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Outstanding Books by North Carolina Authors

As featured in "Fiction Catalog"

By Helen Snow, North Carolina Librarian

Many librarians use a reference book called "Fiction Catalog" when asked to recommend a good book. Librarians from all over the country choose outstanding novels and short story collections for this bibliography, including light fiction as well as the classics. The 13^th edition was published in 1996, and it has been updated by annual supplements. The books are arranged by author, and each has a brief annotation to help you decide if you want to read the book.

The following outstanding North Carolina authors are included in "Fiction Catalog". Discover a new author today! You can check the "Fiction Catalog" (Reference 016.8083 W74) at the Central Library to read more about their books—or go straight to the fiction shelves to select your books.

"Fiction Catalog" and its supplements list numerous titles by each author listed unless otherwise indicated.

Betts, Doris.

"The Sharp Teeth of Love", Betts’ newest novel, is listed in the 1997 supplement to "Fiction Catalog". It tells the tale of a young woman who travels west from North Carolina with her fiance, and encounters the ghost of a member of the ill-fated Donner party. Doris Betts is a favorite N.C. author. Her older books, although not listed in "Fiction Catalog", are also well worth reading; "Heading West", about a librarian who’s kidnapped and ends up trying to elude her captor in the Grand Canyon, has long been a favorite.

Braun, Lilian Jackson.

Braun’s "The Cat Who…" mysteries focus on the wealthy Jim Qwilleran, a retired newspaperman living in a far northern "Moose County." He solves mysteries with the aid of his Siamese cats. The cats act like real ones—no talking animals here—but have extraordinary ways of leading Qwilleran to the solution of every crime!

Card, Orson Scott.

This Greensboro resident, winner of the Hugo and Nebula awards, is one of the country’s outstanding science fiction writers. If you absolutely are not a fan of science fiction, you’ll want to try some of his more recent titles; he’s branched out into other types of fiction.

Cornwell, Patricia.

This famous mystery writer spent much of her youth in North Carolina. She is noted for her character Kay Scarpetta, chief medical examiner of Virginia, and for her true-to-life descriptions of autopsies. Cornwell knows what she’s talking about, since she used to work in a morgue! Mention of a new Cornwell novel around a group of mystery lovers is like shouting "surf’s up!" on a Hawaiian beach; there just can’t be enough of her books for her fans.

Edgerton, Clyde.

Edgerton’s light, humorous novels, usually set in North Carolina, are really fun to read! "Walking Across Egypt" and its sequel, "Killer Diller", tell about elderly Mattie Rigsbee and Wesley Benfield, a 24-year-old who needs a grandmother’s love. Mattie is a character one won’t forget! My favorite Edgerton novel is his first, "Raney", an opinion which many people share; I’m disappointed that it wasn’t included in "Fiction Catalog", but probably few people outside our state knew about Edgerton when it came out. Newer fiction by Edgerton is listed in the "Fiction Catalog" supplements. Edgerton is known throughout the state, not only as a writer but as a musician whose band is always entertaining!

Frazier, Charles.

Frazier’s "Cold Mountain", his first novel, became a bestseller as well as a critical success. It is known for its detailed description of life in the N.C. mountains at the end of the Civil War and for its characterizations.

Gibbons, Kaye.

Gibbons writes short, accessible novels set in North Carolina. "Fiction Catalog"’s listings include "Charms for the Easy Life", about three generations of Southern women, "Ellen Foster", about an abused child, and "A Virtuous Woman", a love story. She’s a favorite of many Greensboro readers.

Godwin, Gail.

Godwin writes serious, thoughtful books, known for their well-drawn characters and often set in North Carolina.

Gurganus, Allan.

Gurganus has settled in my home town of Hillsborough, near Chapel Hill. He became famous with his "The Oldest Living Confederate Widow Tells All", the story of ninety-nine-year-old Lucille Marsden, who, as a young girl, married a much older man, a survivor of the Civil War. This book is very long— but well worth your time! Lucille makes a delightful narrator. A collection of short stories, "White People", is also included in "Fiction Catalog".

Henry, O.

This world-famous short story writer of the late 19^th and early 20^th centuries grew up in Greensboro! We are justly proud of him, and, of course, "Fiction Catalog" could not be complete without listing some collections of his work. In case you’re scratching your head, trying to think of his real name, it’s William Sydney Porter.

Hyman, Mac.

"No Time for Sergeants" is Hyman’s claim to fame. This story about Georgia native Will Stockdale’s Air Force career was made into a play and a movie, bringing our favorite son Andy Griffith to national attention in the role of Stockdale!

Karon, Jan.

Karon’s "Out to Canaan "shows up in the 1997 supplement. This is part of a series of novels: "At Home in Mitford, A Light in the Window, These High, Green Hills," and "Out to Canaan". "Mitford," based on Blowing Rock, is the small town everyone would like to live in, filled with loving, caring people. Father Tim, the Episcopal rector, is always finding new ways to help those around him. Late in life, he meets his new next-door neighbor, and soon they’ve worn a path between their houses. Their marriage and Father Tim’s retirement continue the story line. There is always a long waiting list for a new Karon book! While each book in the series is understandable when read alone, you’ll enjoy them much more if you read the series in order.

McCorkle, Jill.

McCorkle’s novels include "Crash Diet" (a short story collection), "Ferris Beach", and "Tending to Virginia". "Ferris Beach "describes growing up in the South during the 1960’s and ‘70’s from the standpoint of a teenaged girl, and "Tending to Virginia" has strong characterizations, describing a family gathering to "tend to" a pregnant woman.

McCrumb, Sharyn.

Sharyn McCrumb writes about the area where Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina meet. If you enjoy mountain folklore, these are the novels for you, as McCrumb often incorporates it into her mystery stories. "The Ballad of Frankie Silver", based on a real murder case, is one of her newer books.

McCullers, Carson.

Carson McCullers is not often thought of as a North Carolina author, but I’m including her because she has a connection with our state—and because she is a writer of such high distinction. Her books include the well-known "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" and "The Member of the Wedding."

McKenna, Richard.

McKenna wrote only one well-known book, "The Sand Pebbles", before his untimely death. When I worked at the UNC-CH Library during my library school days, his widow was a colleague of mine. The novel is set in the days of the Chinese rebellion in the 1920’s. The main character, Jake Holman, is a machinist on a U.S. gunboat—a natural for McKenna, who was a Navy veteran.

Maron, Margaret.

Maron’s mysteries feature Judge Deborah Knott, who grew up in rural North Carolina. Whether she’s at home (where I like her best) or serving in other parts of the state, you’ll enjoy the company of this unromanticized heroine, the North Carolina settings, and, of course, her solving of the crimes.

Patton, Frances Gray.

"Good Morning, Miss Dove" is the story of a beloved geography teacher. I enjoyed it when I was a teenager!

Pearson, T. R.

In Pearson’s "A Short History of a Small Place", the small place, "Neely, N.C.," is Reidsville. His descriptions of small-town life are delightfully humorous! His "Cry Me a River" is about the murder of a police officer in a small Southern town.

Price, Reynolds.

Reynolds Price taught me when I was a freshman at Duke. He’s known for his delightful readings as well as for his writings, and he’s become one of America’s outstanding writers, known for his novels, short stories, autobiographical works, religious writings, plays, poetry, and essays. Don’t be frightened by his literary stature—his books are readable and humorous—and often describe the places and people whom we know! Price’s newest novel is "Roxanna Slade". "Kate Vaiden," an earlier novel, won the National Book Critic’s Circle Award, and his first novel, "A Long and Happy Life", has never been out of print since its publication in 1962.

Ruark, Robert.

Ruark’s "Something of Value" and "Uhuru", both set in Africa, are older novels still worth reading.

Sandburg, Carl.

We all are familiar with Sandburg, but we may forget that his later years were spent in the N.C. mountains at Flat Rock and that he wrote, along with all of that wonderful poetry, a novel, "Remembrance Rock", which follows America’s history from 1607 to 1945.

Smith, Betty.

Betty Smith, who settled in Chapel Hill in her later years, is listed for her classic "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn", for "Maggie-Now", and for "Joy in the Morning". I remember going on a tour of authors’ homes when in my early teens and, at her house, getting a card showing the tree in Brooklyn and bearing her autograph! I also remember attending the world premiere of the movie version of "Joy in the Morning" in Chapel Hill. While the titles of all of her books are still familiar, it’s "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" which is best-known as a "must read."

Smith, Lee.

Lee Smith has become famous for her novels about life in the mountains and is a favorite author of many people! If you mention North Carolina writers, someone will always say, "I like Lee Smith’s books"!

Sparks, Nicholas.

Sparks became known with "The Notebook", set in the New Bern area, which became a bestseller. This love story was followed by another, "Message in a Bottle, "which was made into a Kevin Costner movie. He’s still writing; "Fiction Catalog" hasn’t caught up with his latest romance, "A Walk to Remember," set in Beaufort.

Styron, William.

Styron, a Duke graduate, has been included on "best of the century" lists for his well-known "Sophie’s Choice", which later became a movie starring Meryl Streep. I remember when "The Confessions of Nat Turner" was the title on everyone’s lips, too!

Taylor, Peter.

Taylor taught at UNC-G; his "A Summons to Memphis" is about a domineering father’s impact on his family.

Tyler, Anne.

I’m sure that Maryland claims Anne Tyler, since she has spent almost all of her adult life there, but her teens and college years (at Duke) were spent in North Carolina. I remember her as a younger-than-most freshman sitting beside me in Reynolds Price’s English class, shyly asking what I chose as the subject for my first theme in the class and then saying, "That sounds so good! I’m not satisfied with mine." I thought, "That girl will never pass this course," and was later amazed to see her name in the Duke literary magazine! By now, she has won the Pulitzer Prize and the National Book Critics’ Circle Award. She focuses on quirky characters, delightfully described, and on family relationships in endearing dysfunctional families.

Wolfe, Thomas.

For many people, the name "Thomas Wolfe" is a synonym for North Carolina literature. Nine of his books (some are collections of short works) are listed, but "Look Homeward, Angel", his novel about growing up in Asheville, is probably his best-known work.