SWEETSMOKE

By 1862, a slave named Cassius has worked his entire life for the white plantation owner of Sweetsmoke.  Because of his experience as a carpenter and his unusual relationship with Hoke Howard, his master, he is able to obtain small favors unattainable by the other slaves on the plantation.  When his friend, Emoline, a free black woman, is murdered, he feels compelled to find the murderer, despite resistance from the white community, his master, and even other slaves on the plantation.  Because Emoline was black, no one else seems interested in solving the crime.  

The author has uniquely described the degradation and horror of slavery as it existed in the 19th century.  He has captured its indignity, the sharp contrast between the white and black population, and the humility of slavery as an accepted way of life. 

The novel is well written with excellent descriptions of the slave-versus-master conditions that existed at the outbreak of the American Civil War.  Cassius is a strong, principled black man who feels the wrongs and injustices but is impotent to change his status.  His quest for determining his friend’s killer, while he himself is held in bondage, had me enthusiastically turning the pages to find out how or if he would discover the murderer’s identity.  This is a very convincing novel about the trials and tribulations of plantation life.  I highly recommend it to those who enjoy a good mystery and who want to learn more about the treatment of blacks in the South during this tumultuous time in American history.  

Jeff Westerhoff, Historical Novels review

Sweetsmoke
By David Fuller
Hyperion, 320 pp., $24.95

— Dennis Moore

David Fuller Author Talk a Great Success
********************************************
Last night, almost a hundred students, parents and staff members came out for an Author Talk event by David Fuller: author of the recent novel “Sweetsmoke.” A huge thank you goes out to 8th Grade English teacher Susan Stivers and the eleven students who read the novel as part of Ms Stiver’s bookclub this year. Last night’s event included a reading by the author and an extremely engaging question and answer session between the author and the audience. David Fuller is a Lincoln parent and especially impressive were the caliber of questions (as well as the sheer number of them) being asked by our students, those from the original book club as well as from student attendees who hadn’t read the book. The event was both enjoyable and extremely engaging. In the past two years we have been able to host several author talks and we are hopeful that we can do so in the coming school year…

Patti Abbott requested that I write a book review of an ignored or forgotten book that I believed needed to be resurrected.  Below is the review, as well as a link to her site. 

War Music

By Christopher Logue

An Account of Books 1-4 and 16-19 of Homer’s Iliad

I set before you a translation.  No, not a translation – the author does not read Greek – an account, of Homer’s Iliad.  How tame that sounds.  How shall I convey to you the roaring language, the rousing intensity, the sudden, vivid visuals?  Among extraordinary versions of The Iliad, Christopher Logue’s is my favorite; it is alive, lively, and athrob in my hands. 

I was first introduced to Mr. Logue’s work as I read Guy Davenport’s The Geography of the Imagination.  In the essay “Another Odyssey”, Davenport compared Homer translators, mostly of The Odyssey, but in a quick detour to Mr. Logue’s Iliad, Mr. Davenport sang his praises and included an example of his power.   

Mr. Logue immediately caught my attention in his introduction to the text, as he quoted a translator’s inspired bit of profanity:  “—Chapman had tried to abort the charge that his translation was based on a French crib by calling his judges “envious Windfuckers.”  Logue continued on, discussing the response to the first portion of his published account:  “After Patrocleia was published I began to get critical support not only from those connected with the composition and publication of verse but from those whom we may choose to count among the hopelessly insane:  the hard core of Unprofessional Ancient Greek Readers, Homer’s lay fans.” 

I count myself among the hopelessly insane.  I am a particular fan of Robert Fitzgerald’s translation, and I quite enjoyed Robert Fagles’ more recent version as well.  I quoted from Alexander Pope’s translation in my novel Sweetsmoke, which takes place in 1862.  As a writer I have been decidedly influenced by Mr. Logue — in Sweetsmoke, I named a character after him. 

To give you a feel for Mr. Logue’s language, I must share.  I have limited myself to the moments when Gods unexpectedly appear.  Even now, knowing the work as I do, I still encounter moments that elicit delighted gasps of appreciation.  I catch myself staring off, holding the book aside as his words settle in my brain. 

Early in the narrative, Apollo has brought plague to the Greeks as a recently captured female slave was the daughter of one of Apollo’s priests.  Agamemnon, forced to return this slave to save his men, insists she be replaced with another female slave, this one belonging to Achilles.  Enraged, Achilles leaps 15 yards to push push-push push, push Agamemnon’s chest with his fingertips, then grabs the mace from the king’s hands, and as he is about to strike a death blow, Mr. Logue writes:

            But we stay calm,

For we have seen Athena’s radiant hand

Collar Achilles’ plait,

Then as a child its favourite doll

Draw his head back towards her lips

To say:

“You know my voice?

You know my power?

“Be still.

Sudden swift violence, as God grabs man by the hair and wrenches back his head, stopping time.  Gary Wills, in his introduction to War Music, compares Mr. Logue’s version of this moment to Chapman and Pope: “those great poets, make Athena’s intervention in Book 1 a symbolic checking of Achilles’ passion with the voice of reason.  But Athena grabs him by the hair and jerks him around.  It is as if his father’s ghost tackled Hamlet as he railed against Gertrude.  Only Logue catches the weird interplay of god and human at that point.”

Later on, Greeks and Trojans agree to end the war, its outcome to be determined by a one-on-one battle between Menelaus and Paris.  Menelaus quickly gets the upper hand. and it is at that moment Aphrodite steps in. 

Menelaus shatters his sword on Lord Paris’ mask:

            No problem!

A hundred of us pitch our swords to him…

Yet even as they flew, their blades

Changed into wings, their pommels into heads,

Their hilts to feathered chests, and what were swords

Were turned to doves, a swirl of doves,

And waltzing out of it, in oyster silk,

Running her tongue around her strawberry lips

While repositioning a spaghetti shoulder-strap,

The Queen of Love, Our Lady Aphrodite,

Touching the massive Greek aside with one

Pink fingertip, and with her other hand

Lifting Lord Paris up, big as he was,

In his bronze bodice heavy as he was,

Lacing his fingers with her own, then leading him,

Hidden in wings, away.

What power in that one pink fingertip!  This is no gentle Goddess of Love.  A 2006 article about Mr. Logue by Liz Hoggard in The Observer refers to his modern references as “cheerfully anachronistic.”  For some, those references may take a bit of getting used to, but Gary Wills makes a case that the spaghetti shoulder-strap is true to Homer.    

And now to Logue’s treatment of Apollo’s sudden rage against Patroclus.  You may recall, as the Trojans pressed the Greeks back and began to burn their ships, that Patroclus, friend and lover of Achilles, begged to disguise himself in Achilles’ armor to bring hope to the Greeks and push the Trojans back.  Achilles reluctantly agreed, but warned Patroclus to do only that; he should not to try to take Troy.  But deep in the heart of battle, successful Patroclus heeded not the words of his dear Achilles.  His bloodlust was up and he pressed on and on, at first amusing Apollo, who flicked him back three times, then four. 

Patroclus fought light dreaming:

His head thrown back, his mouth – wide as a shrieking mask –

Sucked at the air to nourish his infuriated mind

And seemed to draw the Trojans onto him,

To lock them round his waist, red water, washed against his chest,

To lay their tired necks against his sword like birds.

–Is it a god?  Divine?  Needing no tenderness?—

Yet instantly they touch, he butts them,

Cuts them back:

–Kill them!

My sweet Patroclus,

–Kill them!

As many as you can,

            For

Coming behind you through the dust you felt

–What was it? –felt Creation part, and then

APOLLO!

Who had been patient with you

Struck.

The power bursts through the page, head thrown back, shrieking mask, sucked at the air to nourish his infuriated mind.  The Trojans cannot resist him but are no match for him, with their tired bird necks aching for the blade.  When Creation parts, that APOLLO! covers two full pages.  You have been waiting for it, sensing it, and when it comes, Mr. Logue does not disappoint, Apollo who had been patient with you.  Struck.  From there, the death of Patroclus concludes brilliantly, and I could (and do) go on and on, wishing to share Mr. Logue with you over a glass of dark red wine, enthusiastically reading and exploring more favorite passages…

And so I urge you to rediscover the genius of Homer through the prism of Mr. Logue, and I envy you your first time.    

*   *   *

David Fuller’s first novel, Sweetsmoke, is about a slave in Civil War Virginia who seeks vengeance against the murderer of a woman who once saved his life and taught him how to read.  It was preceded by eight years of research.  Sweetsmoke has been nominated for an Edgar award for Best First Novel by an American Author. 

http://pattinase.blogspot.com/

I was sent a package of the reviews of SWEETSMOKE yesterday by my wonderful editor, Leslie Wells.  Within the package was a review I had not seen.  It was from Historical Novels Review, and written by Jeff Westerhoff.  

I offer it to you now.  

SWEETSMOKE

By 1862, a slave named Cassius has worked his entire life for the white plantation owner of Sweetsmoke.  Because of his experience as a carpenter and his unusual relationship with Hoke Howard, his master, he is able to obtain small favors unattainable by the other slaves on the plantation.  When his friend, Emoline, a free black woman, is murdered, he feels compelled to find the murderer, despite resistance from the white community, his master, and even other slaves on the plantation.  Because Emoline was black, no one else seems interested in solving the crime.  

The author has uniquely described the degradation and horror of slavery as it existed in the 19th century.  He has captured its indignity, the sharp contrast between the white and black population, and the humility of slavery as an accepted way of life. 

The novel is well written with excellent descriptions of the slave-versus-master conditions that existed at the outbreak of the American Civil War.  Cassius is a strong, principled black man who feels the wrongs and injustices but is impotent to change his status.  His quest for determining his friend’s killer, while he himself is held in bondage, had me enthusiastically turning the pages to find out how or if he would discover the murderer’s identity.  This is a very convincing novel about the trials and tribulations of plantation life.  I highly recommend it to those who enjoy a good mystery and who want to learn more about the treatment of blacks in the South during this tumultuous time in American history.  

Jeff Westerhoff

I was incorrect yesterday.  Hachette Australia just published there, and the reviews, I hear, have been wonderful.  I have only seen one, but this inter-company bulletin from Hachette gives more information.

The reviews for David Fuller’s Sweetsmoke have all been outstanding, with the Sydney Morning Herald saying ‘This is a gripping novel of the American Civil War’ and the Gold Coast Bulletin calling it ‘a stunning debut novel’. Last weekend the Canberra Times added ‘It is meant as a compliment to say also that Sweetsmoke would make a terrific movie’.

I just received this wonderful email from Connie Goetz at Village Books, and I just had to share:

For those of you who love the staff reviews in the store, you may not know we have them available on our website.  Click here to find out what we are reading and loving.  For example,  Connie recently read Sweetsmoke by David Fuller which was just nominated for an Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best First Novel by An American Author.  Connie wrote:

I enjoy reading historical fiction. I find that a well-written book imparts not only historical information but the atmosphere and climate and attitudes and emotions of a period as well.  Sweetsmoke, the name of a tobacco plantation, and David Fuller’s debut novel, is a beautifully written and well-researched book that I highly recommend to anyone who loves to read.  Sweetsmoke is set during the Civil War and is the story of Cassius, a slave around 30 years old whose owner named him for a character from Shakespeare.  Cassius is an extraordinary human being in spite of all the horrors he has lived through and observed.  The book is not only historical, but is also a mystery and a love story.  Cassius, a skilled carpenter, risks everything to find out who murdered Emoline, a freed slave who had secretly taught him to read and who once saved his life.  His determination and honesty and perseverance and intelligence and loving heart and  bravery are amazing - he is a character you grow to know and respect.  I could not wait to get back to the page;  I needed to find out what happens next and I cared about Cassius a lot!  Your mind and your heart are fully engaged. This is a terrific read.

* Shades of Gray by Jessica James

* The King’s Daughter, by Sandra Worth

* Sweetsmoke by David Fuller

* Miles from Nowhere, by Nami Mun

* The Common Bond, by Donigan Merritt

* The Glimmer Palace, by Beatrice Colin

* A Thousand Veils by D.J. Murphy

* The Translator, by Daoud Hari

* Tears of the Desert: A Memoir of Survival in Darfur by Halima Bashir

* My Father’s Paradise, by Ariel Sabar

San Francisco Chronicle

Top shelf: Bookstore recommendations

Sunday, January 11, 2009

 Recommendations of recent books from the staffs of a rotating list of Bay Area independent bookstores. This week’s list is from Towne Center Books, 555 Main St., Pleasanton, (925) 846-8826, townecenterbooks.com.

FICTION

A Cure for Night, by Justin Peacock: This compelling first novel offers an authentic look at the criminal justice system.

Devil’s Brood, by Sharon Kay Penman: Penman brings history and humanity to life in this tumultuous story of Henry II and Eleanor of Aquitaine.

The Little Giant of Aberdeen County, by Tiffany Baker: An original twist on the subjects of secrets, betrayal and love, with lots of room for pondering the meaning of life.

Sarah’s Key, by Tatiana de Rosnay: A haunting and suspenseful novel set during the Paris occupation.

Sweetsmoke, by David Fuller: A mystery tucked inside a Civil War novel.

NONFICTION

The Invention of Air: A Story of Science, Faith, Revolution, and the Birth of America, by Steven Johnson: Interesting combination of history, science and religion in this book about Joseph Priestley, protege of Benjamin Franklin and friend of the founding fathers.

The Science of Leonardo: Inside the Mind of the Great Genius of the Renaissance, by Fritjof Capra: An examination of Leonardo’s existing notebooks; approaching science through the eyes of an artist.

Al’ America: Travels Through America’s Arab and Islamic Roots, by Jonathan Curiel. A lively and revealing look at the little-known influence of Arab and Islamic culture on America.

Jacques Pépin: More Fast Food My Way: I cooked a four-course New Year’s dinner out of this, and everything was beautiful and delicious - all in under one hour.

Ghost Mountain Boys, by James Campbell: Part biography, part extreme adventure and part war diary result in a compelling read about the World War II Battle for New Guinea.

This article appeared on page M - 4 of the San Francisco Chronicle

Sam Houston, on his blog “Book Chase”, has very generously included Sweetsmoke in his Top 10 of fiction, and Top 15 of the year.  Thank you, sir! 

I’ve taken a long look back at all the books I read this year and have come up with my 2008 Top 15, a list composed of five nonfiction titles and ten novels. 2008 has been an excellent reading year for me, one in which I’ve discovered lots of new authors and revisited some old favorites.

So starting with the five nonfiction titles, these are the books I most enjoyed reading in 2008:

Nonfiction Favorites

1. This Republic of Suffering - Drew Gilpin Faust - a detailed look at the psychological impact that the bloodbath known as the American Civil War had on Americans of the time and those of today

2. River of No Return - Jeffrey Buckner Ford - the surprisingly frank biography written by the oldest son of the man forever known as Tennessee Ernie Ford

3. In the Land of Invisible Women - Qanta Ahmed - a rare inside look at Saudi Arabian society and attitudes about the West written by a British female doctor with a foot in both worlds

4. Jimmie Rodgers - Nolan Porterfield - written in 1979 but probably still the definitive biography of Jimmie Rodgers, one of the most influential singers of all time

5. Sing Me Back Home - Dana Jennings - the history of country music from the very personal viewpoint of a man whose family lived the stuff of country music songs

Fiction Favorites

1. Resistance - Owen Sheers - an alternate history of World War II that sees a German invasion of Britain and what happens in an isolated section of Wales

2. Atonement - Ian McEwan - a terribly sad World War I misunderstanding recounted by a young English girl - with an ending that some love and some detest

3. Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen - a drama-filled account of circus life in a second rate circus during the Great Depression

4. Sweetsmoke - David Fuller - a remarkable slave, during the American Civil War, tries to identify the murderer of the freed black woman who secretly taught him to read and write

5. Wild Nights! - Joyce Carol Oates - wild stories about the last days of Poe, James, Hemingway, Twain and Dickenson - unforgettable images

6. The Wolfman - Nicholas Pekearo - a monster story in which this vigilante wolfman is actually the hero of the piece - by an author who was killed in the line of duty prior to the book’s publication

7. Finding Nouf - Zoe Ferraris - an intriguing murder mystery set in Saudi Arabia and investigated by a male/female investigative team that functions well despite all the Saudi restrictions on women

8. Sarah’s Key - Tatiana de Rosnay - a World War II story about the French roundup of Jews in Paris, a book whose first half is so good that its ending can be forgiven and forgotten

9. In Memory of Central Park: 1853-2022 - Queenelle Minet - a dark vision of what the world just might be like in 2050, a fantastic but believable look at New York City’s future

10. A Grave in Gaza - Matt Beynon Rees - a terrific atmospheric mystery set in Gaza and featuring middle-aged good guy and detective Omar Yussef - one of a series