“A Death in the Family” by James Agee takes place in Knoxville, Tennessee, in the early 1900s. The story follows a family coping with the unexpected death of Jay Follet, a husband and father.
The novel looks at how his wife, Mary, and their young son, Rufus, navigate their grief. Agee paints a vivid picture of life in a small Southern town and captures the emotional weight of loss through the eyes of each family member.
Catherine Marshall wrote “Christy,” a novel about a young woman who leaves her comfortable life to become a schoolteacher in the Appalachian Mountains of Tennessee in the early 20th century.
The novel “A Summons to Memphis” by Peter Taylor follows Phillip Carver, a middle-aged man who is called back to his hometown of Memphis by his two sisters. They want his help in preventing their father from remarrying.
The story explores family tensions and past wounds, revealing how their father’s decisions uprooted their lives when they were young. Set against the backdrop of Memphis, the book captures the impact of place and family on a person’s life.
Cormac McCarthy’s “Child of God” tells the story of Lester Ballard, a troubled man living in rural Tennessee. After being ostracized by the community and losing his home, he begins to spiral into a life of isolation and violence.
The novel explores his dark journey as he retreats into the woods and descends into deeply unsettling behavior. McCarthy uses vivid landscapes and stark prose to paint a haunting picture of a man pushed to the fringes of humanity.
Cormac McCarthy’s “Suttree” follows Cornelius Suttree, a man who has abandoned his privileged life to live on the fringes of society in Knoxville, Tennessee. He resides in a houseboat on the Tennessee River and spends his days among drifters, outcasts, and misfits.
The book paints a vivid picture of the gritty, raw life Suttree experiences, where moments of dark humor are mixed with the harsh realities of poverty and survival.
“The Reivers” by William Faulkner is a humorous and heartfelt story about a young boy named Lucius Priest who embarks on an unexpected adventure in early 20th-century Mississippi and Tennessee.
When Lucius takes his grandfather’s car, along with two family acquaintances, they head to Memphis, where trouble and mischief follow. The novel explores themes like innocence, loyalty, and growing up, all while painting a vivid picture of Southern life during that time.
Robert Penn Warren’s “Night Rider” is set in early 20th-century Tennessee and tells the story of a conflict between tobacco farmers and a powerful trust trying to control the market.
The novel follows Percy Munn, a lawyer who gets caught up in the violence and chaos as farmers organize against the trust. The struggle exposes personal flaws and moral dilemmas, ultimately showing how greed and ambition can spiral out of control.
The book “The Perilous Road” by William O. Steele follows a young boy named Chris who lives in Tennessee during the Civil War. Chris feels loyal to the Confederacy, but his world is turned upside down when his brother joins the Union army.
Caught between his feelings for his family and his anger toward the enemy, he faces difficult choices that challenge his understanding of right and wrong.
The rugged Tennessee landscape plays a big role in the story, adding to the tension and danger as Chris wrestles with where his loyalty should lie.
Barbara Kingsolver wrote “Flight Behavior,” a story centered on Dellarobia Turnbow, a woman living in rural Tennessee who feels stuck in her small-town life.
One day, she stumbles upon a stunning sight in the mountains near her home—what looks like a fiery valley, later revealed to be a massive migration of monarch butterflies.
This discovery ripples through her community, sparking conversations about climate, science, and faith, while also forcing Dellarobia to confront her own desires and ambitions.
The book “The Client” by John Grisham follows an eleven-year-old boy named Mark Sway who stumbles upon a lawyer’s suicide and gains knowledge of a secret tied to a high-profile murder case.
As the FBI and the mob both target him, Mark teams up with a lawyer named Reggie Love to navigate the danger and protect himself and his family. The story is packed with thrills as Mark tries to outsmart powerful forces closing in on him.
“The Rainmaker” by John Grisham follows Rudy Baylor, a young law school graduate in Tennessee, as he takes on a massive insurance company accused of denying a claim that could save a client’s life.
With little experience and no resources, Rudy finds himself in a legal battle against powerful forces. The story highlights the struggles of an idealistic lawyer stepping into a world of greed and corruption while fighting for justice.