Better a Dinner of Herbs (Paperback, New edition)

In rhythmic line, this tells of the intermeshed lives of orphan Danny, his uncle, Enid, and the family of the Preacher over the hill. Danny's mother had been seduced by a stranger and had died in childbirth, and for this, and the theft of his gold piece, Enid hates the boy - and loves him too, with a great protectiveness. He sells his farm to work elsewhere but on their journey they meet Mary, wife of the Preacher, and Enid falls in love with her. He goes to work for her husband and Danny becomes part of the household, part of the life of Mercidy, the grandmother, of the two boys, Jason and the Idiot. Enid is made uncomfortable by the knowledge that the child Mary bears is his; the Preacher, too, is poisoned by the event. When he is confronted by Enid he is betrayed as Danny's real father and Enid is the involuntary cause of his death. This deed forces him on his way, leaving Danny safe with Mary and his half-brothers. A poetic feel for the land and the people gives this something of a folk-tale quality. (Kirkus Reviews)

First published in 1950, "Better a Dinner of Herbs" is a compellingly dramatic tale of twisted, often violent human relationships. Taking its title from a biblical passage dealing with the power of love and hate within a household, the novel counterbalances its grim narrative with a poetic prose that evokes a reverence for the rhythm of the seasons and the continuity of life.

Byron Herbert Reece situates the story in the isolated hills of the agrarian South where he spent most of his life, but it could have occurred in any rural setting at any time. An unmarried girl dies in childbirth. Her brother, swearing revenge on the father of the child, sells the family farm and turns toward the open world with his nephew. In search of a wife and a different livelihood, he chances to encounter his enemy. An intentional act of brutality symbolizes an end to his passion and summons him again away from all that he cherishes.

Born at the foot of Blood Mountain in north Georgia and reared in the isolated mountain area near Blairsville, Byron Herbert Reece (1917-1958) was the author of four volumes of poetry and two novels that are tied deeply to the spirit and traditions of Appalachia. Journalist Bill Shipp has called Reece "perhaps the greatest balladeer of the Appalachians." His first volume of poems was published in 1945 to wide critical acclaim, and the publication of his remaining work brought him recognition far beyond north Georgia.

General

Imprint:	University of Georgia Press
Country of origin:	United States
Release date:	December 1992
First published:	December 1992
Authors:	Byron Herbert Reece
Dimensions:	203 x 146 x 16mm (L x W x T)
Format:	Paperback
Pages:	240
Edition:	New edition
ISBN-13:	978-0-8203-1489-1
Categories:	Books > Fiction > General & literary fiction > Modern fiction
LSN:	0-8203-1489-7
Barcode:	9780820314891

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!