The Book Corner

Every week, we will recommend a book that one or both of us have greatly enjoyed. But be aware that my dear wife is pretty dubious of my "blog undertaking" and probably prefers to remain anonymously and quietly in the background! But I know some of her favorite books and authors. As for me, I read mostly history and historical novels and quite a few folklore or "feel good" type books -- Jan Karon's Mitford series I really liked and usually any book about Southern or Appalachian life. So, it goes without saying, Tom Clancy is a real favorite, along with Dan Brown, Robert Ludlum, and many others.

So, the first book on the list is "Cold Sassy Tree." Cold Sassy Tree is a 1984 novel by Olive Ann Burns. Set in a fictional Georgia town called Cold Sassy (and based on the actual city Harmony Grove, now Commerce) during 1905-1906, it follows the life of Will Tweedy, and explores themes such as religion, death, and social taboos. This is a good, funny, heart-warming, sad, poignant tale of a young boy growing up in the South. The sequel to the novel is Leaving Cold Sassy, which was published after Burns' death. Personally, I did not care for the effort and tone of the sequel at all and would not recommend it.