Can someone give a short definition of southern gothic?

dysfunctional. lots of family secrets, usually involving affairs and/or illegitimate children and/or incest (or all three). Lots of sneaking around in the kudzu and the sounds of crickets in the darkness. At some point, someone sits in a rocking chair on a porch and fans themselves.

Can someone give a short definition of southern gothic?

Spooooky, y'all.

edit: Thank goodness Vortex came in with an actual definition. :)

So, like Eugene O'Neill, but with more lurking?

Sometimes florid prose, or at least prose that calls attention to itself. (Not sure this goes for Flannery O'Connor, actually, but works for Faulkner.)

What really baffled me was once coming across a description of Alice Munro's work as "Ontario gothic."

First of all, that's an incredibly wrong-headed reading of Munro, and secondly? There is no "gothic" in Ontario.

I just finished a second read of Lirael and my first read of Abhorsen. Gotta say, I was a bit disappointed. The pacing is completely and utterly wacked: Lirael takes for-frelling-ever to get going, and yet Abhorsen winds up disturbingly fast, with no denouement to speak of.

Additionally, the character development stops around the beginning of Abhorsen, and the novel suddenly turns into all-plot-all-the-time. I like the universe and the characters pretty well (although Sameth was a lazy confrontation-avoiding jerk for most of it), but Nix didn't identify the Big Bad early enough to make me fear its release, and Lirael became just too competent too quickly. Plus, there is the whole related to heroine of previous novel element, which gave me bad flashbacks to very Mary Sue fanfic.

So, I give them a thumbs up for the story and the plotting, thumbs down for the characterizations.

Other recent purchases include two of Lloyd Alexander's "Westmark" stories, a three-fer of Rosemary Sutcliff's Roman Britain novels, and Miles Errant, the combo novel containing Brothers in Arms and Mirror Dance.

I finally finished my trio of Val McDermids.

I do not like Kate Brannigan. I'm down with the flawed narrator, but she was more irritating than I was willing to let pass. A bit too grrl power for me. Also, her kickboxing bits were oddly described.

Liked The Mermaids Singing much more. Tony Hill is one hell of a woobie. Meshed well with what I've seen of the series on TV too.

I am a Lorrie Moore fan, although it's been a while. "People Like That Are The Only People Here" ruled. Does she have a new one? I have a "Vinegar Hill" I've finished with, Lilty-Cow. Do you want it?

From that Lewis-bashing site:

In the "creation" of Narnia some very revealing things come up.

On p. 99 , speaking of the "creation" of the stars it says, "One moment there had been nothing but darkness; next moment a thousand, thousand points of light leaped out -- single stars, constellations, and planets, brighter and bigger than any in our world. There were no clouds."

The phrase "a thousand, thousand points of light" leaps out at us! The fact that Lewis would use this expression is bizarre at the very least, but it points to something much more sinister.

Alice Bailey, the Theosophist/Luciferian and co-founder of Lucis Trust and the Arcane School, in her 1957 book The Externaliztion of the Hierarchy tells us exactly what a Point of Light is. "...[T]he men who comprise the occult leadership group known as the New Group of World Servers. These individuals, she remarks are in service to 'the work of the Brotherhood...the Forces of Light.' They are the ones who are to usher all of mankind from the darkness of outmoded Christianity and faded nationalism into the bright and shining 'New World Order.'"(1)

When George Bush used this expression as President of the United States, he meant the spread of the secret doctrine of Freemasonry and the Illuminati. In her book, Discipleship in a New Age, Bailey tells her occult followers to repeat, "I am a point of light within a greater light...I am a spark of sacrificial Fire, focused within the fiery will of (the Sun) God."(1) What these servants of Satan are attempting to do by blending their "points of light" is to usher in the New World Order - the Age of Aquarius.

Was C.S. Lewis a "point of light" in Satan's service? Why would he use such Luciferian terminology if he was not?

ODL. That site is hilarious, but deeply sad, too, especially when you read the fan mail its creator has received, and think about the poor kids growing up with parents that afraid of myth and the imagination.

I have a "Vinegar Hill" I've finished with, Lilty-Cow. Do you want it?

Aww thanks erikaj, msbelle's already offered to help me out with Vinegar Hill. You guys are amazing! If there are any books people have been looking for, let me know if I can be of service. Moving next weekend- I have a bookshelf to clean!

And, Lilty Cow? Are you trying to tell me something? snicker

I am a Lorrie Moore fan, although it's been a while. "People Like That Are The Only People Here" ruled. Does she have a new one?

Nothing new yet, but have you read her other stuff? I recommend Self-Help and Who Will Run the Frog Hospital? Mmm. Yay! I'm always glad to find another Lorrie Moore fan. I have a signed copy of Birds of America.

I have a "Vinegar Hill" I've finished with, Lilty-Cow. Do you want it?

I let her keep her name, erika. I'm progressive like that.

Although, admittedly, Lilty-Cow has a nice ring to it.