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sally_sausages

sally_sausages

New Member
Hi, I joined the forum a few days ago, but hadn't spotted this thread!!

I am currently reading Elizabeth Berg's "Until the Real thing comes along". She is one of my favourite writers at the moment. I love contemporary American women writers who tend to write about "small town" characters....such as Berg and Alice Hoffman. I also love the Adriana Trigiani "Big Stone Gap" trilogy.

I also enjoy womens writing from the American South, and African American women writers - Alice Walker, Maya Angelou, Toni Morrison, Gloria Naylor...

I am a massive fan of Armistead Maupin and his Tales of the City, and thought his post-Tales novels were fantastic too - especially "The Night Listener"

In terms of British Lit - I enjoy Ian McEwan and Patrick Gale a lot.

I'm sure I'm missing tons of authors out here!!

Away from the bookshelf I spend my working days (and nights!) as a project worker for a housing association for young homeless/vulnerable adults in Wiltshire.

My other interests are making jewellery, live music, festivals, The Fresh handmade cosmetic company LUSH, cats and being with ym fantastic friends....

looking forward to getting to know people better!!!
 
Hi there Sally, and welcome to the forum.

Does your interest only lay with American women writers, or are you a fan of other female writers around the world? I ask because I am quite partial to Arundhati Roy, the Indian writer who released The God of Small Things. If you are wanting to deviate from the small town in America to a small community in India, then this book may appeal to you.

An, on a non book note, who the best live act you saw in 2003?

Mxx
 
Thanks for the welcomes Murhpyz and Blade - much appreciated! :D

I have "deviated" from the small town American writing on occasion, but ALWAYS find myself drawn back to it!! I would love to read more by women from other cultures and should make it my new years resolution to do so!

My 78 year old Grandmother and I often share and swap books (she has a very liberated and tolerant attitude for someone of her age...!!) and she often recommends many of the chinese/japanese women writers she enjoys. I've never really been able to "get into" them though. She spent sometime when she was younger in Singapore, so maybe she can appreciate the culture depicted in the books a bit more?

I don't know why I enjoy the small town American theme so much, it's reflected in my other tastes as well - I love Twin Peaks and Northern Exposure (I know, I know that's Alaska, but hey!)

I think I have a copy of "The God of Small things" sitting gathering dust on a shelf somewhere - In fact I think I may have stolen it from the library at the school i taught in for a few years!! woops. I shall look for it, and if not I have a trip to the library planned on my next morning off (Friday methinks) and so may get it out then - cheers for the suggestion!

As for best act of 2003.....Well, I love to watch lots of "small town" (what IS IT WITH ME?!?!?!? LOL) local alternative bands - many of whom are friends - I like to support them. But several acts at last year's Reading festival gave quality performances - Grandaddy, Evan Dando, Billy Bragg...

I also some Biffy Clyro at Oxford which was excellent.

Not music but Mark Thomas at Reading was great too - got me all revved up and ready to start the revolution!!!
 
Hello and Welcome!

Have you read any Lee Smith, Bobbie Ann Mason, or Ann Beattie?
They would all fit your theme. The last two are on my to-be-read list but come highly recommended, and Lee Smith has a truly authentic Southern voice and is someone I'll be reading more of in the future. You also might enjoy Mary Gaitskill (who was one of my college professors) - she writes more often of big city than small town but her characters are interesting women.
 
You're all so welcoming - thanks!

Ashlea - the only author, of the ones you mentioned, who I have read is Bobbie Ann Mason. I had to read "In Country" for a module of my degree course "Women writers and the American South" ( ha! - that's to blame!)

"In Country" was just fantastic - it's been a long time now since I read it but aspects of it are still clear in my memory, such as the point when the young female protagonist (whose name escapes me) attempts to emulate her brother's existence in Vietnam by spending an entire night out by a swamp....very vivid.

If you were to read some Mason, I'd highly recommend it. I've heard good things about "Feather Crowns" as well (I think that's the title?!?)

I will check out the other authors you've mentioned - especially Lee Smith! Cheers!
 
I have Feather Crowns but haven't read it yet. Reading Ann
Beattie now - Park City, collection of short stories. Very good.
 
Ha ha!

Well, there is no explanation really! My other half has called me "Sausages" for as long as I've known him...and now all my friends and a large sum of my family call me it too!

The irony of it being - I'm a vegetarian of some 14 years!!!
 
I imagine it's to do with the whole "S" thing....that he thought (in his infinite wisdom obviously :p) that Sally and Sausage sounded good together....

We recently moved (back to his old town) so all the friends we have here have only ever known me as "sausage" or "sausages" - it's a bit daft really, but it's just who I am now! An inherent part of my identity!! LOL

Can be quite disconcerting though when wandering innocently through town and I hear a loud "SAUSAGE" from behind and someone running towards me!!!
 
When I first saw your username I thought it said "Silly_sausage" which is quite a common phrase in NE England...which is where I thought the basis for your name came from :)

Mxx
 
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