Saturday, June 25, 2011

Book Review and Giveaway: The Night Train By Clyde Edgerton

The Night Train By Clyde Edgerton

Product Details:
  • Hardcover: 224 pages
  • Publisher: Little, Brown and Company (July 25, 2011)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0316117595
  • ISBN-13: 978-0316117593

Usually, I'll post a description of the book provided from the publisher, but in this case, I think it's truly best if Mr. Edgerton describe his book for you...(or rather ya'll):

About the Author: (from Goodreads)
Clyde Edgerton is widely considered one of the premier novelists working in the Southern tradition today, often compared with such masters as Eudora Welty and Flannery O'Connor.

Although most of his books deal with adult concerns--marriage, aging, birth and death--Edgerton's work is most profoundly about family. In books such as Raney, Walking Across Egypt, The Floatplane Notebooks, and Killer Diller, Edgerton explores the dimensions of family life, using an endearing (if eccentric) cast of characters. "Edgerton's characters," writes Mary Lystad in Twentieth-Century Young Adult Writers, "have more faults than most, but they also have considerable virtues, and they are so likable that you want to invite them over for a cup of coffee, a piece of homemade apple pie, and a nice long chat."

Raised in the small towns of the North Carolina Piedmont, Edgerton draws heavily on the storytelling traditions of the rural south in his novels. Without the distractions of big-city life and the communications revolution of the late twentieth century, many rural Americans stayed in close touch with their relatives, and often shared stories about family members with each other for entertainment. He currently teaches creative at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, where he lives with his wife, Kristina, and their children.


My Thoughts:
The Night Train is southern literature at its finest!  Full of wit and humor as well as that charming regional dialect that only a true southern writer can capture on page, Edgerton has given us a novel that reveals the  prevailing racial prejudices of the early 1960's and the music that crossed both sides of the color line.  During a time when Martin Luther King. Jr was speaking of Civil Rights, a young boy by the name of "Till" goes missing and is found dead,  and the "Greensboro Six" made their infamous lunch counter sit-in, racial tension was at it's peak.  But for Dwayne and Larry Lime, life, as well as their friendship, was all about the music.  I absolutely loved this novel and had many laugh aloud moments as well as moments of reflection.  Edgerton doesn't simply tell us about race relations in the South....he shows us in a way that appears so natural  which is the essence of a truly gifted storyteller.  His characterization is impeccable and I couldn't help but develop a fondness for Aunt Marzie...as well as the chickens!  I easily give this a Five. And as a side note...my sixteen year old son picked this up "just to have a look" and is now half way through the book!

And for the Giveaway.... 
A special thank you to Anna Balasi of Little, Brown, and Co. for giving me this opportunity to offer three copies of this novel. This is open to residents of the US and Canada only, and please, no P.O. Boxes.  To enter, simply follow my blog (new followers are always welcome) and leave a comment on this post.  I'll announce the three lucky winners on Wednesday July 6th
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11 comments:

  1. WOOO!!! This looks super yummy..sorry kind of hungry here
    I really REALLY want to read this! Thanks so much for the super generous giveaway! I really appreciate it!

    ~Harpreet
    xoxo

    My Email: hargur55@gmail.com
    Follower via GFC-Harpreet Singh

    http://booksforteens6212.blogspot.com/

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  2. This is on my TBR list!

    laurengetsliteral(at)gmail(dot)com

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  3. I love Clyde Edgerton and love his music and his books. He's a very nice man.

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  4. I would love to read this book! I follow you via gfc as mamabunny13
    mamabunny13 at gmail dot com

    ReplyDelete
  5. I follow via Blogger. Your GFC list is missing or I would follow via GFC. Donna

    dkmtheriot@yahoo.com

    http://mylife-in-stories.blogspot.com

    I have a give away that ends today. Would love for you to follow and enter.

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  6. Thanks for the giveaway! Sounds great.

    coffeebooksandlaundry(at)gmail.com

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  7. My email is ruizcassandra50@gmail.com
    or
    hernandezcassandra50@yahoo.com

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  8. I would love to read and review this book! Thanks for the chance!

    Kara
    Survivorluvr33 at gmail dot com

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  9. I'm following you on GFC (Darlene), and my email address is darlenesbooknook at gmail dot com.

    Thanks for the giveaway!

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  10. I love Southern Lit. Sounds like a great book. Good review.

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I love hearing your thoughts, opinions, and comments in general!