DeltaQueen's Wanderings Through American

As a Canadian I consider myself to be a good friend and neighbor to America. Many of the books I read are set in this country and I think it will be an interesting challenge to read through each State. This will probably be a slow challenge but one I am really looking forward to.

Well I can see I have already made a mistake! I originally planned for the title to read DeltaQueen's Wanderings Through American Books, then I decided on DeltaQueen's Wanderings Through America, so please mentally drop the n.


visited 45 states (90%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Like this? try: Fridge Poetry

ALABAMA

- Alabama Moon by Watt Key - 3.5 stars

ALASKA

- The Call of the Wild by Jack London - 4.1 stars

ARIZONA

- In The Heart Of The Canyon by Elisabeth Hyde - 4.5 stars

ARKANSAS

- Summer Of My German Soldier by Bette Greene - 3.7 stars

CALIFORNIA

- The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais - 4 stars

COLARADO

- The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas - 5 stars

CONNECTICUT

- Wishin' And Hopin' by Wally Lamb - 5 stars

DELAWARE

DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

- Cat And Mouse by James Patterson - 2 1/2 stars

FLORIDA

- Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen - 3 1/2 stars

GEORGIA

-Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell - 5 stars

HAWAII

- Moloka'i by Alan Brennert - 4 stars

IDAHO

- Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson - 3 stars

ILLINOIS

- Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt - 4.5 stars

INDIANA

- Penrod by Booth Tarkington - 3.2 stars

IOWA

- The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson - 4 stars

KANSAS

- The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard - 4 1/2 stars

KENTUCKY

- The Kentuckians by Janice Holt Giles - 4 stars

LOUISIANA

- A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly - 3.3 stars

MAINE

The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron - 3 1/2 stars

MARYLAND

- Charm City by Laura Lippman - 3 1/2 stars

MASSACHUSETTS

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake - 3 stars

MICHIGAN

- A Superior Death by Nevada Barr - 3.5 stars

MINNESOTA

- Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger - 4 stars

MISSISSIPPI

- Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard - 3 1/2 stars

MISSOURI

- Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles - 4 stars

MONTANA

- The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig - 5 stars

NEBRASKA

- My Antonia by Willa Cather - 4 1/2 stars

NEVADA

- Stray Dogs by John Ridley - 5 stars

NEW HAMPSHIRE

- Red Leaves by Paullina Simons - 3 1/2 stars

NEW JERSEY

- Slay Ride by Chris Grabenstein - 3 1/2 stars

NEW MEXICO

- The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas - 4.3 stars

NEW YORK

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith - 5 stars

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl - 4 stars

NORTH CAROLINA

Down River by John Hart - 4 stars

NORTH DAKOTA

- The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin - 4 stars

OHIO

- The Last Trail by Zane Grey - 3.6 stars

OKLAHOMA

- Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond - 3 1/2 stars

OREGON

Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain - 3 1/2 stars

PENNSYLVANIA

- The Light In The Forest by Conrad Richter - 3 1/2 stars

RHODE ISLAND

SOUTH CAROLINA

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd - 3.6 ★

SOUTH DAKOTA

The Indian Agent by Dan O'Brien - 3 1/2 stars

TENNESSEE

TEXAS

- Many A River by Elmer Kelton - 4 stars

UTAH

- Scott Free by John Gilstrap

VERMONT

- All The Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn

VIRGINIA

Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins

WASHINGTON

- The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein - 4 1/2 stars

WEST VIRGINIA

WISCONSIN

- Whistling In the Dark by Lesley Kagen - 5 stars

WYOMING

- The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson - 4 1/2 stars

Oh great! Just what I needed. Another thread that's going to expand my already overflowing wishlist. (j/k) Welcome to the challenge and happy reading!

Delta, let me issue a welcome to our northern neighbor.

Ever since I read those Louise Penney and Kathy Reich books, I've wanted to visit your neck of the woods, so it only seems fair that you visit us through books too.

Where are you planning on starting your journey?

Welcome to the group!

Thanks for the welcome.

I am currently reading Enemy Women by Paulette Jiles, a civil war novel set in Missouri so that is where I will begin my journey. I am also planning on revisiting Gone With The Wind shortly, so that will probably be my Georgia read.

After that, I will just have to surprise myself, but I'm sure I will be visiting other threads to get some ideas!

If you like mysteries, I suggest Laura Lippman's books for Maryland. As a Marylander I can attest to the fact that the backgrounds of Baltimore (where I was born and raised) are accurate.

I also like the Margaret Truman series or White House Chef series for DC (I love in the suburbs now.)

Laura Lippman is a great idea - I just read the first Tess Monaghan book by her last week and I certainly intend on continuing with this series.

1. Missouri: Enemy Women by Paulette Giles

My first state read was set in the Missouri Ozarks. I have given the book 4 stars and posted a review. The author, being a poet, was able to give the most lyrical descriptions and even though this was a story of war, the state's natural beauty shines through.

2. Pennsylvania: The Light In The Forest by Conrad Richter

The YA novel is set in the 1700's as a young boy, captured by Indians is returned to his white family and their farm in Pennsylvania due to a treaty. A wonderful small book that shows us how even back then being different often meant being unacceptable as he struggles to find his place in this frontier world.

3. Texas: Many A River by Elmer Kelton

Written by Texas native Elmer Kelton, this book about two brothers separated by a Comanche attack, growing up apart and meeting again during Confederate General Sibley's failed march into New Mexico from West Texas was a great read. Meandering from north Texas south to Brownsville, and from San Antonio and on into New Mexico, this book really captured the essence of the Texas frontier in the days of the Civil War.

4. Georgia: Gone With Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Probably the most famous Civil War stories today, Gone With The Wind is still one of my all time favoriite novels. Flawed in many ways yet the story is strong and the characters unforgettable. The descriptions of rural Georgia are beautiful. The history of Atlanta is given in great detail from it's early begining, through to Sherman's destruction and on to the rebuilding of what was to become one of the South's major cities.

5. Nevada: Stray Dogs by John Ridley

This excellent noir novel is set in the Nevada desert. In a strange, barren dusty town where the temperature reaches 108 degrees. Lots of desert descriptions, Vegas is mentioned, but mostly this is a Nevada that tourists don't see, the run-down, backside, middle of nowhere Nevada that we all would avoid.

6. Mississippi: Tishomingo Blues by Elmore Leonard

As the book jacket declares, Tishomingo Blues captures the flavor and rhythms of the south. With it's cultural references to the Blues and Civil War Battle re-enactments I think this book gives us a fair look at the essence of Mississippi, even with it's Dixie Mafia and drug running plot.

7. Wyoming: The Cold Dish by Craig Johnson

I loved this crime story about a small town sheriff set in north-east Wyoming. The author, who lives in this area, places his county seat just east of the Big Horns in the Powder River Basin. His descriptive writing allows you to smell the slightly spicy scent of sagebrush and feel the crisp autum air. I have travelled in this area, often in the fall, and reading this book makes me long for a drive through the Big Horns or an overnight stay in Buffalo, where the cattle are driven right down main street. This is a series that I will definitely be visiting again!

8. Montana: The Whistling Season by Ivan Doig

A beautifully written coming-of-age tale about homesteading the Montana prairie in the early 1900's. A lovely picture of rural life through the fall and winter of one year. Revolving around the importance to the community that a one-room schoolhouse provided. A 5 star read for me, and I have posted a review.

>28 DeltaQueen50: We got Doig's latest book in the library recently, and I've been meaning to read it, but I really think that I may wish to read this one first. It sounds like the type of book I would enjoy.

Happy to see another fan of The Whistling Season!

I have Work Song checked out of the library but I don't think I'll get to it before it needs to go back.

I read The Sea Runners by Ivan Doig last year. Very different from The Whistling Season but an excellent read as well.

I'm planning to read The Whistling Season for my Montana book. It's in my Mount TBR, and it sounds like I need to move it higher on the pile.

9. Arizona: In The Heart Of The Canyon by Elisabeth Hyde

Reading In the Heart of the Canyon I got to join a river rafting trip down the Colarado River through the Grand Canyon. From gently floating upon the green waters, to shooting incredibly rough rapids this book was quite a ride!
The author obviously has taken this twelve day trip and really was able to make me feel I was experiencing all the twists and turns of the river from my comfortable armchair. I have been to the Grand Canyon and saw these rafters from a distance, now I feel I know what this trip entails - all I can say is WOW!

The best part of this book was that along with all the great scenery and adventure, there was a pretty good story as well.

10. New Hampshire: Red Leaves by Paullina Simons

Set on the Ivy League campus of Dartmouth this novel gives us a feel of the New Hampshire fall and winter. An intriguing murder mystery, I felt it fell a little short with characters' whose actions I found rather unrealistic. But the beauty of New Hampshire certainly is there, and Dartmouth itself sounds like a university campus that I would love to visit.

11. Nebraska: My Antonia by Willa Cather

This was a perfect book for this state it's written with love and with lyrical descriptions of this beautiful grassland country. The story of homesteaders putting roots down, growing corn, raising animals, the building of the heartland of America is all gently unfolded here. A book to remember, reminded me a lot of The Whistling Season as both are rural stories told through the eyes of young boys. I can see why this book is considered an American Classic.

12. Wisconsin: Whistling In The Dark by Leslie Kagen

Set over the course of the summer of 1959 in Milwaukee, this is the story of two little girls whose mother is hospitalized, their older sister wrapped up with her boyfriend and their stepfather too busy drinking and running around, and so they are running wild in the neighbourhood. Unfortunately a murderer who targets little girls is also loose in the neighbourhood.

Set in a urban neighbourhood of working class people of mixed ethnic backgrounds, the author really delved into both the differences and the common ground that existed between these mixed families and their children.

I really enjoyed this book and thought that the author did an excellent job of capturing that early sixties feel, from the music and clothes, to the attitudes of the people, it brought back many memories of growing up in that same period.

13. Alabama: Alabama Moon by Watt Key

This YA story of a young boy who has been brought up in the forest of Alabama by his survivalist father gives lots of detail about rural Alabama in the 1980's. Hunting, fishing, trapping this boy is an expert at existing in the forest, unfortuately his father dies and he must come face to face with civilization. How he learns to trust people and find that there is a place in the world for him makes for an interesting and heartwarming story.

14. Oregon: Sweetheart by Chelsea Cain

This is the second book in Chelsea Cains' series about Portland Police Detective Archie Sheridan and convicted serial killer Gretchen Lowell. This author manages to make excellent use of her knowledge of the city of Portland, and in fact, of the state of Oregon. I had to really stretch my imagination to find a lot of this book believeable, but the beauty of the city of Portland wasn't one of them. A quick to read book that I enjoyed, and I will definitely continue with this series.

15. Washington: The Art of Racing In the Rain by Garth Stein

I not only absolutely loved this book, I thought it did an excellent representation of the state of Washington, a state that I know quite well, being just south of where I live. The main characters live in Seattle and a few neighborhoods are described there. They also vaction on the coast at Long Beach, and in north central Washington at beautiful Methow Valley, a place that I know and love.

16. Idaho: Killer Weekend by Ridley Pearson

A good adequate thriller about an attempted political assassination, this book which occurs over four days is set in the beautiful area of Sun Valley, Idaho. This scenic location is definitely the star of this book, and as the author has a home in the area, his descriptions are true to life. A place I have visited in the past and would love to see again.

17. Maryland: Charm City by Laura Lippman

This is the second book in the Tess Monaghan series which is set in Baltimore. It's obvious that the author has a love for this city that comes through in the pages of her work. With it's many references to local places and areas, to her colorful descriptions, this city comes alive in her books. Baltimore, Maryland, a city and a state that I would love to visit someday.

18. Kansas: The Scent of Rain and Lightning by Nancy Pickard

A beautifully written book about a cold-case mystery in the small town of Rose, Kansas. This book investigates the impact this crime had on the town, and the whole area came vividly alive with her descriptions. When she delves into the past, her use of a violent storm highlights the mounting tension perfectly. A very good read.

19. Kentucky: The Kentuckians by Janice Holt Giles

A very interesting and enjoyable read about the first white settlers who came through the Cumberland Gap and pioneered in the wilderness that would become Kentucky. With details on the political wrangling of the times and Indian battles, the author based this story on her own family's history.

20. Florida: Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen

This was my first book by this author who, I believe, sets most of his work in Florida. I can see that I will be reading about this state many times again as I thoroughly enjoyed this screwball tale of attempted murder by an exceedingly inept criminal that was set in and around Southern Florida.

I find his books really hit or miss, but when they work, they are fantastic!

#45 - Nans - Good to know - do you have any Carl Hiaasen recommendations?

I think my favorite was Skinny Dip. I also enjoyed Sick Puppy, but not Basket Case so much. He wrote a YA book called Hoot that my nephew really liked.

Thanks, I'll put Sick Puppy and Hoot on my list. Hoot intrigues me, I would like to see how he handles a YA book!

21. Vermont: All The Lovely Bad Ones by Mary Downing Hahn

A very engaging YA ghost story set in a lovely country inn close to Burlington, Vermont. There are some descriptions of tourist activites like biking and hiking, hunting antiques and shopping in the quaint villages. I have visited Vermont many years ago and remember it as a very beautiful place.

22. Utah: Scott Free by John Gilstrap

I really enjoyed this thriller set in the Wasatch Mountains of Utah. I have travelled in Utah a couple of times and I know with that one book could never cover the varied history and scenery of this beautiful state. Scott Free takes place in winter and involves the crash of a small plane in the mountains. It describes the luxury ski resorts that have developed there, like Sundance, and the fact that celebrities are known to vacation in the area.

23. Connecticut: Wishin' And Hopin' by Wally Lamb

My first Christmas themed read of the year, Wishin' And Hopin' was a great one. Set in New London, Connecticut, and telling the story through a 10 year old boy, of the events of late 1964 leading up to the school's Christmas Concert. A wonderful story that avoids the pitfall of becoming too sweet by relying on humor and simple, straightforward writing. I loved this story!

24. California: The Monkey's Raincoat by Robert Crais

California is huge and one book couldn't possibly represent the whole state. However, The Monkey's Raincoat is set in the late 1980's L.A. and does an excellent job of representing Southern California. Location, weather and food are all here, really giving the reader a feel for the city and the stylish, flashy, sun drenched area that is Southern California. A very good mystery as well.

25. South Dakota: The Indian Agent by Dan O'Brien

Based on a true character, The Indian Agent was the first agent to be installed in the newly created Pine Ridge Reservation. Believing he knew what was best for the Lakota, he wasn't hesitant to lay down the rules. One of his biggest opponents was Red Cloud who used every opportunity to disrupt and disregard the agent. Eventually politics changed and the agent was replaced. Around this time, the Ghost Dancing began. When Sitting Bull was murdered on his reservation, the Ghost Dancers fled to Pine Ridge and thought they would find refuge at Wounded Knee Creek.

An engossing but perhaps a little one-sided look at the political climate and events that led to the massacre that was to have such a huge impact on American history.

26. District of Columbia: Cat And Mouse by James Patterson

James Patterson's series featuring Alex Cross are set in Washington D.C. and, although I am using Cat And Mouse as the book for this place, I would actually consider the whole series as representative of this area. These books usually feature grisly murders and often take the hero out of the capital, but the first few in the series are set in and around Washington and he does describe actual locations in and around the area. I wasn't exactly taken with Cat And Mouse found that it called for too big a stretch of my imagination, but this author certainly knows how to make the reader turn those pages - non-stop action from cover to cover.

27. North Dakota: The Children's Blizzard by David Laskin

Although the blizzard described in this book covered the upper mid-west most of the descriptions and events happened in and around the area that was to become the state of North Dakota. On January 12, 1888 a severe and massive blizzard struck this area causing the temperature to plummet and the winds to rise, the air was thick with ice particles and snow. Called The Children's Blizzard because due to the timing, many school children were either stranded at their rural schools or caught out in it trying to reach home.

A fascinating book that details the background and history of several families that homesteaded in the area and were trying to set their roots into American soil. The fate of these families are both heart breaking and miraculous.

28. Colorado: The Diary of Mattie Spenser by Sandra Dallas

Set in eastern Colorado, this book details the life of a pioneer woman homesteading on the prairies. From the building of a sod house to extreme weather conditions, eastern Colorado is revealed in this book. The characters do visit Denver and so we are given a look at the early beginnings of that city. An excellent read.

great selections DQ! I loved Sandra Dallas's Tallgrass. The Diary of Mattie Spenser sounds great also... have put it on my wish list. The two novels about Valentine McGillycuddy, Crazy Horse and Red Cloud by Dan O'Brien may force me to take a trip to the local B&N today...

Hi kcs_hiker - sorry it's taken me so long to respond, I just don't visit this thread very often. I absolutely loved The Diary of Mattie Spencer and now I am planning on reading everything Sandra Dallas has written.

The Indian Agent well interesting enough, fell a little short for me. I think it's a good book to start reading about this time period but it's hard to find an unbiased version, most books come down firmly on one side or the other.

29. Massachusetts: The Postmistress by Sarah Blake

Set in a small town on Cape Cod in the year before America enters World War II,this books gives one a good idea of what small town America was like in the early 40's. The shadow of the war hangs over everyone, some believing America will never enter the war while others are biding their time, waiting to go to war. Cape Cod is a place that I have always wanted to visit, and I enjoyed the pictures this author painted with her lovely writing even though the actual story didn't enthrall me.

30. Minnesota: Iron Lake by William Kent Krueger

I really enjoyed this crime thriller set in northern Minnesota. The author uses this unique setting to it's best advantage, and as the timing of this story was the week before Christmas his descriptions of frozen lakes, deep snow and silent woods were beautiful. An exciting plot with lots of twists to keep the reader guessing. A very good read.

I've been wanting to try the Cork O'Connor series. I usually read books set in the Christmas season around the Christmas and New Years holidays. This might be a good one to put on my holiday reading list. I like to mix in a few non-cozies so I don't overdose on them during the holidays!

>60 DeltaQueen50: Sounds like a read I might want to keep in mind for around Christmas.

61 & 62 - I think Iron Lake would be a good choice to read in December. It's not overly Christmas-y but there is mention of the holiday season and a Christmas tree gets trimmed between the murders and double dealing!

31. Illinois: Across Five Aprils by Irene Hunt

I loved this YA book set during the American Civil War years in southern Illinois. A coming-of-age story about a young boy who sees his brothers go to war while he shoulders the burden of running the family farm and holding his family together. A beautifully written, well-researched and heart-warming story.

32. New York: A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith - 5 stars

I so enjoyed my visit to Brooklyn circa 1912. A true American Classic, this coming-of-age book tells the story of Francie Nolan and her family. Lots of description of day to day life in the tenaments. I loved rooting for Francie and I loved this book! It captures the spirit and feel of a thriving, growing city perfectly.

Garlic and Sapphires by Ruth Reichl - 4 stars

I have added this book to my New York state reading. Garlic and Sapphires is a delightful read, the memoirs of a former New York Times food critic. She dons many different disguises and reviews some of the top New York restaurants of the the nineties.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is in my "borrowed" pile. I keep reading such wonderful reviews of it! I hope that I will be able to get to it soon. It really sounds like a book I would enjoy.

I think you would find A Tree Grows In Brooklyn well worth the read, now I want to track down the 1945 movie as well.

33. North Carolina: Down River by John Hart - 4 stars

A very good crime story that captures a moody southern atmosphere. Lush descriptive passages of the red clay fields and slow moving river enrich this book. This is the state that my sister-in-law comes from and one that I have always wanted to visit as it sounds so beautiful.

34. Iowa: The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid by Bill Bryson - 4 stars

A great read about growing up in middle America in the 1950's. Bill Bryson supplies lots of humorous moments and still manages to dish out some facts and figures as well. Even though I am Canadian, his descriptions of the 1950's Des Moines reminded me of growing up in Ottawa and Victoria. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid was both entertaining and enlightening.

35. Maine: The Poacher's Son by Paul Doiron - 3 1/2 stars

This mystery was nominateed for a 2011 Edgar award, and is a very good read. It has a terrific sense of place, in this case being the north woods country of Maine. The Poacher's Son is an outdoor adventure story, a mystery and a story of a father/son relationship all in one. A excellent debut novel.

36. New Jersey: Slay Ride by Chris Grabenstein - 3 1/2 stars

This thriller, set during the festive season, is a strange mix of Christmas cookies and extreme violence. F.B.I. Agents and Russian mafia mix it up, and a very evil psycho killer is thrown in as well. Perhaps not the best advertisement for New Jersey, but does have scenes set in Jersey City, and on the boardwalk at Brighton Beach, and the backwoods country.

37. Oklahoma: Pioneer Woman: Black Heels to Tractor Wheels by Ree Drummond - 3 1/2 stars

A fun, light read about a city girl who landed her cowboy and settled down with him on a cattle ranch in Oklahoma. The author, Ree Drummond, is a well-known blogger and this book arose from questions about how she met her husband. Reads like a chick-lit novel, but very entertaining.

38. Louisiana: A Free Man of Color by Barbara Hambly - 3.3 stars

This book, set in New Orleans in 1833, was overall, much better at the history than the mystery. The author described New Orleans, and the times in great detail. As this is the first in a series, I am hoping she puts her attention to the characters and the mystery in her next entry.

Love The Pioneer Woman! I've never been a marthastewart-wannabe, but if ever I decided to be a wannabe, it would be Ree! How does she do it all? Not just cooking, but cooking great meals, and photographing them and her family, so gorgeously, and the homeschooling and writing, books, blog and all. I get exhausted just thinking about it. But I do love her blog! And her recipes! I haven't read the printed book, but enjoyed her Black Heels to Tractor Wheels on her blog some while back. Speaking of her cooking, one of her quick and easy recipes that we use ALL the time is her Crash Hot Potatoes: http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2008/06/crash-hot-potatoes/ Yum!

Cindy, thank you so much for that link to Crash Hot Potatoes. I am dying to try them they look so easy and so good! I am going to have to start following Ree's blog on a regular basis. I like her simple yet, oh so tasty looking, recipes.

39. New Mexico: The Chili Queen by Sandra Dallas - 4.3 stars

A wonderful, colorful western that I enjoyed very much. Peopled with con artists, robbers and others of loose character, this funny novel has just enough twists and turns in it to keep the reader on his toes and glued to the pages as it wanders it's way around the old west of New Mexico.

40. Michigan: A Superior Death by Nevada Barr - 3.5

Set in the Isle Royal National Park, this mystery with a National Park Ranger as the main character takes advantage of it's scenic location and the natural beauty of the Park plays an important role in the story.

I've wanted to go to Isle Royale ever since reading that installment in the Anna Pigeon series. There's a second book in the series set at that park too.

Hi Lori, I have really enjoyed the couple of Anna Pigeon mysteries that I have read, I love the National Park settings and Anna is a likeable, down-to-earth sort of character that I can relate to.

41. Arkansas: Summer Of My German Soldier by Bette Greene

A small town in Arkansas seemed like a perfect place to house German prisoners of war, but for one twelve year old Jewish-American girl, this summer turned into both a nightmare and a time of personal growth. I found this YA story to be quite sad, but thankfully, the author gives us a glimmer of hope at the end of the book.

42. Ohio: The Last Trail by Zane Grey

Set in the Ohio River Valley a few years after the American Revolution, this adventure story has lots of action, but is also a love story. For me, the best part of the book is Grey's poetic description of the woodlands, his love of nature really shines through. Originally published in 1909, the language is somewhat dated and florid, but fits with the time of the book.

43. Alaska: The Call of the Wild by Jack London

The story of a smart, dominant dog being snatched from his comforatable life in California and taken to work as a sled dog in Alaska was a moving read. I didn't like how much animal cruelty was in the story, but overall this was an compelling story. Jack London wrote beautifully, almost poetic when describing the Alaskan wilderness.

Judy - You are plugging along there! Only 7 to go.

Hi Lori, I finally checked in here. I can't believe how few books that I read are set in the states. These last 7 will have to be planned for as I'm just not randomly picking up many books set in the States right now.

44. Indiana Penrod

Actually read this quite some time ago and although I counted it on the map I forgot to list it here. An old fashioned look at small town America at the turn of the century. It was rather dated and had some instances of racial slurs that were difficult to swallow.

45. Virginia Midwife of the Blue Ridge by Christine Blevins

More of a historical romance than straight historical fiction, I did enjoy the story and found the author had done a lot of research in the natural remedies that were used in Colonial America.

46. South Carolina: The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Although this was a familiar plot where the young white girl learns life lessons while also getting love and security from a black woman, it was both an eloquent and emotional read. It was set in 1964, the year President Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act, so along with the main story there were some references to racial tensions.