In Episode 30, Deb and Amy from the Bless Your Heart Book Club join me to talk Southern literature…and obviously a heavy dose of Pat Conroy!

This post contains affiliate links, through which I make a small commission when you make a purchase (at no cost to you!).

Highlights

• Our extensive thoughts on Pat Conroy.
• Our first memories of loving Southern literature.
• Deb and I's differing opinions of overwrought, intricate writing.
• Our favorite types of Southern lit.
• A couple of our favorite Southern books that aren't by Pat Conroy.
• Deb's love for William Faulkner.
• How it feels to read and review a friend's book.
• A real life precursor to the book mobile.
• Deb and Amy disagree with each other about both of their "books they didn't like."

Amy and Deb's Book Recommendations

Two OLD Books They Love

• Amy: Whistling Past the Graveyard by Susan Crandall | Buy from Amazon [16:22]
• Deb: South Towards Home: Travels in Southern Literature by Margaret Eby | Buy from Amazon [17:42]

Two NEW Books They Love

• Amy: Only Ever Her by Mary Beth Whelan | Buy from Amazon [19:29]
• Deb: The Bookwoman of Troublesome Creek by Kim Michelle Richardson | Buy from Amazon [23:35]

Two Books They DIDN'T Love

• Amy: Southernmost by Silas House | Buy from Amazon [25:30]
• Deb: Whiskey & Ribbons by Leesa Cross-Smith | Buy from Amazon [27:05]

Two NEW RELEASES They're Excited About

• Amy: Big Lies in a Small Town by Diane Chamberlain (Release Date: January 14, 2020) | Buy from Amazon [25:56]
• Deb: Friends of the Library by Susan Cushman (Release Date: August 30) | Buy from Amazon [30:00]

Other Books Mentioned

• The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [2:42]
• Never Have I Ever by Joshilyn Jackson | Buy from Amazon [3:39]
• The Great Santini by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [5:35]
• South of Broad by Pat Conroy | Buy from Amazon [6:53]
• The Lost Prince: A Search for Pat Conroy by Michael Mewshaw (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [7:56]
• The Lords of Discipline by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [8:12]
• The Water is Wide by Pat Conroy | Buy from Amazon [8:40]
• My Losing Season by Pat Conroy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [8:40]
• South of Broad by Pat Conroy | Buy from Amazon [8:53]
• The Color Purple by Alice Walker | Buy from Amazon [9:25]
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [12:27]
• Absalom, Absalom by William Faulkner | Buy from Amazon [13:14]
• The Sound and the Fury by William Faulkner | Buy from Amazon [13:14]
• The Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain | Buy from Amazon [13:32]
• Sunset Beach by Mary Kay Andrews | Buy from Amazon [13:42]
• The Peachtree Bluff Series by Kristy Woodson Harvey | Buy from Amazon [13:54]
• Whiskey & Ribbons by Leesa Cross-Smith | Buy from Amazon [14:06]
• The Line That Held Us by David Joy (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [14:09]
• Gods of Howl Mountain by Taylor Brown | Buy from Amazon [14:16]
• My Southern Journey by Rick Bragg (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [14:51]
• Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt | Buy from Amazon [15:16]
• An American Marriage by Tayari Jones (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [15:24]
• Silver Sparrow by Tayari Jones (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [15:24]
• Leaving Atlanta by Tayari Jones | Buy from Amazon [15:33]
• The Myth of Perpetual Summer by Susan Crandall | Buy from Amazon [16:22]
• The Mother-in-Law by Sally Hepworth | Buy from Amazon [21:39]
• We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [22:59]
• All This Could Be Yours by Jami Attenberg | Buy from Amazon [30:20]
• The Gates of Evangeline by Hester Young (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [34:01]
• Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis (My Review) | Buy from Amazon [34:40]

Other Links

• Rick Bragg

The Bless Your Heart Book Club

Instagram

Deb and Amy discovered a common passion for Southern writing after meeting on Bookstagram. Their goal is to share Southern voice, setting and authors, with readers who join in their monthly book club.

About Deb

Instagram

Deb is an adopted Texan, having lived there for just 3 years. She is originally from metropolitan Boston, spent 15 years in Vermont and 10 in New York before heading South. She is happiest when surrounded by her many animals and family. She loves spending time in the barn with her horse Sterling (who many of you know from her stories) and cycling is her go-to hobby. Professionally, she is a college admissions counselor.

About Amy

Instagram

Amy is a North Carolina native who reads her way through all the genres. At the end of the day, Southern Fiction will always hold her heart. She currently lives in the Piedmont with her husband, two sons and three dogs. Try to pick which is her favorite….spoiler…it's the dogs.

Support the Podcast

• Share - If you like the podcast, I'd love for you to share it with your reader friends…in real life and on social media (there's easy share buttons at the bottom of this post!).
• Subscribe...wherever you listen to podcasts, so new episodes will appear in your feed as soon as they're released.
• Rate and Review - Search for "Sarah's Book Shelves" in Apple Podcasts…or wherever you listen to podcasts!
• Feedback - I want this podcast to fit what you're looking for, so I truly do want your feedback! Please tell me (email me at [email protected] or DM me on social media) what you like, don't like, want more of, want less of, etc. I'd also love to hear topics you'd like me to cover and guests you'd like to hear from.