January, 2008 book of the month

Tobacco Road by Ernest Caldwell.

It is difficult to believe there are peoplel this ignorant in the world, but caldwell brings us into that world (not that we want to spend much time in it) and, mostly through narrative repetition, he stamps us there again and again and again and again.

Jeeter tells us all he wants to do is grow crops. Jesse wants to get laid. The grandmother is such a non-enity that, (spoiler) when her head is run over by a heavy cart and is smashed and she lies dying, everyone simply ignores her and lets her die. If you don't believe we descended from apes, read Caldwell!

For those of you who claim this is satire or a farce, it is NOT such (with apolgies to the ignorance of the New Yawk Times critics). I have met these people! It is real. Poverty does not generally breed grace, or even Grace, nor does scrapping for food bring brotherly love, despite the romantic proclamations of the politically correct.

Wow -- strong words andyray -- haven't received my copy yet so I'll withhold comment till I read it -- but certainly one reason I picked it was from a sense that the novel stirs controversy and discussion. Looking forward to it (I think ;))

Just purchased and started Tobacco Road today.

I think that beginning this month the discussion will no longer be limited to one choice. Instead all members of the group are encouraged to use this space to discuss whatever "Deep South" books they are reading.

Hi all! New to the group...

I agree with AndyRay! Tobacco Road pissed me off! Poverty isn't funny. But, in my Scotch-Irish background, we do laugh (a lot) at pain. Oh, yeah. I know Scot-Irish is correct but we all say the other.

I was ready to stop reading then the blurb on the back cover said it was satire. Maybe they have to add that for our benefit?

Thank Yew for the invitation and I hope y'all like my Tennessee/Mississippi views. ;)

#5 maggie et al- I finished Tobacco Road and posted my review -- I have mixed feelings. I can't say that I was angered necessarily by Caldwell unsympathetic portrait of the Lesters, but I was surprised and perplexed and strangely a little ashamed of myself for laughing. What exactly was he hoping to accomplish with this novel?

#1 andyray - I agree that this isn't satire - only because to me that implies deflating self-important people and intitutions -- but it certainly was ridicule. And I do think it was a grotesque depiction - not entirely realistic.

It left me with a weird feeeling -- I was disgusted and laughing at times, but overall did feel pathos - especially toward Ada. Imagine the only thing left to care about in life is what clothes you'll die in!

Any thoughts?

jhowell: your comment almost has changed my mind -- ALMOST. I believe there were times when Oklahomans et al were forced to eat such things as grubs and turnips to exist, and that extreme hunger forces human feelings to wither and possibly die. the scene with the grandmother lying with her head squashed in is the one that bothers me. that no one evidenced concern doesn't bother me, but that they would leave the body lying there (they never did reclaim it and/or bury it) does bother me and makes it go over the line of a non-fiction novel into non-reality.

but then, when it is every man for himself . . . i am reminded in the last tours of in-country Nam how the credo "leave no man behind" was forgotten and numerous American youths were left behind to rot, and some of them weren't dead yet!

someone once said something like the "human experience encompasses all levels of heaven and hell."

and if they didn't say that, I just did.

By the by, I had exactly the same reaction, jhowell. You are not alone!

#7 - yes of course Mother Lester's demise was not meant to be realistic in deed, while, in thought, I am sure poor starving people did in fact wish their elder dependents would die. As you say -'every man for himself.'

But that scene when they run her over and everyone just goes back into the house even though Mother had turned herself over! Sadly, it was hilarious. They do, in fact, bury her later that day almost as an afterthought -- mostly so they don't have to keep stepping over her in the yard.

I still want someone to try and explain to me though -- What is the point of making us laugh at a mocking portrait of poverty and ignorance; even if there was some pity spawned? Just plain old black humour maybe with no greater purpose or Did he mean to shame us for laughing in order to raise awareness?

My review of Tobacco Road can be found here .

#9 geneg -- I loved your review of Tobacco Road - very eloquent. It actually elucidated some things for me - especially your points on the theme of modern life moving away from the land and to factories, machines -- how the Jeeters are an example of what happens to those who choose not 'evolve' -- ridiculed, stupid, destitute, dead. I think I get it, now. You must be an English teacher. :)

i think we've done a really good job on caldwell's book. the best review was geneg's, but he and jhowell have done the pickings so far (geneg did this one) and, if it's all right with y'all, I'd like to pick the February book-of-the-month, as my one and only pick yet and for awhile.

If that is hominy kosher, I want to pick a work by my favorite living writer, Harry Crews. Most of his books are substantially the same in their freakiness, but there are three that are just make me laugh in the soul. Of these three, I think I'll pick THE GYPSY'S CURSE, as it is available cheaply on AbeBooks and Amazon, and also is in the collection called "The Classical Harry Crews" (reader).

How's that sound to y'all? As I said, if you go with the best review on TOBACCO ROAD, geneg has the pick again.

I don't mind someone else picking, in fact, I would prefer it, but I think to make an exception of this sort is up to Dystopos. He's the decider in this group.

Yeah - I am definately up for someone else picking. It's not quite the end of the month. Dare I suggest that someone else may be floating around out there that is reading it and may contribute, though?

As I said above, I think that beginning this month the discussion should no longer be limited to one choice. Instead all members of the group are encouraged to use this space to discuss any "Deep South" books they are reading.

That said, there's no reason not to embrace andyray's suggestion. I'll start a new thread for it now.