August 30, 2026
The Book Lady
Remembering Dolly Parton, and the Southern indie booksellers whose shelves — and childhoods — she shaped.
The Enduring Legacy of Dolly Parton
“Everywhere I go, the kids call me ‘the book lady.’ The older I get, the more appreciative I seem to be of the ‘book lady’ title. It makes me feel more like a legitimate person, not just a singer or an entertainer. But it makes me feel like I’ve done something good with my life and with my success.” — Dolly Parton
This week, all of America, if not all of the world, mourns the passing of Dolly Parton, who was beloved by anyone who met her, heard her music, or simply saw her smile. Booksellers and readers especially love her for her love of books and reading, and her devotion to putting books into children’s hands. “I didn’t have books at home, so I did all my reading at school,” Parton once said. “I love books, and I believe that helping kids to read gives them a great start in life.”
That belief led her to create Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which provides free books to children ages 0–5 and works with local partners to promote children’s literacy and foster a love of reading in their communities. Her belief in the power of reading to make a better world is shared by booksellers everywhere. The Book & Cover in Chattanooga, TN, wrote, “As Southerners, she’s been with us our whole lives, making sure we had books in our childhood libraries, making sure we knew being proud of who you are goes hand in hand with being kind, and making sure we knew one of the most important parts of living is knowing who you are and doing it on purpose.” Southern Book Prize Winner Silas House (All These Ghosts) said, “What a force for good in our world, now gone. An Appalachian girl who grew up to conquer the world, always leaving positivity and joy in her wake. It was one of the greatest honors of my life for her to have read my books and to have met her. The letters I received from her are among my greatest treasures.”
Fresh Reads
Recommended by Southern indie booksellers this week.
The Jellyfish Problem
“This story of a giant jellyfish wreaking havoc on the residents of a small island in Maine grabbed my attention immediately and didn’t let go. The story is haunting and suspenseful, but not fast-paced action. Spooky, but not scary. I found myself thinking of it all day and couldn’t wait to get back to it!”
Amy, The Snail on the Wall · Huntsville, AL
The Salt King
“With each new story, Natasha Pulley outdoes herself with her imaginative storylines, unique characters, and her ability to immerse the reader in all of it. Faith, belief, desire, salt mines, humor, wit, and a fascinating matriarchal community. A less capable author would not have been able to weave together such seemingly disparate elements into a coherent story. I loved every page.”
Holly, The Country Bookshop · Southern Pines, NC
Depraved
“An accessible, thorough analysis of the history of depraved art, this engaging book seeks to highlight the nuance between immorality, obscenity, and malevolence in art. Can art cause violence, or does it just stoke already volatile conditions? Dixon pays close attention to the way charges of depravity have been levied against the art of minority cultures throughout history to paint them as inferior.”
Julia, Fountain Bookstore · Richmond, VA
Bookseller Buzz
Etna
“Etna is one of those rare books that quietly sneaks into your heart and stays there… I laughed, I cried, and more than once I had to stop reading just to sit with a particularly stunning line.”
— Stephanie, Story Hollow · Madisonville, TN
“Oh, Etna! I didn’t know what to expect going into this book but fell in love almost instantly. What an odyssey!”
— Mackenzie, Thank You Books · Birmingham, AL
“Etna is a story about continuing on when everything you have known and loved is lost and gone forever. The novel ends with the hopeful message that we can endure terrible things and yet, in the ruins, there is always new life waiting for us.”
— Savannah, The Country Bookshop · Southern Pines, NC
Children’s & Young Readers
That You Are Here Is No Small Thing
A love letter celebrating Black presence and identity.
Jess, Bookmarks · Winston-Salem, NC
Decide for Yourself
Decide for Yourself: The Summer I Turned Pretty
A coming-of-age story of family dynamics and friendship, told across a series of summers at the beach.
Southern Bestsellers
Hardcover Fiction
- Whistler — Ann Patchett
- Yesteryear — Caro Claire Burke
- The Calamity Club — Kathryn Stockett
- The Correspondent — Virginia Evans
- The Things We Never Say — Elizabeth Strout
Hardcover Nonfiction
- The Land and Its People: Essays — David Sedaris
- Regime Change — Maggie Haberman & Jonathan Swan
- Strangers: A Memoir of Marriage — Belle Burden
- Dogs, Boys, and Other Things I’ve Cried About — Isabel Klee
- The Nerd Reich — Gil Durán
Children’s Illustrated
- Little Blue Truck Lost and Found — Alice Schertle
- Goodnight Moon — Margaret Wise Brown
- The Very Hungry Caterpillar — Eric Carle
- This Book Is Seriously Silly! — Ben Clanton
- Owl by Myself — Pete Oswald