# Recommend some Southern fiction for a man who knows what he likes **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 11, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422 "2009-02-11T20:55:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/1 "2009-02-11T20:55:50Z")
Millions, I’ve always been partial to fiction of the American South. Folks like Faulkner & Morrison, of course, are the gold standard but I’ve found myself prefering less, shall we say, _opaque_ fare these days. My tastes tend towards the southerners who use brief, cutting language, grotesques, and thick helpings humor, whether lighthearted or blackhearted. You know, people like: - Flannery O’Connor - Michael Malone - Harry Crews - Carson McCullers Any other afficionados out there? I’d love some recommendations as I’ve packed all my books for a big move and am at a loss for reading. (And, although I’ve specifically requested southerners, I’d definitely check out any authors you think employ similar sensibilities without actually setting their stories in the American South. Thanks, as always) ---
**Author:** ![Jettboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/85e7bf/32.png) [@Jettboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jettboy)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/2 "2009-02-11T21:32:26Z")
Read anything by William Gay. Also check out Tom Franklin; his short story collection _“Poachers”_ was excellent. ---
**Author:** ![Ogre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecb155/32.png) [@Ogre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ogre)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/3 "2009-02-11T21:39:49Z")
_The Untidy Pilgrim_, by Eugene Walter. Obviously, _A Confederacy of Dunces_, by John Kennedy Toole ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/4 "2009-02-11T22:01:54Z")
Search on this message board for posts by **Sampiro**. Although most of it isn’t fiction, you’ll still get a kick out of it. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/5 "2009-02-11T22:05:49Z")
I’m assuming you’ve read All The King’s Men but I’ll mention it anyway. For a non-Southern writer who might appeal to your tastes, try Jim Harrison. Probably best known for Legends of the Fall, but I prefer many of his other books. For non-fiction, Rick Bragg is good Southern memoirist. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/6 "2009-02-11T22:06:14Z")
Eudora Welty, and if you don’t mind reading plays, Tennessee Williams. ---
**Author:** ![Bridget\_Burke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7cd45c/32.png) [@Bridget\_Burke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bridget_Burke)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/7 "2009-02-11T22:15:21Z")
How about Larry McMurtrey? Yes, Texas is not “The South”–except for East Texas. His great _Lonesome Dove_ is definitely Western, but most of his earlier stuff is set in urban Texas. (Of course, you ought to read \*Lonesome Dove \*anyway.) I’ll check for specific recommendations. Meanwhile–the [Literature Map](http://www.literature-map.com/larry+mcmurtrey.html)places him in an interesting territory. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/8 "2009-02-11T22:17:45Z")
Guys—these are _exactly_ what I’m looking for. Just wanted to chime in and thank everyone while the recommendations come in (and please do keep them coming). My library trip tomorrow will require a shopping cart. Or a mule. ---
**Author:** ![Darryl\_Lict](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7cd45c/32.png) [@Darryl\_Lict](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darryl_Lict)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/9 "2009-02-11T22:18:36Z")
He tends to be a one trick pony, but I like Pat Conroy. I happen to like his writing style, even if there’s always some kind of incest and sadistic father around. Pete Dexter’s _Paris Trout_ is a pretty good read, once again if you like insane characters. Dennis Hopper did a pretty good portrayal of him in the movie. I really love Cormac McCarthy’s Southern Gothic novels. _Sutree_ would be a good start. I didn’t really care for his border trilogy. A lot of people don’t care for his flowery prose (and I suspect, made up words sometimes), but I really like it. ---
**Author:** ![HolyFreakingMoly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/7ba0ec/32.png) [@HolyFreakingMoly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HolyFreakingMoly)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/10 "2009-02-11T22:24:28Z")
Does Southern Florida count? Carl Hiassen is one of my favorite authors. ---
**Author:** ![Birdmonster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/71e660/32.png) [@Birdmonster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Birdmonster)\ **Post date:** [February 11, 2009, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/11 "2009-02-11T22:54:41Z")
I’ve never gotten too into Hiassen. Or Tim Dorsey for that matter. Florida frightens me. ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/12 "2009-02-12T00:28:05Z")
You know William Styron’s work has a real Southern vibe, even, yes, Sophie’s Choice. Read it. ---
**Author:** ![Freejooky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ba8739/32.png) [@Freejooky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freejooky)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 1:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/13 "2009-02-12T01:04:31Z")
One that’s newer and doesn’t get much attention is [George Singleton’s _The Half-Mammals of Dixie_.](http://www.amazon.com/Half-Mammals-Dixie-George-Singleton/dp/1565123549) ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/14 "2009-02-12T14:52:30Z")
> [@Birdmonster](#): > > I’ve never gotten too into Hiassen. Or Tim Dorsey for that matter. Florida frightens me. It frightens Hiaasen, too. That’s why he’s so funny. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/15 "2009-02-12T15:12:24Z")
I’m a big fan of the late Larry Brown ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry\_Brown\_(author)](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Larry_Brown_(author))). ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/16 "2009-02-12T15:22:20Z")
How about Donna Tartt’s book the Little Friend? She also wrote the Secret History (not Southern) which got a lot of critical acclaim. Little Friend isn’t as good, but I really enjoyed it. ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 3:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/17 "2009-02-12T15:39:54Z")
Try to find some of [Mary Hood](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mary_Hood)’s short stories. Should be right up your alley, and I can’t recommend her highly enough. [Here’s a sample.](http://books.google.com/books?id=vP9eLWaRSUUC&dq=how+far+she+went+hood&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=B0KUSaLjMo3BtgelmISgCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=4&ct=result#PPP1,M1) …and it looks like there are some [used copies available on Amazon](http://www.amazon.com/How-Far-Went-Southern-Writers/dp/0380699729). ---
**Author:** ![Spoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e57/32.png) [@Spoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoke)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/18 "2009-02-12T15:46:15Z")
Oh, and also try Mary Hood’s [And Venus Is Blue](http://www.amazon.com/Venus-Blue-Stories-Mary-Hood/dp/082032308X). [Sample here.](http://books.google.com/books?id=3rsE-qfZ86MC&dq=and+venus+is+blue+hood&printsec=frontcover&source=bl&ots=-hXD2PNU5g&sig=bt-JYKTUACdemx5HZaYjFYA0L4M&hl=en&ei=zEOUSYykNtCCtwfp1N2pCw&sa=X&oi=book_result&resnum=1&ct=result#PPA3,M1) ---
**Author:** ![well\_he\_s\_back](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3ab097/32.png) [@well\_he\_s\_back](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/well_he_s_back)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/19 "2009-02-12T15:46:17Z")
and I’ll add Clyde Edgerton. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [February 12, 2009, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422/20 "2009-02-12T17:07:42Z")
I’ll second the recommendations for William Gay, Larry Brown, and Clyde Edgerton, and add Larry Watson. Oh! And Donald Ray Pollock, author of _Knockemstiff_. Ohio’s not really the south, but maybe it should be. Edna O’Brien sometimes reminds me of Flannery O’Connor, so you might check her out too. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/recommend-some-southern-fiction-for-a-man-who-knows-what-he-likes/485422.md?page=2)