Georgia… in books

As part of Read Yourself Happy’s America…In Books feature, here are some of the best books set in Georgia.

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Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt

I read this book during my junior year of high school when I was definitely too young to enjoy it. I don’t remember much about it, but I remember being intrigued, just not really getting it. I recently purchased a copy though, so I’ll be re-reading it soon. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil is a non-fiction account of a murder that happened in Savannah. I’m also a little biased towards books set in Savannah. I traveled there for a weekend back in my early twenties and it was a gorgeous city, even in the stifling heat.

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The Color Purple by Alice Walker

The Color Purple is easily the most famous book set in Georgia. This historical fiction is a classic and often read in schools. The story is centered around Celie, a black girl born in the American South before the Civil War.

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Rabbit: The Autobiography of Ms. Pat by Patricia Williams

For a non-fiction book set in Georgia, this autobiography of comedian Patricia Williams, aka “Rabbit,” would be a great pick. Williams grew up in a very troubled Atlanta neighborhood and watched as her mother committed crimes and got drunk. Williams doesn’t hold anything back as she tells her life’s story.

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Tobacco Road by Erskine Caldwell

This piece of classic Southern literature is set prior to and during the Great Depression and follows a family of poor sharecroppers. While I haven’t personally read this book (although I want to) I’ve heard that it’s a very difficult book to read, but worth it.

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Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I have a feeling that I don’t really need to say much about this well-known classic novel that the more-famous film is based on. “My dear, I don’t give a damn.”

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Deliverance by James Dickey

I watched the film Deliverance many years ago, and until doing the research for this article had no idea that it was based on a book. The story is set in the remote Georgia mountains and follows four men on what might be the worst canoe trip ever.

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What are your favorite books set in Georgia? Let me know in the comments!

 

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