Ashers generosity is influenced in part by the immense guilt that remains from. Clays quilt, a parchment of leaves, the coal tattoo, eli the good, and same sun here, and somethings rising. The book explores the collision of gay rights and fundamentalist. In 1917 rural kentucky, saul sullivan marries a beautiful cherokee woman named vine. In silas houses southernmost, pastor grapples with. White award, the nautilus award, the appalachian book of the year, the hobson medal for literature, and other honors. But in his latest book, southernmost, house plunges readers into the life of asher sharp at the very moment it cracks open. He is a frequent contributor to the new york times and a former commentator for nprs all things considered. Novelist, activist, and educator silas house discusses his book to be released later this year that focuses on parenthood, his work as. Yet this generous act is met with derision from the town, leading asher to question his life choices in this heartbreaking but lovely meditation on love and fear in all its permutations. In silas house s moving new novel, a pastor wrestles with a crisis not just of faith, but of all the apparent certainties of his life. Silas dwane house born august 7, 1971 is an american writer best known for his novels. The story begins as asher, a pentecostal pastor, contends with a devastating flood. Silas house will discuss his book southernmost at union ave.
Southernmost opens with a devastating flood in cumberland valley, tennessee. House graduated from eastern kentucky university with a ba in english, specializing in american literature. The first four novels of kentucky author silas house follow that pattern. Kentucky author silas house reads from his new novel, southernmost. Silas house has 26 books on goodreads with 47623 ratings. House is the author of the bestselling books clays quilt, a parchment of leaves, the coal tattoo, somethings rising, eli the good, and same sun here. Im a longtime fan of silas house, and this book stands out to me. Jennifer haigh, author of heat and light in this stunning novel about judgment, courage, heartbreak, and change, author silas house wrestles with the limits of belief and the infinite ways to love. Silas houses most recent book is southernmost, a literary pageturner about an evangelical pastor who kidnaps his own son after standing up against intolerance in a small rural community southernmost is a meditation on love and its consequences in a quickly changing america. His latest book is southernmost june 2018, which has been long listed for the carnegie medal for excellence in fiction and was a top ten southern bestseller. Clays quilt, a parchment of leaves, the coal tattoo, eli the good, and same sun here. Silas house books list of books by author silas house. Silas house biography silas house is the author of five novels, including a parchment of leaves. The themes of social change and parentandchild bonds are at the center of houses new novel, southernmost, which will be released in june.
The book tells the story of evangelical minister in a small tennessee town who loses his job, his wife, and custody of his son after giving a sermon defending the rights of gay people. New york city, ny march 10 oak ridge high school common readeli the good march 12. A frequent contributor to the new york times and a former commentator for nprs all things considered, house is a member of the fellowship of southern writers and is the winner of the nautilus award, the appalachian writers associations book of. In southernmost, novelist silas house tells the story of asher sharp, a young preacher living in rural east tennessee with his wife, lydia, and their adolescent son, justin. Silas houses new book southernmost tells the story of asher sharp an evangelical preacher who sees.
In silas houses moving new novel, a pastor wrestles with a crisis not just of faith, but of all the apparent certainties of his life. Kentucky writer silas house on southernmost, sexuality and his faith journey. Silas house is the nationally bestselling author of five novels, three plays, and a work of creative nonfiction. Southernmost is a novel for our time, a courageous and necessary book. There are characters and points of view to which he, and his readers, are more sympathetic. Silas house is the author of five novels, including the new york times bestseller a parchment of leaves. Preceding contributors involve jesmyn ward, lauren groff, bret easton ellis, celeste ng, t. Silas house is the author of five novels, including a parchment of leaves. In silas houses sixth novel, a tennessee preachers family life falls apart when he accepts a gay couple into his church. Of faith and floods silas houses new novel takes on universal themes by kim thomas entucky author silas house first learned that language has power while sitting on the porch with my parents and aunts and uncles, hearing them tell stories that brought the past. Silas house is the nationally bestselling author of five novelsclays.
A frequent contributor to the new york times and a former commentator for nprs all things considered, house is a member of the fellowship of southern writers and is the winner of the nautilus award, the appalachian writers associations book. He has written a play, the hurting part, and is debuting another this year. The novel opens in the wake of a catastrophic flood that all but destroys a small tennessee town, as seen. On capturing the rural south and loving in a fraught political climate. House is a member of the fellowship of southern writers and is the winner of the e. Boyle, dana spiotta, amy bloom, aimee bender, heidi julavits. But in his latest book, southernmost, house plunges readers into the life. Whether working, playing, laughing, praying, driving, crying, singing, fighting, dancing, hollering, or loving, these people do it passionately and with every fiber of their beings. Pandora january 27, noon common readsame sun here foley middle school berea, kentucky february 26 appalachian voices event with robert kennedy, jr. A novel for our time, a courageous and necessary book. Silas house discusses his new novel southernmost intro by. He is the winner of the storylines prize from the new york public library, the appalachian book of the year, the.
That is one of the many reasons southernmost is a novel for our moment. Silas house is the nationally bestselling author of five novelsclays quilt, 2001. This is a novel of painful, finally revelatory awakening, of fierce love. Could it be divine punishment for the supreme courts legalization of gay marriage. Silas house s new novel takes on universal themes by kim thomas k entucky author silas house first learned that language has power while sitting on the porch with my parents and aunts and uncles, hearing them tell stories that brought the past alive. Faith, gay rights collide in silas house novel southernmost. Among the book s honors are the weatherford award in appalachian literature and a longlisting for the carnegie. Vaswani 2012as well as a book of creative nonfictionsomethings. Houses writing often appears in the new york times.
He is a frequent contributor to the new york times and a former commentator for nprs all. Southernmost by silas house reading guidebook club. Best food writing, 2015 and new stories from the south, the years best. Kentucky author silas house and his new novel southernmost. See all books authored by silas house, including clays quilt, and a parchment of leaves, and more on. We personally assess every book s quality and offer rare, outofprint treasures.
Houses fiction is known for its attention to the natural world, working class characters, and the plight of the rural place and rural people. This is a novel of painful, finally revelatory awakening, of fierce love and necessary disaster, of the bravery required to. Author silas house blogs about writing, the writing life, books, movies, nature, religion, politics, and other things that generally concern conscious people. Years ago, asher rejected his gay brother, and now the country is in fierce debate over marriage equality. Letitia montgomeryrodgers interviews silas house, author of southernmost we see it playing out politically in the way trumps rural base is ridiculed as deplorable by the coastal elites, and the usvsthem scare tactics used by the national rifle association to. His writing has been published multiple times in the new york times as well as in publications such as newsday, narrative, oxford american, paste, and many others.
Critically acclaimed author silas houses a parchment of leaves was named kentucky novel of the year and won a special achievement award from the fellowship of southern writers. In silas houses moving new novel, a pastor wrestles with a crisis not just of faith. Enter the world of silas houses southernmost with an open mind and a clear slate. Silas houses characters are as real to me as my own family. His novel southernmost will be published in june 2018. Kentucky author silas house reads from his new novel youtube. Columbus dispatch in silas houses moving new novel, a pastor wrestles with a crisis not just of faith, but of all the apparent certainties of his life.
After a violent flood tears through their town, asher provides shelter for a gay couple despite the religious conservatism of the area. This is a novel of fierce love and necessary disaster, of the bravery required to escape the prison of our days, to. A road novel that mixes warmth, empathy, tragedy, and hope. Clays quilt is a powerful novel lovingly and masterfully pieced from the lives of the residents of free creek, kentucky. Letitia montgomeryrodgers interviews silas house, author. In silas houses latest novel, southernmost, asher, an evangelical preacher in a small tennessee town, offers shelter to a gay couple after their home is destroyed in a flood. Armed with this phrase, we say our goodbyes, and, after a brief lunch at noodle nirvana where i tried houses recommended offthemenu special, i departed for lexington.
In silas houses southernmost, a pastor grapples with the evolution of his beliefs. To read more about silas house and his work, check out his website. Jennifer haigh, author of heat and light this contemporary spiritual journey is also a love story and a classic road novela chasefilled with unrelenting suspense all. At a time when generosity seems in short supply and everyone can. Born in 1971, silas house, a musician as well as writer, is from eastern kentucky and still lives and works in his hometown of lily, kentucky. House s silas house is the nationally bestselling author of five novelsclays quilt, 2001. In the end, it is houses generosity that anchors southernmost. His work in nonfiction has centered on eradicating the savage, crippling practice of mountaintop removal mining, which.
This is a novel of painful, finally revelatory awakening, of fierce love and necessary disaster, of the bravery required to escape the prison of our days, to make a better and more worthy life. Silas houses playlist for his novel southernmost in the book notes series, authors produce and talk about a music playlist that relates in some way to their lately published book. Author silas house on faith and new novel southernmost. His latest book is southernmost june 2018, which has. The hurting part 2005, this is my heart for you 2012, and in. Silas house is the new york times bestselling author of six novels and one book of creative nonfiction. Kentuckybased national bestselling author silas house has a new novel about to hit bookstores. He is also a music journalist, environmental activist, and columnist. Silas house, a man born and raised in the hills of eastern kentucky, is the author of three novels, including the muchballyhooed clays quilt. Silas houses new novel southernmost follows asher sharp, an evangelical preacher in tennessee struggling with his fundamentalist beliefs. Houses next book, the coal tattoo 2004, was a finalist for the southern book critics circle prize as well as winning the appalachian writers association. Novelist, activist, and educator silas house discusses his book to be released later this year that focuses on parenthood, his work as an advocate for environmental and gender equity causes, and. They weather the storm of prejudice, but when saul temporarily moves away to work a better job, his younger brother makes advances.