Daniel Woodrell, the novelist (West Plains, Ozark: home, live in, shop)

[cyrano]

Anybody here read any of his novels? He lives in West Plains and the last time I saw him, he looked more than a little scruffy-- but he's got serious writer cred, including a bunch of awards that came after his MFA from the Iowa Writers Workshop (like Raymond Carver, Flannery O'Connor, John Irving, and James Crumley). Despite all that high-falutin stuff, he's a great read. All of his later work is set in the Missouri Ozarks, so if you know the area, it should sound like home-- both the good and the bad of that.

His most current novel, Winter's Bone, has been out in paperback for several months. Anyway, here's his Wikipedia entry. Pleasse chime in if you've read his stuff...and your assignment, if you haven't yet, is to go do it, then have your 500-word book report on my virtual desk by, say, March 1.

But you notice I didn't say which year.

[mamagator54]

I haven't read his work. I will check it out though. And the book report................. we'll wait and see....

[aragx6]

Sounds interesting. I will have to give that a look. I love books that are set in an area I know and love. There was a book some years back called Enemy Women that took place in much of Missouri during the Civil War... I can't remember the writer's name.... I refuse to look it up... It will come to me...

... still thinking ...

ooh! Paulette Jiles was her name. I impressed myself with that one!

[Nu2pomona]

Originally Posted by cyrano

His most current novel, Winter's Bone, has been out in paperback for several months. Anyway, here's his Wikipedia entry. Pleasse chime in if you've read his stuff...and your assignment, if you haven't yet, is to go do it, then have your 500-word book report on my virtual desk by, say, March 1.

But you notice I didn't say which year.

Winter's Bone has been adapted for film and is currently in post-production with a scheduled 2010 release date. It was filmed in Forsyth, Missouri and stars Jennifer Lawrence as Ree.

Can we watch the movie and then write the book report?

[HDM]

Tried to read him when I found out that he lived in my home town but was unimpressed. "Serious writer cred" generally seems to carry about as much weight as a recommendation by a movie critic.

[joetownmom]

Looked a little scruffy? And you think what - he should dress in black tie and tails everyday?

There are many writers from Misouri and most are just down home folks, not fancy.

Here's a link to a Wikipedia about a writer in my area:

Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Nu2pomona]

One of my favorite Missouri writers is Mitch Jayne. He and his wife live in Emminence. "Fiddler's Ghost" received the Gold Medal Award for the Best Mid-west Regional Fiction from the Independent Publishers Association. And I love the tales he shares in "Home Grown Stories and Home Fried Lies."