Books set in Georgia

When most people think of books set in Georgia they think of Gone with the Wind.  Not discounting Margaret Mitchell but there are so many other great books set in Georgia. 

Here is a short list of my recommendations:

1) Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
2) Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt
3) The Color Purple by Alice Walker
4) To Dance with the White Dog by Terry Kay (my favorite)
5) Ecology of a Cracker Childhood by Janisse Ray

What book would you recommend?

City Lights of Commerce, GA

Recently I went back to Commerce, Georgia where I lived when I finished high school a long, long time ago.  Unlike most of North Georgia not much has changed in Commerce.  One thing I did notice was that the city had moved the monument to Bill Anderson.  At least I remember it being on the other side of the railroad tracks but then I have been away for a long time.

A graduate of the University of Georgia, Bill Anderson was working at WJJC in Commerce when he wrote the song City Lights.  Ray Price recorded it in 1958 and the song spent 13 weeks as the number one record on the new Billboard County Chart.  I highly recommend you listen to Mr. Anderson's account of writing his first hit.  You can check it here:
http://uga.edu/livinghistory/video/bill-anderson-city-lights/

Whisperin' Bill went on to record over 40 albums and has had seven number one hits of his own starting with Mama Sang a Song (1962).  Yet with all of his success he continues to remember Commerce.  He has returned several times to perform at benefits and raise money for the Bill Anderson Scholarship Fund at Commerce High School.  In fact, as of today tickets are still available for his upcoming benefit on November 16th.  Tickets are available from WJJC at http://www.wjjc.net/billanderson.html

As a graduate of Commerce High School I just have to say thank you Mr. Anderson.  We love you.

Athens Farmer's Market

Saturday I went to the Athens Farmer's Market at their new location (Bishop Park). Yes, I was one of the approximately 2600 people who showed up and I have to say I had mixed feelings. Like most of Athens I was too late to get any produce. They basically sold out within the two hours. I got there by 9:30 and there was very little left. I was a little disappointed that I could not secure anything from my favorite local growers but I have to admit I was thrilled there was such a huge turnout.

Here's the website if you want to check them out: http://www.athensfarmersmarket.net/

The farmer's market won't take the place of Athens Locally Grown for me because I like the convenience of placing my order ahead of time instead of hoping there's some left. In fact my sister-in-law who went with me to the Farmer's Market on Saturday signed up for Locally Grown today. However, I like having another venue for fresh locally grown food.

Here's the locally grown website site: http://athens.locallygrown.net/welcome

Thank you to all the farmers who supply both the Farmer's Market and Locally Grown and thanks to the great people who work so to make this food available to the folks in Athens, Georgia. We really appreciate it. See you guys at Gosford Wines on Thursday and Bishop Park on Saturday.