Larry Brown (1) (1951–2004)

Fay by Larry Brown is an intense coming-of-age story of a young woman who is forced to run away from her backwoods home by the unwanted advances of her father. Unfortunately she is destined to have men constantly watching her and trying to take advantage of her. This is not a pleasant story revolving as it does in the degradation and violence toward women but it is a very powerful one. Often labelled as Southern “Grit-Lit” I found that I was quickly caught up in unsavoury situation.

Like watching a car accident, we can see how Fay’s life is constantly going from bad to worse. We would like to root for her but it becomes obvious that as the author ups the tension and speed of the story, it is doubtful that we will see any redemption. Fay is naive and ignorant in that she has never had the opportunity to go to school but on the other hand she is very clever and is trying to improve her life. The men she meets along her way are not helpful, even the state trooper who tries to help her goes about it in the wrong way. Others, like the bar bouncer/drug pusher who deludes himself into thinking that he loves Fay, really just wants to control her.

The author builds his story around a strong sense of place. You can smell the barbecue, the salt of the ocean, the cigarettes and the cheap liquor. I did find that the pacing of the story was a little uneven but this is a Southern Gothic tale that is very dark, dangerous and damned. Violence hovers over every page of this noir thriller that exposes the seamier side of life in the strip clubs and bars of Biloxi, Mississippi. Sadly, we will never see the total potential of this author as he unfortunately passed away in 2004.… (mere)

This was the first book I read by Larry Brown. I've read it twice now, and will read it again. There's something about his writing that makes me feel at home, makes me feel closer to other humans than I would have without it. It's simple and direct, straight from his heart to mine. I suppose it helps that I grew up in a similar place in the rural south, so I recognize the cast of characters he develops. (I'm speaking of his fiction work). His characters are real. I've known them and been them. In this collection of essays, he shows with his easy prose, all the ugliness along with the beauty of living.
If you are a writer or aspire to be, you must read this book.
… (mere)