a collection of Ms . Smith ’ s short stories , lectures , op-ed articles , and interview transcripts , as well as selections from her longer fiction and non-fiction books .
Among the Living by Johnathan Rabb . This novel is a fictional account of a Holocaust survivor ’ s journey back to a new normal in 1940s Savannah , Georgia . The protagonist , 31-year-old Yitzhak Goldah , arrives at his relatives ’ home to discover a fractured world where Reform and Conservative Jews live separate lives . Goldah grapples with questions of identity , belonging , and the struggle for a new and promising future .
Blood at the Root : A Racial Cleansing in America by Patrick Phillips . Phillips , a National Book Award finalist , tells the tragic history of Forsyth County , Georgia . The book spans the Cherokee removals of the 1830s , to the promise of post- Civil War Reconstruction , to the crushing injustice of Forsyth ’ s racial cleansing . Phillips shares these stories in vivid and unapologetic detail ; he also sheds light on the violent crimes which took place in Forsyth during his childhood in the 1980s .
Blood , Bone and Marrow : A Biography of Harry Crews by Ted Geltner . Harry Crews ( 1935-2012 ) was a writer who emerged from an impoverished South Georgia tenant farm to become a unique figure in 20th century American literature . Crews ’ novels opened a new window into southern life , with their focus on the gritty and disenfranchised . Blood , Bone and Marrow is the first full-length biography of this distinct author .
Darktown : A Novel by Thomas Mullen . Darktown is crime saga set in pre-civil rights , 1948 Atlanta . In this novel , the Atlanta Police Department has just been forced to hire its first black officers . The men are met with deep hostility from their peers , especially when a black woman is murdered – and the new officers suspect a fellow cop committed the crime . Darktown explores themes such as strained race relations , police corruption , murder , and uneven scales of justice .
Drowned : A Mermaid ’ s Manifesto by Theresa Davis . Theresa Davis is an Atlanta-based performance poet and spoken word artist . She is a member of The World Diversity Collective / Art Amok and was recently ranked 8th female poet in the world as a finalist in the Women of the World Poetry Slam . Ms . Davis is a classroom teacher ; she also designs dolls and children ’ s clothing . Her book of poetry , Drowned , is about love , loss , and depression .
Inspired Georgia by Judson Mitcham , Michael David Murphy , and Karen L . Paty . Inspired Georgia is a collection of photography and contemporary poetry that showcases Georgia ’ s history and culture . Representing a wide range of styles and attitudes , the contributing artists are all either
Georgia natives or have spent a significant amount of time in their adopted state .
My Two Souths : Blending the Flavors of India into a Southern Kitchen by Asha Gomez . Atlanta-based Chef Asha Gomez is a James Beard Award Nominee and national winner of The Gourmand Awards – Best Indian Cuisine . My Two Souths is a cookbook that takes readers on a culinary journey from the Southern Indian flavors of Chef Gomez ’ s childhood home to her love of Deep-South cooking .
A River of Kings : A Novel by Taylor Brown . Georgia ’ s Altamaha River , known as the “ Little Amazon ” is a 137-mile stretch of black water . It is home to thousand-year-old trees , an array of endangered species , and the remnants of warrior colonies . A River of Kings weaves together three fictional , narrative strands : two brothers ’ kayaking journey down the ancient river , their father ’ s complicated past , and the mysterious history of the Altamaha ’ s earliest residents .
The Underdogs : Children , Dogs , and the Power of Unconditional Love by Melissa Fay Greene . The Underdogs is a non-fiction book about dogs and their unique ability to rescue people from the trenches of grief , cognitive disability , and PTSD . Greene , a two-time National Book Award nominee , writes about Karen Shirk , a woman whose service dog inspired her to develop the 4 Paws for Ability academy . Ms . Greene supplements Karen ’ s story
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