My Summer of Southern Discomfort by Stephanie Gayle is about Natalie, a young lawyer who is forced to flee her New York City home due to a scandalous love affair at her old law firm. She moves to Macon, Georgia and becomes a prosecutor. It's about her struggle to forget the past, her struggle to learn to work with her crotchety coworker, her struggle with prosecuting a man accused of murder who may get the death penalty (she is opposed to the death penalty), her struggle to help a co worker's abused sister, and her neighbor LaLa who has a great garden...are you getting the point?
I have mixed feelings about this book. At first I really disliked it. I hate to say negative things about books, but this one just bugged me. First of all the cover is misleading because I feel like Natalie wouldn't be caught dead in that outfit, nor would she be relaxing while reading in the grass. I felt like the attempts at showing southern culture were a bit patronizing and judgemental...like she was better because she was from a northern state.
I do have to say that it got better, and I didn't hate this book. I just feel like I read the middle of the story, and I was yearning for the beginning and the end and the thing that would tie it all together.
The Secret Life of Bees Movie is rated PG13 and 114 minutes long. It was released in the U.S.A on October 17,2008.
I really enjoyed this movie, but I have to say that I liked the book better because as always you get more details, thoughts, and emotions in the book. I think over all, that the movie does a good job conveying the message of the book, and the actors did a beautiful job with the characters. Of course there were some changes made and some things left out, but that's to be expected. Even so, I'm so happy that we watched it.
My husband is not a huge reader, but he's always interested in what I'm reading. If I particularly like a book, I always try to rent the movie version if it's available to give him some idea of what the book was about. This was the case with The Secret Life of Bees, and he really enjoyed the movie as well.
As you know I'm reading My Summer of Southern Discomfort which is set in Macon, Georgia as part of the "Southern Belle Reading Challenge" I'm participating in. I haven't finished the book yet, but I came across some landmarks in the first few chapters that I was interesting in looking up. Here's what I found out...
"Each March, Macon becomes a pink cotton-spun paradise of delight as over 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees bloom in all their glory. And for 10 days, festival-lovers are treated to one of the most extravagant displays of springtime color in the nation as they visit the town referred to by Congressional Records as the Cherry Blossom Capital of the World."
(Source: www.cherryblossom.com)
The tree that made the Macon Cherry Blossom Festival famous. Fragrant, white-pink flowers; oriental branching pattern; glossy bark; dark-green leaves. Likes full sun, well-drained soil. Grows to 40' to 50'.
(Source: www.arborday.org)
One of Georgia’s most distinguished structures, the Johnston-Felton-Hay House in Macon was declared a National Historic Landmark in 1974. It was built from 1855 to 1859 in the Italian Renaissance Revival style, a marked contrast to the more restrained Greek Revival architecture of the antebellum period.
(Source: www.georgiatrust.org)
Adjacent to the School of Law is a Greek Revival mansion built in 1836 for a railroad financier and banker. It was designed and built by Elam Alexander, a local building contractor, architect, business man and philanthropist. The house was once owned by Colonel Joseph Bond, one of the South's wealthiest cotton planters. In 1887 a 16th birthday ball was held in the house for Winnie Davis, daughter of former Confederate President Jefferson Davis. Originally known as Overlook Mansion, it was acquired by Mercer University in 1978 and renamed Woodruff House. The University uses the house for banquets, receptions and alumni events. It is open to the public only during the Cherry Blossom Festival in March, the run up to Christmas and for special events.
Since this is the month of all things southern, thanks to the "Southern Belle Challenge". I thought I'd share some of the southern things we've cooked this weekend. Yesterday my husband's family had a family reunion and it was my job to make the banana pudding and the macaroni and cheese. You can't get more southern than banana pudding and macaroni and cheese! At the reunion we had barbecue ribs, fried chicken, hamburgers, hot dogs, mac and cheese, potato salad, baked beans, broccoli & cauliflower salad, plenty of watermelon, and lots more. For dessert there was cake and banana pudding. We played corn hole and the kids played on a tire swing, played volleyball, and rode horses. It was a very fun day and all very southern! I must also add that it was very HOT...also southern.
Today after church we had cabbage with polish sausage for lunch, and my husband made fried cornbread. Again, I'd say fried cornbread is very southern, and I put strawberry preserves on mine. We had big glasses of unsweetened iced tea and it was yummy!
I'm looking forward to an extra day at home with my family since there's no school or work tomorrow!
I checked out several books from the library in preparation for a reading challenge I'm participating in this month called the "Southern Belle Challenge". It is hosted by Brenda Gail over at Curling Up With a Good Book. September is to be a month of all things Southern: books, magazines, recipes, movies, and lots of sweet tea
The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd is one of the books I check out and the book I chose to kick off the challenge with. The library's copy of the book was published in 2002 and donated to the library in 2005. It doesn't say who donated. It simply says donated. It isn't in bad condition, but it is obvious it has been read many many times. Let's just say it's fragile. When I opened it the first time, I noticed that the first four or five pages have pulled away from the spine of the book. I think eventually all of the pages will start falling out. The front cover is starting to come off a tiny bit, and if not for the protective covering the library puts on all their books, this book would have worn out years ago. I think all of these things are signs of a good book...you can tell it's been read by many many people. It makes me wonder how many people have read this copy of the book. What were their lives like on the days they read this book? What made him or her choose it?
I chose it for 3 reasons:
1. My sister, Beth, has read it and said I would like it.
2. It was on a list that Brenda Gail posted...Southern Belle Challenge Book Choices
3. I have seen the preview for the movie and thought it looked interesting. I haven't actually seen the movie though, although I'm sure I will soon.
From the very first words to the last I was hooked. The Secret Life of Bees is set in 1964 South Carolina. Lily is a motherless girl with a cruel father. The only person in the world she has to depend on is her African American nanny, Rosaleen, whom she loves and who loves Lily in return. When some unexpected events force Lily and Rosaleen to go on the run Lily follows one of the only clues she has regarding her mother, a picture of Mary, mother of Jesus, with the town Tiburon, South Carolina written across the back. When they get there they are taken in by three black sisters who live in a bright pink house, keep bees, and sell honey. It's here with these sisters that Lily finally discovers the truth about her past, and it's also the place where she finally finds the Mother she's always yearned for.
August said, "Listen to me now, Lily. I'm going to tell you something I want you always to remember, all right?" Her face had grown serious. Intent. Her eyes did not blink. "All right," I said, and I felt something electric slide down my spine. "Our Lady is not some magical being out there somewhere, like a fairy godmother. She's not the statue in the parlor. She's something inside of you. Do you understand what I'm telling you?" "Our Lady is inside of me," I repeated, not sure I did. "You have to find a mother inside yourself. We all do. Even if we already have a mother, we still have to find this part of ourselves inside."
I really loved all the characters in this book. I loved Rosaleen for her brave in your face honesty. I could use a little of that myself. I liked June (one of the sisters) for her stubbornness. Some people think being stubborn is a bad thing, but I tend to think sometimes being stubborn is a very good thing. I liked May (one of the sisters) for her innocence, and I loved August (another sister) for her calmness, her failure to judge others, and for her patience. All of which are things I aspire to be in my own life. Most of all I loved Lily for just being Lily. She wasn't whiny or over dramatic. She was an "it is what it is" kind of girl. I enjoyed her humor.
Parts of the book made me cry and parts made me laugh. Sue Monk Kidd did such a great job describing the setting for us. I could almost feel the heat, smell the grass, and hear the humming of bees.
I know this book has been out for several years, but if like me you missed it somehow, give it a try. I think you'll be glad you did.
I plan on renting the movie in the very near future!
I started reading The Secret Life of Bees last night, and I'm really liking it. I'm about halfway through, so I hope to finish it today. I'll do a full post when I'm finished. Check back later!!
Summary from Goodreads... Sue Monk Kidd's ravishing debut novel has stolen the hearts of reviewers and readers alike with its strong, assured voice. Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted "stand-in mother," Rosaleen, insults three of the town's fiercest racists, Lily decides they should both escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. There they are taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sisters who introduce Lily to a mesmerizing world of bees, honey, and the Black Madonna who presides over their household. This is a remarkable story about divine female power and the transforming power of love--a story that women will share and pass on to their daughters for years to come.
I'd like to thank my sister once again for doing a great guest blog today! This is her third one, and they have all been great. If you missed her first two check them out in the blog archive. Enjoy!!!
BethWhitney-Lanier
Source: My Photo
On July 20th, 2011 I turned 29 years old. It's hard to believe I'm almost 30, but that's beside the point. They say the older you get the wiser you become. I hope that's true in my case.
"The only true wisdom is in knowing you know nothing." -Socrates
Anyway, I had a great birthday and received some cool gifts from different members of my family. Since this blog is about books, I will tell you about the birthday gifts I got from my sister, Amy. I received two books from Amy, The first one I read was The Help by Kathryn Stockett, which is also currently being played in movie theaters. This book takes place in Jackson, Mississippi in the year 1962. It takes you into the lives of black maids and what they had to endure at the hands of their white bosses, especially the white women they work for.
There are actually some funny parts in this book, but mostly you see how horribly these maids where treated. It is a shame how human beings can treat each other. I read The Help in about a week and a half. It was a fast read as well as an interesting, eye opening story. Any of you who might be participating in the The Southern Belle Challenge this month along with my sis, Amy, should consider reading The Help. I really enjoyed reading this book.
The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins is the other book Amy gave me for my 29th birthday. Ironically, this book is also in the process of being made into a motion picture. Now, if you check books out at the library this one will be in the Juvenile Fiction section. In my opinion, however, this book is anything but juvenile.
I have not read a book like The Hunger Games in a very long time. At first I wondered how I would like the book and if I would even enjoy it. However, this futuristic thriller totally surprised me! It takes place in what used to be the United States of America and things are nothing like what we know now. The US has been taken over and shaped into 12 Districts and ran by the Capitol. Once a year they hold The Hunger Games. The surprising part is who they choose to compete in these games and the violence it ensues!
This book is filled with tons of heart pounding action and suspense. It is definitely a page turner and constantly keeps you guessing about what in the world can happen next. It was quite a read and I enjoyed the change in style and genre. I'm looking forward to reading the next books in the series, Catching Fire and Mockingjay.
In closing, I just want to say that I loved my two "Birthday Books". Reading books and talking about them always gets me excited. To be given a book as a gift is an awesome thing for me. When you receive a book from someone you might get a wonderful book that you wouldn't ordinarily read. Actually, I don't think I have ever gotten a book as a gift from anyone but Amy. She never fails in getting me a book I like or might even come to love. Three book that are in my Top 10 Favorite Books of All-Time were gifts from Amy and her family. I received Little Women, Little Men, and Jo's Boys as a Christmas gift about 2 years ago.
