trees, so I was interested to read what other things were popular.  The section on food included recipes such as Black Walnut Pound Cake and Syrup Candy made for sorghum. 

Most of all, I just enjoyed the stories and memories.  Carolyn Jones’ will stay with me for a long time; simply told but powerful. Some stories had echoes of things I had heard from older people in the community, others I wondered if they were just local to that area.

For me, this is a good book choice for this time of year, because I can pick it up and read a bit, then get back to all those little things that need to be done for the holidays.  And, honestly, it’s nice to read about a time when Christmas wasn’t so over-scheduled and didn’t start in October.