Greenwood - A Product for Nature Lovers

Greenwood is a book that transcends geographical boundaries, despite being set in the South. This is because the relatable, entertaining, and sometimes quirky characters all share the same predictable flaws and predilections as human beings. Perhaps this is why the characters often make confusing, even baffling choices in their lives.

For example, in the story "Sara Jean's Bees," why did Merle Flack decide to put an active beehive in the backseat of his car and drive it to his sister's new home when he had a deathly fear of bees? And what made Robert Lee Johnson in the story "A Game of Chess" decide to hike the Appalachian Trail when he hated everything about camping, including sleeping on the ground?

The other connecting thread here is a sense of belonging and place. Hamilton Green, a returning prodigal son in the signature story "Greenwood," confesses that coming home has made him both "grateful and perhaps a little sad." He laments his abandonment of "the warm embrace of my family and community for all these years" while celebrating the "sweetness" in his life and the "meaningful, deep connections" he now enjoys by choosing to live in his native community once again.

Perhaps this is how every reader should approach this book, not just as a series of connected short stories but as a welcoming invitation to come home again for a long overdue visit.

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