A Short History of a Small Place ~ by T. R. Pearson, 1985, fiction (North Carolina)
In this introduction to the imaginary town of Neely North Carolina, the young narrator, Louis Benfield, recounts the tragic last days of Miss Myra Angelique Pettigrew, a local spinster and former town belle who, after years of total seclusion, returns flamboyantly to public view-with her pet monkey, Mr. Britches.
The Last of How It Was ~ by T. R. Pearson, 1987, fiction (North Carolina)
Louis Benfield narrates the convoluted and often tragic Benfield family history in this third in Pearson's trilogy about Neeley, North Carolina — after A Short History of a Small Place (above) and Off for the Sweet Hereafter (about a modern-day Bonnie and Clyde who cut a wide swath of mayhem and murder before their number comes up in a bloody blaze of glory).
Glad News of the Natural World ~ by T. R. Pearson, 2005, fiction (New York)
This is a sequel to A Short History of a Small Place, but it isn't necessary to read the earlier novel in order to make sense of this one. Now older but not necessarily wiser, Louis Benfield has moved to New York City from his hometown of Neely, North Carolina, in order to get a sense of the larger world. Louis is a modern-day Candide, looking for love and experience in all the wrong places. However, when tragedy strikes, he finds the maturity needed to be more than man enough for the job.
My friend Jane thought I should read these books and handed them to me when I was at her house a couple of days ago. Have you read any of them?
5 comments:
Hi, Bonnie. Just popped in to wish you a Happy New Year! May it be filled with lots of good friends and good reading.
I read T.R. Pearson's first book years ago when it came out and enjoyed it. But, to be completely honest, I found the second to be quite a bit too long and in need of editing and never finished it. But that's probably just me.
When you say "the second" of T. R. Pearson's books, do you mean the second one of the three in this post (The Last of How It Was)? Or do you mean the second in his trilogy (Off for the Sweet Hereafter)? I probably won't bother reading whichever one you think was "too long and in need of editing."
Sorry, I should have made that clearer, Bonnie. I meant Off for the Sweet Hereafter. I found it to be rambling in an irritating and pointless way (and as you know from my posts, I don't mind a little rambling if there's a reason for it). But please remember that that is just my opinion---I'm sure there are lots of folks who really liked it. So don't let my crankiness about it deter you from reading it!
I just went to Amazon to read the reviews of the book I just panned, and it gets rave reviews! So, again, don't be too influenced by what I said, Bonnie. :-)
Hey, Beth, I prefer YOUR opinion to that of strangers on Amazon! Also, that one is not among the ones Jane let me borrow, and it is about a Bonnie-and-Clyde-type crime spree, so I'm already not interested in it. LOL.
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