The Dry Grass of August
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The Dry Grass of August by Anna Jean Mayhew
In this beautifully written debut, Anna Jean Mayhew offers a riveting depiction of Southern life in the throes of segregation, what it will mean for a young girl on her way to adulthood--and for the woman who means the world to her . . . On a scorching day in August 1954, thirteen-year-old Jubie Watts leaves Charlotte, North Carolina, with her family for a Florida vacation. Crammed into the Packard along with Jubie are her three siblings, her mother, and the family's black maid, Mary Luther. For as long as Jubie can remember, Mary has been there--cooking, cleaning, compensating for her father's rages and her mother's benign neglect, and loving Jubie unconditionally. Bright and curious, Jubie takes note of the anti-integration signs they pass, and of the racial tension that builds as they journey further south. But she could never have predicted the shocking turn their trip will take. Now, in the wake of tragedy, Jubie must confront her parents' failings and limitations, decide where her own convictions lie, and make the tumultuous leap to independence . . . Infused with the intensity of a changing time, here is a story of hope, heartbreak, and the love and courage that can transform us--from child to adult, from wounded to indomitable.Mayhew keeps the story taut, thoughtful and complex, elevating it from the throng of coming-of-age books. --Publishers Weekly
Beautifully written, with complex characters, an urgent plot, and an ending so shocking and real it had me in tears. --Eleanor Brown, New York Times bestselling author of The Weird Sisters
A must-read for fans of The Help. --Woman's World
Anna Jean Mayhew, a native of Charlotte, North Carolina, has never lived outside the state, although she often travels to Europe with her Swiss-born husband. Much of her work reflects her vivid memories of growing up in the segregated South. She has been both production editor of a major medical journal and editor of a science fiction fan magazine. In earlier careers, she ran a court reporting agency and worked in opera management. She has been a member of the same writing group since 1987 and now leads two groups herself. She is a writer-in-residence at the Weymouth Center for the Arts & Humanities and a former member of the board of trustees of the North Carolina Writers' Network. Her credits include a book of trivia about South Carolina, a guide for medical writing, and a story in Writers of the Future, Volume I. The Dry Grass of August is her first novel.
| SKU | Unavailable |
| ISBN 13 | 9780758254092 |
| ISBN 10 | 0758254091 |
| Title | The Dry Grass of August |
| Author | Anna Jean Mayhew |
| Condition | Unavailable |
| Binding Type | Paperback |
| Publisher | Kensington Publishing |
| Year published | 2011-04-01 |
| Number of pages | 352 |
| Prizes | Commended for Pat Conroy Southern Book Prize (Fiction) 2012 |
| Cover note | Book picture is for illustrative purposes only, actual binding, cover or edition may vary. |
| Note | Unavailable |