"Gritny People" by R. Emmet Kennedy is a novel written in the early 20th century. The book presents a vibrant tapestry of life in a southern African American community, focusing on characters who gather at Aunt Susan Smiley's cook shop. Through their stories, laughter, struggles, and interactions, the narrative explores themes of community, resilience, and cultural identity. At the start of the story, we are introduced to Aunt Susan Smiley, her renowned
gumbo and sweet potato pies, and the lively atmosphere of her cook shop where patrons can tell stories while enjoying her culinary delights. The narrative quickly delves into the intricacies of relationships, particularly focusing on Tom Lakes, a blind man with a complicated marriage to the jealous Bell, and his enduring bond with Aunt Susan. As events unfold, a significant gathering is planned for July 4th, highlighting the community's spirit, while underlying tensions in the characters’ lives begin to emerge. The opening sets the stage for a rich exploration of various colorful personalities and their interconnected lives within the microcosm of Gritny. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
Aunt Susan Smiley -- Tom and Bell -- The interprise -- Scilla -- Felo and Nookie -- Uncle Foteen -- Plunkum -- Uncle Nat -- Roving Roxy -- Carmelite, Soongy and Dink -- Dink's music -- Gussie Fisky -- Maggie Hutson -- Lizzie and Chester -- Scandalizin' -- Lethe and Aunt Amy -- Felo's white folks -- Upsetment -- Felo and Lethe -- 'Cross the pasture -- Tempe -- Sperret noises -- Scilla's discovery -- Carmelite and Aunt Fisky -- Dink at home -- Gussie and Mr. Hooblitz -- Carmelite's raffle -- The switch engine -- News from Gritny -- Housekeeping -- Gussie's wake -- To furren parts -- Buzzum friends.
Credits
Aaron Adrignola, Tim Lindell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from images made available by the HathiTrust Digital Library.)
Reading Level
Reading ease score: 79.9 (7th grade). Fairly easy to read.
