7 Books Like The Lakes of Southern Hollow

A monster story, in the voices of those who knew and loved the monster.

Quick digression: Every pedant loves to say that "Frankenstein," contrary to popular belief, is not the monster; Frankenstein is the *scientist* who *made* the monster. But of course, Shelley's novel reveals that Dr. Frankenstein *is* the real monster: it's his careless act of creation that's monstrous, not the poor suffering thing who was thereby created.

Anyway, back to Labatut's book: here, the creature is artificial intelligence, or the computer itself, or maybe our whole mad digital age -- and the monster who birthed it is a real historical mathematician.

Although this son revered his father, the civil rights activist David Dennis Sr., he longed for a more present and personal relationship with him. The trust and understanding they develop in the course of their conversations, and the writing of this book, is truly remarkable. His son does not shy away from probing questions that confront his father with missed opportunities in their past. And what his father remembers and shares of his experiences in the Movement brought home the terrifying violence of that time. He also explained ways the activists were able to sustain their courage in the face of so much loss. I had heard David Dennis's searing speech at the memorial service in 1964 for the three murdered civil rights workers, Michael Schwerner, James Chaney, and Andrew Goodman. I did not know the multiple times Dennis himself had narrowly escaped death at the hands of white segregationists.… show more.

The first of Moberg’s 4-volume saga of Swedish immigrants, this book is so thoroughly researched that he invented a term, calling them “documentary novels.” The family in the story are farmers from a poor, remote parish in Sweden whose lives are constricted by both the church and the state. This reflects the painful realities of Europe in 1850, where almost everyone was poor, rural, oppressed, and completely unprepared for the journey ahead of them. Whether you read Moberg’s Emigrant Novels for the intense personal drama or for more understanding of why people leave their homelands, you will find these stories deeply emotional and insightful.

Sometimes it takes dust, drought, and desperation for us to realize what we’re capable of changing. Landscape has the power to alter us and for Rachel it both whittles away and fortifies. The wrath of nature is a tangible presence in her story, though we come to realize the hostile land and searing sky pale in comparison to the silent destruction wrought by the person in whom she has placed her life’s trust. Weisgarber’s ability to slow time down to the painful passing of seconds draws me in every time. 

The Civil War west of the Mississippi doesn’t get much attention in historical fiction, but it’s an incredibly rich period, with storylines and characters to fill a hundred books. Morkan’s Quarry is one of my favorites from that period. It’s set in Springfield, Missouri, the site of one of the war’s first major battles. Michael Morkan operates a rock quarry just outside of town, and rock quarries have one product on hand that is highly prized during wartime – gunpowder. Michael and his son Leighton soon learn how thin the veneer of civilization is once a war is underway. The Civil War in Missouri was characterized by day-to-day savagery, private violence, and disrespect for the “rules” of warfare, and Morkan’s Quarry captures that spirit all too well. 

I love Lidie Newton. She is a newlywed who accompanies her abolitionist husband from Illinois to Kansas Territory, at a time when the territory is mired in partisan rage and violence. Lidie narrates the story, and her straightforward, often insightful accounts pulled me in immediately. I was right there with her as she forged her way through numerous exploits, some humorous, others heart-breaking. The story is populated with characters who are both colorful and believable, and I came away with a heightened understanding of the role played by events in Kansas and Missouri during the frightening months leading up to the Civil War.

Unlike the novels of warfare and suffering, The Moonflower Vine is an intimate portrait of family life, set in 1920s Missouri. It was a bestseller when it was first published in the early 1960s, but has since suffered neglect. But it richly rewards the reader with its heartfelt depiction of three sisters and their aging parents, whose passions, aspirations, and failures are portrayed with complex sensitivity. I don’t think historical novels have to focus on historical events – capturing the spirit of an era is just as important. And this novel took me into rural life of a hundred years ago with great generosity.