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We recently had the pleasure of having Southern author, C. H. Hooks, visit the bookstore during the book tour for his novel, Alligator Zoo-Park Magic. We decided that we'd like to read this novel for one of our book clubs since we hadn't read any Southern novels recently.
C.H. Hooks is a Florida author whose work has appeared in American Short Fiction, Burrow Press, and Bridge Eight Literary Magazine. He received his MFA from The University of Tampa and is currently a lecturer at the College of Coastal Georgia. Alligator Zoo-Park Magic is his first novel. So, what is it about? The publisher says: Is Jeffers an Alligator Zoo-Park magician or the Messiah? Two friends live unapologetically on the edge of poverty in the rugged, un-decorous part of the South. Jimmy, a single father with an addict ex, and Jeffers, a magician whose tricks are closer to miracles--both are immersed in a place where trailers and Hot Pockets dominate the landscape, and alligators roam free. When Jimmy witnesses "losing" his best friend to his biggest trick gone awry, he reflects on their lifelong friendship and what it really means to escape.
If this sounds like something you'd like to read, you can get signed copies of the book from the store with a 15% discount until the end of April. If you'd like to purchase online, we have the following the formats available:
We'll meet at Foggy Pine Books on April 27th at 7:30pm. We'll have free wine and snacks for book club members to share. Bring a friend and come discuss the book with us, even if you weren't able to completely finish it or if you didn't like it. You can see the Facebook event & RSVP here.
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We've really enjoyed diversifying our book club choices this year and are very much looking forward to this month's pick: Heads of the Colored People by Nafissa Thompson-Spires. Last month brought a split from our members, with about half of the book club enjoying The Good Son and half not liking it at all. Books like this make book club interesting and bring up powerful conversations. So, if you think you'd enjoy a thoughtful conversation with other people in your community, come by the store to grab your copy of this month's book!
Presenting unique characters, gifted storyteller Thompson-Spires navigates the black experience with humor and poignancy while also acknowledging the inherent tensions and exposure to violence black citizens encounter. ​Inspired by leading abolitionist and physician James McCune Smith's "Heads of the Colored People, Done with a Whitewash Brush," Thompson-Spires offers a powerful debut of 11 original, multilayered stories that focus on the African American community, exploring race and the politics of identity but also class issues and the privileges of the black middle class. "Belles Lettres" exemplifies this focus well. Two mothers correspond with increasing snippiness via notes in their daughters' backpacks, their insults targeting education, mental health, physical appearance, paternity, and so on. It would seem that the daughters, Christinia and Fatima, the only black girls in their private school, might seek each other out. However, their rivalry continues through high school, as revealed in "The Body's Defenses Against Itself." This piece and the title story are among several that delve into body and self-image, clarifying what it's like to live in a black body within a racist society.
If this sounds like something you'd like to read, you can get your copy of the book from the store with a 15% discount until the end of January. If you'd like to purchase online, we have the following the formats available:
We'll meet at Foggy Pine Books on March 30th at 7:30pm. We'll have free wine and snacks for book club members to share. Bring a friend and come discuss the book with us, even if you weren't able to completely finish it or if you didn't like it. You can see the Facebook event & RSVP here.
Relevant Reviews & Interviews​
New York Times Interview --"Tell Us 5 Things About Your Book: Disarming Humor in 'Heads of the Colored People'"
The Guardian Review -- "'Heads of the Colored People' by Nafissa Thompson-Spires review - coolly ironic stories" |
Foggy Pine BooksLiterary Gifts & Events for Boone's Bibliophiles Archives
September 2020
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