In This Edition of
The BookBrowse Review
The BookBrowse Review
Published January 24, 2024
ISSN: 1930-0018
The BookBrowse Review
Published January 24, 2024
ISSN: 1930-0018
Contents
Highlighting indicates debut books
Discussions are open to all members to read and post. Click to view the books currently being discussed.
Literary Fiction
Historical Fiction
Short Stories
Essays
Poetry & Novels in Verse
Mysteries
Thrillers
Romance
Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Biography/Memoir
History, Current Affairs and Religion
Science, Health and the Environment
Literary Fiction
Historical Fiction
Poetry & Novels in Verse
Thrillers
Romance
Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Speculative, Alt. History
Biography/Memoir
| Readers: |
A powerful and emotional coming-of-age novel set amid the turmoil and profound changes of the 1960s by the bestselling author of West with Giraffes.
In segregated High Cotton, Texas, in 1964, the racial divide is as clear as the railroad tracks running through town. It's also where two girls are going to shake things up.
This is the last summer of thirteen-year-old Corky Corcoran's childhood, and her family hires a Haitian housekeeper who brings her daughter, America, along with her. Corky is quick to befriend America and eager to share her favorite new "grown-up" novel, To Kill a Mockingbird. America's take on it is different and profoundly personal. As their friendship grows, Corky finds out so much more about America's life and her hidden skill: she can run as fast as Olympian Wilma Rudolph!
When Corky asks America to play with her girls' softball team for the annual church rivals game, it's a move that crosses the color line and sets off a firestorm. As tensions escalate, it fast becomes a season of big changes in High Cotton. For Corky, those changes will last a lifetime.
Set on the eve of massive cultural shifts, Mockingbird Summer explores the impact of great books, the burden of potential, and the power of friendship with humor, poignancy, and exhilarating hope.
Here are some of the recent comments posted about Mockingbird Summer.
You can read the full discussion here, and please do participate if you wish.
Be aware that this discussion will contain spoilers!
"A book, like music, is very personal. You bring yourself, your own story, to everything you read." In what ways is this reflected in Mockingbird Summer? Have you found it to be true in your own reading? (14 responses)
Corky brought her innocence and lack of life experience to To Kill a Mockingbird - totally different from what America brought to the book. I definitely think it’s true in my own reading. I’ve shared books I’ve loved with friends that they didn’t like at all & vice versa.... - gvieth
"In big times of change, normal is what is being changed." Do you think this is true? What "normal" changes over the course of the book? What "normal" has changed in your own lifetime? (11 responses)
I believe that "NORMAL" is different for every person. Everyone looks out of different windows. So, even if you see something today that appears normal to you, you may see it differently tomorrow. What once was is now changed. Normal continues to change just like our lives - christine
"While a journalist's job is to tell what is true, a novelist's job is to tell what is truth." What's your interpretation of this statement? Do you agree with it? (21 responses)
A novelist tells their truth as they see it. Unfortunately, today, journalists don’t necessarily always report what is true - gvieth
A number of people work to help America succeed. Why do you suppose each is so intent on doing so? Do you think they were right or wrong to encourage her so strongly? (20 responses)
Pastor Pete might have started out with the selfish reason of wanting to win the softball game, but I think they all genuinely wanted American to succeed because they could see her talent and hard work - gvieth
At several places in the book it's mentioned that young people are the ones pushing for change, and we've seen that today as well. Why do you suppose that is? (20 responses)
Young people are pushing for change to live as they want with cleaner air etc, they are innovative and are energetic - dorothyh
Corky believes that the summer of 2020 was, in some ways, like the summer of 1964. Do you agree with her? (13 responses)
I too agree with Joyce - dorothyh
Corky is confused by America's reaction to "To Kill a Mockingbird", and thinks, "Stories weren't supposed to make readers mad. Were they?" What's your opinion on this? (31 responses)
I’m sure Corky hadn’t read a lot of books in her young life that elicited strong emotions. As everyone has said, what you get out of a book coincides with the emotions and experiences you bring to it - gvieth
Corky is told by her father that she can be anything she wants, but he doesn't allow her mother to get a part-time job. Do you believe the mixed messages have any impact on the person she becomes by the end of the book? (17 responses)
We see Corky's father change with the times as he capitalizes on his wife's beauty and brains to open a cosmetics department. My father was against my mother learning to drive, but later admitted he had been wrong. He suffered an injury, and she was able to save his business by driving ... - susannd
Corky's mother tells her that as an adult, "you've got to have people like you to do anything as a woman." What do you make of this statement? Was this true in the 1960s? Is it true today? (18 responses)
While this is probably more true for women, it also is a factor in everyone's success. We are a lot more forgiving of people we like.
There is an axiom in Human Resources that the most common reason people get fired (no matter what the "given" reason) is ... - Lyris
Do you believe Corky bears any blame for the negative events in the story? As a thirteen-year-old, were there things she could have done differently to change the outcome? (13 responses)
Corky probably should have told her parents or Mack about the truck she kept seeing, but I don’t think she realized until it was too late what effect that was going to have. She’s certainly not responsible for the bad behavior of others - gvieth
Do you feel America should have done more to become a world-class runner or do you feel her concerns were justified? What about Corky's viewpoint? (16 responses)
We, as the readers, do not know enough about America to know if she could have pursued an Olympic ambition. Certainly, her athleticism was not the problem, she was an awesome athlete. However, she did not have the family support or finances to pursue the daunting task of preparing for an Olympic ... - viquig
How aware of the world around her was Corky at the beginning of her Mockingbird Summer? (4 responses)
Having grown up in a very small town, I do think you’re kind of insulated - at least that was my experience - gvieth
Noah Boatwright IV expects his wealth, combined with his family name, will give him power in "his" town. How much do you think he was respected in High Cotton? What role does wealth play in today's world? (17 responses)
Unfortunately, wealth is still held in high esteem, until the family with money does something unwise. Such is the case in High Cotton where the Boatwrights live - BJHB
Overall, what do you think of Mockingbird Summer? (no spoilers) (45 responses)
I LOVED West With Giraffes, but did not feel this book was anywhere close to that one. I only picked it up due to the author. I agree it was definitely written in YA style and so for me that dropped it's rating by full stars. I lived thru this era and being a bit older remember much of it. It ... - taking.mytime
Remember being 13? (8 responses)
I was 13 in the early 1960's living a suburban commuter town where there was little interaction between Blacks and White though without success I tried to invite a Black classmate to my house to work on assignment. Of course this changed soon after and also soon after many notable and events... - carriem
The author opines that "every life has a smattering of days that change everything." Do you agree? Do you recall having a moment that changed everything for you? (15 responses)
Yes to all of the above life events or moments. Most of them were large universal monuments - birth, death, illness, love, family, friends.
I have two moments that immediately came to mind. One was when I was in Norway on a boat going through a fjord. The sun was shining in the clouds ... - christine
The idea of the Baptists vs the Methodists softball game each year was an important part of the story. What did you think the purpose actually was? Does this parallel anything in today's world? (3 responses)
When I was young, we had sports rivalries with the small towns close by - not as much between the churches, although we did have church league baseball/softball. I’m not sure how to answer the part of the question about parallels to today’s world, unless it mirrors the divisiveness ... - gvieth
What do you think drew Corky to America? Do you believe the feeling was mutual? (18 responses)
As others have stated, I believe Corky admired America for her athletic abilities. As she got to know her, she realized America could do many things. Corky was an innocent, kind, and curious teenager. America did seem standish at first, but this is understandable considering the times. It was ... - susannd
What scenes struck a chord with you? Are there any quotes in the book that you found meaningful? (10 responses)
Page 82, "Everybody's got their own story...and they're swirling around me every moment of every day." As a young teenager, Corky is beginning to understand empathy. The quote holds true. When we listen to the stories, we learn why people are the way they are - susannd
Which parts of the story could only have taken place in the 1960s, and which sections are more universally true of childhood? If you grew up in the 1960s, which sections of the novel reminded you of your own childhood? (17 responses)
I grew up in the 50’s in the south. The freedom that Corky had to go places by herself in her town probably wouldn’t apply today - colleena
Which were successful in pursuing their dream and which weren't, in your opinion? At what point should you listen to others' opinions about your intended path? At what point do you abandon your dream, if ever? (7 responses)
As others have said, Corky realized her dream of being a reporter, Belle was able to work outside the home which was something she had desired to do, and Mack had to adjust his dreams to fit his current capabilities. I’m not sure we know what America’s dream was or if it was fulfilled, ... - gvieth
Why did Miss Delacourt choose To Kill A Mockingbird for Corky? (5 responses)
Miss Delacourt chose this book for Corky for a number of reasons: Corky would likely relate to Scout; Corky was old enough to understand what had happened and what was happening; Atticus was not only an attorney, he was the father of two children on the cusp of navigating adult issues... - evonneb
Rated 
of 5
by
jill Robbins
A Delightful Book
I read this in one sitting: Then read it again! I love a book that makes me sob (good tears) through the end.
Rated of 5
by
PhyllisE
A heartwarming historical coming-of-age story
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own.
I loved this! Deserves more than 5 stars! A heartwarming, historical, coming-of-age story that takes place during a time of massive cultural upheaval, this remarkable novel explores the power of friendship, hope, and progress.
The novel begins with this paragraph, “In 1964, a small miracle of a summer happened in Kate “Corky” Corcoran’s tiny, segregated town because of a softball game, a pastor feud, a drugstore sit-in, and a girl named America who Corky saw run as fast as Olympic champion Wilma Rudolph, the fastest woman in the world.”
After reading that sentence, I couldn’t put this book down. It’s well-written, with realistic characters, authentic dialogue, and edge-of-your-seat plotting. The book smoothly shifts from various characters’ points of view, including a dog, as well as an omniscient narrator. The suspenseful foreshadowing kept me turning the pages in anticipation. Talented author Lynda Rutledge (“West With Giraffes”) creatively takes the larger 1964 issues of racism and the Civil Rights Movement, women’s rights, the Cold War, Cuban Missile Crisis, Kennedy assassination, Viet Nam war, Martin Luther King Jr., and makes them personal by telling the story from the perspective of naïve 13-year-old Corky.
Rutledge explains how “The moral of this novel, if it has one, is about the absolute miracle of friendship and also about the miraculous ability that books and sports possess to draw those new worlds together.” Of course the book she is referring to is “To Kill A Mockingbird” and the sport is girls’ softball. If you want to read similar heartwarming 5-star coming-of-age novels of small-town drama mixed with poignant humor after finishing this one, I highly recommend “The All-American” by Susie Finkbeiner, “The Incredible Winston Browne” and “Kinfolk,” both by Sean Dietrich.
This would be great for book clubs and is one I’ll be telling everyone to read. Don’t miss this feel-good novel!
Rated of 5
by
Jan Hubbard
Great book
I loved this book. It is a great story about a baseball-playing brother and his sister, and their discovery of a gifted runner in their midsts. A potential great addition to their team but for the fact that she goes to a different church, lives in a different part of town, and is of a different race . . . . all this in the Deep South, during the early 60's. The author develops the story through her teenage characters. She makes it easy for the reader to remember their own teenage years, and how we slowly discovered truths that seemed to us to be totally wrong.
I loved this book, and didn't want to put it down. At 286 pages, it is a fast read, and ends well. I recommend it for personal reading as well as book club discussions.
Rated of 5
by
Anna
A wonderful book
This is one of those books that I couldn't put down. One of the best things about this book was that it was told through the voice of a young girl who lives in a small town.
The frustration of the mother who wanted to have a job, the older brother and his issues, and the two young girls, one a naive white girl and a girl from Haiti, and how their lives interact.
It was an accurate description of life in a small southern town. I want to ask the author, what happened to America when she left? What is her story into adulthood? This book will be on the list of my book group to read and discuss. I would give it a "must-read."
Rated of 5
by
jhon
gooo book
I like this book very much.
Rated 
of 5
by
nama
the better coming of tale
I haven't read a better coming-of-age tale in a long time than this one! It centers on the tomboyish Corky and her brother Mack as they navigate their adolescent years in the 1960s amid racial tensions. forming their own connections and friendships.
The small Texas town came to life in every little detail, and the story and scene setting were superb throughout the entire novel. The writing in this book was so exquisite that I found it impossible to put it down.
I am grateful to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for providing a digital advance reader's copy. All thoughts and remarks are all fantastic.
This was fantastic! This amazing book examines the strength of friendship, optimism, and progress in a historical coming-of-age tale set amid a period of intense cultural upheaval.
Rated of 5
by
Barbara B
A Bit Too Much About Corky
Mockingbird Summer is a Civil Rights and Women’s Rights novel set in Texas, 1964. Star of the book is a thirteen-year-old girl named Kathryn Corcoran, also known as Katie or Corky. She becomes friends with America Willcox, the teenage daughter of Corky’s family housekeeper. Corky’s mother wants to take a part-time job in the local library against the wishes of her husband. Corky wants America to become a member of her softball team against the wishes of many residents in their fictional segregated town, High Cotton, Texas.
I particularly enjoyed the concept of drug store sit-ins that occurred in the story, because I learned very little about them in my high school History classes. I especially disliked the over abundance of Corky’s thoughts throughout the book. The other characters were important to the story, both good and bad, but their thoughts were minor compared to Corky’s. I would recommend this novel for young adult readers, mainly high school age, and it could make a debatable choice for book clubs.
Rated 
of 5
by
Veronica
Didn't Grab Me
I started to read this book and it didn't grab me right away so I put it down. I then picked it up again and got half way through and it still didn't grab me. The subject matter has been told in other stories that I feel were better written. This one I was able to put down and not worry about the ending.
Rated of 5
by
Jill
Coming-of-age read
My thanks to BookBrowse for the ARC of Mockingbird Summer.
Rated 3.5 stars
This is a coming-of-age story set in the early sixties in the segregated town of, High Cotton, Texas. Main characters are 13 year old, Corky, her older brother, Mack and America, a black girl that just moved to High Cotton.
Historical fiction, touching on civil rights, segregation and racism. It references, To Kill a Mockingbird, which is one of my all time favorites. It doesn’t say it is a YA novel, but I felt it was geared more towards YA. Even though it touches on all of the above, it’s done very simplistically. I’m fond of coming-of-age books but this one just wasn’t a good fit for me.
Before she became a novelist, Lynda was a professional writer for over 25 years, working as a copywriter, restaurant and film reviewer, book collaborator, nonfiction author, travel writer, and freelance journalist. She petted baby rhinos, snorkeled with endangered sea turtles, hang-glided off a small Swiss mountain, and dodged hurricanes to write articles for national and international publications, such as the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times, Poets & Writers, Houston Post, San Diego Union-Tribune and many more, her travel photographs often appearing with her work. She's also crafted book-length nonfiction for famous organizations such as Habitat for Humanity and the San Diego Zoo Global (for which she's shown below doing an interview with one of her favorite animals that inspired her new novel West with Giraffes.)
Through those years, though, her creative writing was the place she played and dreamed, where she, as classic short-story writer Flannery O'Connor put it, could "write to discover what I know. She holds an MFA in creative writing, a BA and MA in American literature, and has won awards and residencies from the Illinois Arts Council, Writers League of Texas, Ragdale Foundation, Atlantic Center for the Arts, Squaw Valley Community of Writers, and Sewanee Writers Conference. Her debut novel Faith Bass Darling's Last Garage Sale won the 2013 Writers League of Texas Novel of the Year and was adapted into a major French film starring Catherine Deneuve (French title: "La dernière folie de Claire Darling") released in 2019 in France and around the world through 2020. Currently, she lives with her husband and resident dog outside Austin, Texas.
Her bestselling novel, West with Giraffes, named the Texas Center for the Book's (a Library of Congress-affiliate) 2023 Great Read, was inspired by a forgotten true story she discovered about a hurricane-surviving pair of giraffes who were trucked cross-country in little more than a tricked-out truck during the Great Depression turning heads, capturing hearts, and making 500+ headlines along the way. The travel writer in her was enraptured; the creative writer was inspired. And her white board started filling up.
Her new novel is Mockingbird Summer (Jan 2024), a coming of age story set in a 1964 tiny segregated town (with a 2020 ending).
Other books by this author at BookBrowse:
Your guide toexceptional books
BookBrowse seeks out and recommends the best in contemporary fiction and nonfiction—books that not only engage and entertain but also deepen our understanding of ourselves and the world around us.
