Reviews
If you have a taste for small southern towns where quirks seem as normal as the hands on a clock, then welcome to Moon County. That is your geography as you enter the world of J.K. Dennis's "9 Lessons for a Meaningful Life". Dennis takes these quirks and assembles them into 8 short stories and a novella, all linked by place, but also by an atmosphere that is timeless, yet plainly American.
As the title indicates, there are 9 lessons here, told in 9 stories by 9 narrators. My favorites are Grace, and how she manages through tears, Mattie, and her triangular relationship to a child and immortality, and Earl, who shows us a race which is defined by far more than a finish line. Those are the best, but there isn't a bad one in the bunch. The novella, "Sonny and Cleophus," is slightly jarring, in that it requires the reader to adapt to a different pace of storytelling. That's a function of length. But Dennis wisely puts this longer work at the end, where it fits in both style and theme.
The satisfactions in this book are both small and large. Each story has a wholeness of a sort, and if many of them seem a bit ragged around the edges, most of that is intentional. This book relies on a curiously human magic that doesn't wrap itself up in neat packages. Ribbons are half tied, and tape is peeling off the edges. Sometimes you have to search the story to find its core, but the core is there, and worth finding.
Dennis has taken a brand of literature that too often lets its icons fall into cliche, and given the tiny twist necessary to avoid that. He has drawn love, hate and personal history in words that catch in the gut. I don't pretend to know if it's a classic, but "9 Lessons for a Meaningful Life" is a damn good read.
Peter Heyrman
--author Hobson’s Choice
In "9 Lessons for a Meaningful Life", sit back and get ready for a journey to Moon County, Georgia, where you will meet and share the lives of many of its residents. It will be quite an experience.
I was surprised because at first I didn't think I would enjoy this read, but I found myself caught up in the stories, the people and the happenings, and really liked the book. It's a different read, I feel. Not the norm, but one that brings to light a lot of truths about people that tend to be buried or ignored. Very well-defined and interesting characters placed in the local of a southern community bringing these stories life.
I believe you will enjoy this one, especially if you want something a little different yet captivating at the same time.
Shirley P. Johnson
-- Midwest Book Review
Every now and then you get a book that forces you to pause a moment and simply savor what life has to offer. For me, that book was 9 LESSONS FOR A MEANINGFUL LIFE: Voices of Inspiration by J. K. Dennis. When I first picked up this book, I assumed it was another inspirational self-help manual designed to define what a meaningful life is and give step-by-step instructions on how to attain it. Imagine my surprise at the nine jewels I found within the pages of this very moving and thoughtfully crafted masterpiece. Dennis introduces readers to an imaginary place called Moon County, Georgia. This is a collection of nine short stories based on characters from Moon County who have lessons to teach about the things that matter in life.
J. K. Dennis has engineered a very memorable group of stories about living in the rural south while offering some sage advice on living a meaningful life. The characters are very real as their voices capture the essence of the town and vibrantly tell the story in each piece. As I read the stories, a couple of them seemed familiar; reminding me of similar tales I may have heard in my own southern upbringing. Each lesson was humbling and accurately portrayed by the storyteller. I thoroughly enjoyed each one and found it very hard to choose a favorite. I felt that a couple of them could have been a little longer; however, the author did change the pace some by making his last a short novella.
For an interesting and out of the ordinary type of read, try this one; you won't be disappointed.
Brenda M. Lisbon
-- RAWSISTAZ Book Review
"A Practical Introduction to Writing Studies" nicely initiates students into three areas of writing that should serve them well as college students and beyond the walls and halls of Academe."
Ernest Enchelmayer
-- Louisiana State University
"A Practical Introduction to Writing Studies" is an ideal supplemental text for readers interested in learning more about writing. I recommend and endorse this book without reservations.
--Richard Milner
Peabody College of Vanderbilt University
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