Mary's Literary Lunch: Florida Fun

Bet you can’t say it three times fast: Randy Wayne White. Doesn’t matter. Read the books, preferably in sequence since Doc does get older and (possibly) wiser as his character develops. The setting is southwest Florida, for the most part, although Doc does get around the tropics some. Doc is a marine biologist who collects rare specimens for sale to a variety of venues, but somehow he manages to get mixed up in some serious intrigue in spite of the fact that Dinkin’s Bay is definitely more of a backwater than Gulf Shores. 

There is a lot of action in these books and a lot of great mystery as well. White does a fine job developing the story line and gives a good historical and geographical treatment of the areas he sets the tale in as well. So start with Sanibel Flats then The Heat Islands and continue on from there. You won’t be disappointed.


Think southern, dripping with magnolias, humidity, sweet honeysuckle, spanish moss, southern belles, trailer trash, well you get the idea. Just read the first page and a half of the preface and you will understand that this first novel by Paula Wall is a must read for any southerner—male or female. As you come to know the Belle family you will laugh and cry or do both at the same time depending on your mood. Whenever a customer comes in the store and can’t decide on what they want and can’t give me a clue, this is the single book I go to and I always suggest they read part of the book, just as I did above. Nearly every person buys a copy. It is really hard to resist. You just HAVE to turn the page to see what happens next.


Mary 

Mary's Literary Lunch: Talegate Time

ARE YOU READY FOR SOME FOOTBALL?!?!?!?!? Okay, okay, I know that usually goes with the NFL/AFL, but we do have a few books for those fans as well. However, let’s get down to business. This is the SOUTH after all and college sports are king. Whether you are a war eagle or gonna’ roll tide in Alabama or cheer for one of the other great teams in the southern conferences we have some fun books to take along on your ride to the game or to read with your friends at that tail gate party.

I know I talked about cooking last time, but here it comes again: A Man, A Can, A Tailgate Plan. How much more appropriate can it get than that? Or would you like to try Munchies? Or Beer-Can Chicken? I’m getting hungry just writing about it and I just ate. Actually, I could list quite a few more titles, but you really should come in and check them out for yourself.

There are trivia books to challenge those who think they know everything about everything; there are books about the coaches; books about the players; and books about what to take to the game (as if you didn’t already know what to bring). Not to forget the little ones, we have take along books, Mad Libs, sticker books, and player statistics for them as well. So now, I ask again: are you ready? No excuses. So little time, so many choices...

Mary 

Mary's Literary Lunch: Home Cookin'

Okay. Here you are at the beach. Seafood is king—especially shrimp. Are you hungry? Want you cook? Maybe you just want to take some special recipes home with you. Or perhaps you would like to send or bring a really unusual gift home for that special friend or family member. I have just the answer! Try browsing through our extensive selection of southern cookbooks with that truly LOCAL flavor. The price range fits any budget and so does the style of cooking. You can find anything from tailgate parties to picnics; from luncheons to cocktail parties; from barbecue to fine dining; from elaborate to down home pass arounds.

Many of our local churches have collected recipes from their members and taken the time to publish them, along with anecdotes about the person, area, or recipe. There are some southern celebrities who have published as well, including Paula Deen, Pat Conroy, Bobaluie, and Lucy Buffett. The flavor ranges from Cajun to ‘white trash’ to Creole and everything in between. You can find a recipe for ‘scratch’ southern biscuits or marinated rib-eye steak. Makes your mouth water doesn’t it? Come on down and take a look through some of these offerings:

Bay Tables Calling All Cooks

Good Tidings! The Holy Grille

Crazy Sista Cooking The Barbecue Bible

Some Like It South Picnic

Paradise Ice or whatever shakes your tree.

Mary

Mary's Literary Lunch: Rick Bragg

Do you know anything about Rick Bragg? I first met him through his book about his grandfather, whom he never knew, except through stories told by family and friends. That was Ava's Man. It was not his first book, and I was grateful for that because I didn’t have to wait to read more. I immediately went on to the fascinating story about his mother, All Over but the Shoutin'. Most recently, he wrote about his father, The Prince of Frogtown. He has a new book coming out in October about the Alabama cotton mills and the people who lived and died in them. I used to do occupational health surveys in some of these mills so I understand the conditions the people worked in and will be really interested to see how he writes about it. The book is called The Most They Ever Had.

Rick Bragg won the Pulitzer Prize in 1996 and he was a reporter for the New York Times so he certainly couldn’t be a true southerner, could he? I say, most emphatically, YES! If you ever have a chance to talk with him or hear him speak you will be assured of his roots. He knows all about sweet tea and slow talking. He never seems to be in a rush. He couldn’t write these books if he rushed: nobody would talk to him!

Rick Bragg writes about the Deep South as it was during his childhood. He writes about the good and the bad, but most of all he writes with passion and clarity; humor and wit. What he writes will help you understand why things are the way they are today and what people did just to survive ‘in the old days.’ The stories about his family are stories about rural southern people, not city folks. They cared about each other and took care of each other. Are we once again at that crossroads?

In addition to these regional gems are a collection of stories, Somebody Told Me, and I Am a Soldier, Too, Jessica Lynch’s personal account of her capture and rescue in Iraq.


Mary

Fred's Film Findings

Hello everyone! I will be telling you about 5 movies we have coming in on the 25th.

The first one is DUPLICITY starring Julia Roberts and Clive Owen. They play two spies turned corporate operatives in the mist of a love affair. When they find themselves on either side of a corporate war, they'll put everything on the line to remain one double-cross ahead of the other.
I liked this movie even though I have seen the plot 1000 times. It's very funny and entertaining. 3 1/2 stars. Rated PG-13.

Next up is SUNSHINE CLEANING. A very funny/sometimes touching comedy from the folks who brought you LITTLE MISS SUNSHINE. starring Amy Adams and Emily Blunt (LOVE HER), and Alan Arkin. A girl tries to pay for her son to attend a better school by cleaning up crime scenes to make quick cash on the advice of her married cop lover. She involves her slacker sister (add ruinous music in the background). With all the dust, grime, and tears they come to respect one another and try to make a better future for the family. 5 stars. Rated R.

This one is weird; THE INFORMERS, a movie based on the book by Brett Ellis (AMERICAN PSYCHO). Starring Billy Bob Thorton, Kim Bassinger, Winona Ryder, Mickey Rourke, Chris Isaak and Brad Renfro (RIP). I am not really sure how to explain this complex movie.. it takes place in the 80's in Hollywood and involves a group of people who sleep all day and party all night doing drugs and... (well you know). As we all know every party has to come to an end at some point. A very disturbing movie about the excess of the 80's. The acting is excellent, and it was nice to see Kim Bassinger back. I will give it 4 stars, Rated R.

Up next is FIGHTING a pretty good action film about bare knuckled street fighting starring Channing Tatum and Terrence Howard. 2 1/2 stars. PG-13 and Unrated version with more fight scenes.

ADVENTURELAND is a slacker comedy from the folks who wrote SUPERBAD. It's about a guy who is saving up for grad school and works at an amusement park full of quirky (ok, well... possibly insane) people. Quite a trip back to hometown life in 1985. VERY FUNNY! 3 stars Rated R/Unrated version with more bad taste...

Well that's it for this week. Be sure to come by and see us to rent or special order that movie you have to own!

Fred