Who will win this year's PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction

A panel of judges for the PEN/Faulkner Foundation announced Wednesday the five finalists for the 2011 PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, and this year’s slate of finalists includes several well-known authors.

This year’s finalists include:

- Jennifer Egan for “A Visit From the Goon Squad”
- Deborah Eisenberg for “The Collected Stories of Deborah Eisenberg”
- Jaimy Gordon for “Lord of Misrule”
- Eric Puchner for “Model Home”
- Brad Watson for “Aliens in The Prime of Their Lives”

These finalists were selected from among 320 novels and short story collections written by living American writers published in the US during the 2010 calendar year. The winner will be announced on March 15 and will receive $15,000.

The PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, now in its 31st year, is America’s largest peer-juried prize for fiction. As you might imagine, a host of prestigious authors have won the PEN/Faulkner Award over the years. What follows is a complete list of the all-time winners.

2010 – Sherman Alexie for “War Dances”
2009 – Joseph O’Neill for “Netherland”
2008 – Kate Christensen for “The Great Man”
2007 – Philip Roth for “Everyman”
2006 – E.L. Doctorow for “The March”
2005 – Ha Jin for “War Trash”
2004 – John Updike for “The Early Stories: 1953-1975”
2003 – Sabina Murray for “The Caprices”
2002 – Ann Patchett for “Bel Canto”
2001 – Philip Roth for “The Human Stain”

2000 – Ha Jin for “Waiting”
1999 – Michael Cunningham for “The Hours”
1998 – Rafi Zabor for “The Bear Comes Home”
1997 – Gina Berriault for “Women in Their Beds”
1996 – Richard Ford for “Independence Day”
1995 – David Guterson for “Snow Falling on Cedars”
1994 – Philip Roth for “Operation Shylock”
1993 – E. Annie Proulx for “Postcards”
1992 – Don DeLillo for “Mao II”
1991 – John Edgar Wideman for “Philadelphia Fire”

1990 – E.L. Doctorow for “Billy Bathgate”
1989 – James Salter for “Dusk and Other Stories”
1988 – T. Coraghessan Boyle for “World’s End”
1987 – Richard Wiley for “Soldiers in Hiding”
1986 – Peter Taylor for “The Old Forest”
1985 – Tobias Wolff for “The Barracks Thief”
1984 – John Edgar Wideman for “Sent for You Yesterday”
1983 – Toby Olson for “Seaview”
1982 – David Bradley for “The Chaneysville Incident”
1981 – Walter Abish for “How German Is It”

How many of these books have you had a chance to read? What did you think about them? Which did you like, dislike? Which would you recommend and why? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more information about the PEN/Faulkner Award for Fiction, visit www.penfaulkner.org.

Gaines Ridge's Black Bottom Pie is flat out awesome

I’ve wanted to visit the Gaines Ridge Dinner Club in Camden for several years now, and did so for the first time last night when my wife and I went there to celebrate our eighth wedding anniversary.

I’d heard about Gaines Ridge for years, but my interest really ramped up after seeing it listed in two separate publications – “Off the Beaten Path: Alabama” by Gay N. Martin and the state tourism brochure, “100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die.”

For those of you unfamiliar with this outstanding restaurant, it’s located in an old antebellum, Greek Revival Style house at 933 Highway 10 East in Camden. It’s about 40 miles from Monroeville, 85 miles from Montgomery and 120 miles from Birmingham. Wherever you live, it’s worth the drive.

Gaines Ridge is open to the public Wednesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. You can reserve the restaurant at other times during the week by calling 334-682-9707.

Here’s what “Off the Beaten Path” (Eighth Edition) has to say about Gaines Ridge.

“For a Southern taste treat, make reservations at the Gaines Ridge Dinner Club, located about two miles east of Camden on State Route 10. Housed in Betty Gaines Kennedy’s two-story circa-1830 family home, the restaurant seats about 100 guests in five dining rooms. From shrimp bisque to spinach salad and steak or seafood, everything on the menu is well prepared and tasty. (Ask Betty about the home’s ghosts.) Prices fall in the moderate range.”

According to the restaurant’s Website, Gaines Ridge, “like most old houses, has its share of ghosts - the woman who screams and calls out, and has been seen floating past windows - the incessant crying of a baby - the aroma of pipe smoke in one room, when nobody in the house is smoking - and the reflected image of a tall, gaunt man, dressed in black, with a long beard. (Old Ebeneezer Hearn, himself?) But these seem to be harmless apparitions and only serve to enhance the charm that is Gaines Ridge.”

When my wife and I arrived about 6:45 last night, we found the restaurant less crowded than we would have expected for a Thursday night, but that soon changed because folks began to stream in steadily for the next hour or so. The restaurant is so spacious though that even when a big crowd is on hand, you’ve still got plenty of elbow room.

The restaurant had a very relaxed atmosphere and the accommodations were very nice. The wait staff was also very laid back, very polite and made us feel more than welcome. I almost wore a coat and tie to the restaurant, but was glad that I decided at the last minute not to. As far as I could tell, I would have been the only person there in a coat and tie.

We ordered fried dill pickles (outstanding!), green salad (very good), sweet tea (just right), eight-ounce steaks (perfect), baked potatoes (pretty good) and small homemade rolls (delicious).

The highlight of the meal was the desert. As I mentioned earlier, the Alabama Tourism Department published a brochure several years ago called “100 dishes to eat in Alabama before you die.” Gaines Ridge made the list because of its Black Bottom Pie. We ordered two pieces and it was flat out awesome. It may have been the best desert that I’ve ever eaten anywhere.

In the end, my wife and I enjoyed our trip to Gaines Ridge, and we definitely intend to return in the near future. How many of you have had the chance to eat at Gaines Ridge? What did you think about it? What other dishes would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

For more information about this restaurant, visit its Web site at www.wilcoxwebworks.com/gr/index.htm.

'Ghost Hunters' visit Pennhurst Asylum in last night's new episode

Six investigators from The Atlantic Paranormal Society (TAPS) visited “one of the world’s most notorious madhouses” on the second episode of Season Seven of “Ghost Hunters,” which was shown for the first time last night on the SyFy Channel.

Last night’s episode featured an investigation of Pennhurst State School and Hospital in Chester County, Pa. This institution opened in 1908 and was “forcibly closed due to the maltreatment of patients” in 1986.

TAPS members taking part in the investigation included lead investigators Jason Hawes and Grant Wilson, investigators Dave Tango and Amy Bruni, tech manager Steve Gonsalves and investigator-in-training Adam Berry.

Property owner Richard Chakejian gave TAPS members a tour of the property and noted that the asylum had about 3,000 residents when it closed. The tour consisted of stops in the Mayflower Building, Quaker Hall and Devon Hall, all of which are located on the institution’s lower campus. They also went into a spooky set of extensive tunnels that connect 26 buildings.

Chakejian described a long list of paranormal incidents that have happened in each of these locations of the years. These included voices, whispers, a piano playing, screaming, doors banging and slamming, a mysterious woman in a white dress, a ghostly girl with blond hair and “half torsos of men.”

In the Quaker Building, Chakejian said that there was an incident in which a crow bar was inexplicably thrown down a flight of stairs. He also said that some people have claimed to have seen faces in the building’s windows, but upon further investigation, no one was found to be inside.

Once the investigation began, TAPS members had a number of personal experiences and found a few pieces of interesting evidence.

In the tunnels, where investigators commented on the “weird acoustics,” investigators heard a bang, what sounded like a person walking and a loud “groan.” They also had heightened K2 meter activity. Adam and Amy thought they heard a cow and when they went topside, they discovered that there was a dairy farm next door.

In Devon Hall, investigators heard voices, banging, shuffling, knocking and possible “crying.” Jason and Grant also thought they saw a dark figure that looked like a “shadow that turned and darted,” but found nothing after a search. They also had heightened K2 activity in this building.

In the Mayflower Building, investigators heard dragging sounds, the sound of a door shutting, footsteps and knocking. Adam and Amy thought they heard a large animal on the third floor, but after a search they found all of the rooms and closets empty. They also experienced malfunctioning flashlights, and Adam was hit in the face with a bug during an especially tense moment.

In Quaker Hall, investigators heard shuffling sounds and footsteps in the basement. Dave and Steve also heard a loud metallic noise and eventually chalked it up to the sound of a heavy window screen slamming against a window frame. They found nothing to explain why the screen moved on its own. There was also heightened K2 meter activity in this building too, which Jason and Grant thought may have been caused by some type of natural interference in the building. They thought the meter was pulsing too regularly for it to be paranormal.

Dave, Steve, Amy and Adam conducted the analysis of all the evidence, and Jason and Grant conducted the reveal.

During the reveal, Jason and Grant told Chakejian about their encounter with the “black mass” in the Devon Building and discussed what they thought was a disembodied voice in the tunnels saying “Spring City.” (Spring City is a small town located in Chester County, Pa.)

Jason and Grant also talked about how Adam and Amy heard footsteps in the Mayflower Building and then a voice saying “go home” in the tunnels. They also played a recording of the two footsteps Steve and Dave heard in the basement of the Quaker Building. They also discussed the heavy bang from the window screen Steve and Dave heard in the Quaker Building.

Last but not least, Jason and Grant played a five to eight second EVP that sounded like a female laughing. This was recorded in the Mayflower Building and no one heard it when it happened even though it was audible on the recording.

In the end, I thought this was a pretty decent episode, an episode that was much better than the season premiere. I especially liked this week’s location, which had a dark history and looked very run-down and creepy.

This is actually not the first time that the asylum has been featured on a show like “Ghost Hunters.” It was the subject of an investigation that aired on an episode of the Travel Channel’s “Ghost Adventures” on Nov. 6, 2009.

How many of you saw last night’s episode? What did you think about it? What did you think about the evidence they collected? Let us know in the comments section below.

In next week’s episode of “Ghost Hunters,” TAPS investigators will check out the U.S.S. Olympia, the oldest steel-hulled ship in the world.

March was a busy month 100 years ago in Conecuh County

It’s that time of the month again, time to take a trip down memory lane and review all of the interesting things that took place in Conecuh County 100 years ago, way back in March 1911.

In the March 2, 1911 edition of The Conecuh Record newspaper, publisher and editor J.C. Whitcomb reported that “Mr. Hall of New Orleans is the new superintendent at the orphans’ home.”

Whitcomb also wrote that week that “we notice that some good work is being done on Main Street along by the orphanage. This street is used more than any other in the residence section and should be kept up to the standard.”

Readers that week also learned that “the town marshal can make some money by visiting old Evergreen. Stray cows and an occasional hog can be found at most any time day or night. A number of fences have been removed and the damage done to shrubs and plants is considerable and annoying.”

Also that week, under the headline “A Serious Accident,” subscribers saw that “T. Henderson, son of Mrs. A.E. Henderson, was seriously injured Wednesday night. He with several other boys were riding on a freight train and in attempting to alight he was thrown under the wheels. Dr. Stallworth attended him and removed several pieces of bone from the skull. His foot was also badly cut. Dr. Stallworth informs us that he is doing as well as could be expected.”

Whitcomb also reported that week that “Tuesday was the last day of the hunting season and every sportsman who could put in a day hunting and a large number of birds were killed.”

Readers that week also learned that “L.F. Goodson has been appointed tax commissioner by Gov. O’Neal.”

In the March 9, 1911 edition of The Record, Whitcomb reported that “T. Henderson, who was severely injured last week by a fall from the cars, is improving rapidly.”

Readers that week also learned that “several train loads of soldiers and their equipment passed through Evergreen Wednesday en route to Texas, where they have been ordered to assemble.”

Subscribers also saw that week that “Dr. J.S. Frazer, formerly of this city, has received an appointment as Commissioner of Education for the state. Mr. Frazer is well fitted for the position he has been honored with.”

That week’s paper also let readers know that “A.F. Davis’ familiar face may now be seen behind the counter at the Racket Store.”

Whitcomb also reported that week that “J.C. Travis was thrown from his carriage Monday afternoon by another carriage colliding with his. Mr. Travis was considerably shaken up but not severely injured.”

Readers that week also learned that “the ladies of the street committee of the Civic Improvement Club met last week and arranged to have a man clean up the streets every day which is badly needed.”

In the March 16, 1911 edition of The Record, it was reported that “Ely McCrory, our town marshal, is out again after a severe attack of typhoid fever. He is not strong enough yet to assume his duties on the street.”

In news from the Brooklyn community written by correspondent “Bottle Creek,” it was reported that “we are having a very dry spring in this vicinity. Some of our people have been compelled to dig their wells several feet deeper to obtain water.”

Readers that week also learned that “there will be a meeting at the court house Sat., April 1, of the U.C.V. or old soldiers. All are requested to be on hand at 11 a.m. (signed) M.B. Salter, Sergeant Major.”

Whitcomb also reported that week that “Will Fields, returned from Mobile yesterday, where he went to answer to a charge of illicit distilling of liquor before United States Court. Mr. Fields entered a plea of guilty and was sentenced, but the sentence was held up until May, pending an investigation of his physical condition by the federal authorities. Mr. Fields is not in good health, being almost an invalid, and it is believed that upon investigation of his condition he will not be confined to jail to serve out the sentence imposed.”

Whitcomb closed the week out by writing that “A.M. Stokes, a progressive farmer on Route 3, was in town yesterday and had his name added to our growing subscription list.”

In the March 23, 1911 edition of The Record, “Bottle Creek” offered more news from the Brooklyn community.

“Andrew Lewis was shot and killed here this week. His brother, Capt. Lewis, who was the only one present at the time, claims that it was a case of suicide. It is reported that Capt. Lewis is under arrest.”

Also that week, “Bottle Creek” reported that “Brooklyn is getting to be quite an automobile town. There were five here at one time Monday, taking on water and gasoline.”

Readers that week also learned that “Armor Lodge K. of P. initiated a candidate in the rank of knight at its regular convocation Tuesday night. The lodge is in a prosperous condition.”

Whitcomb also reported that week that “the first straw hat of the season made its appearance on the street this week. Hope the wearer will not be compelled to lay it aside on account of cold weather.”

Subscribers that week also learned that “an equinoctial storm struck Evergreen Wednesday night, a large quantity of water fell, giving the parched ground a good soaking and putting a smile on the farmers.”

Correspondent “E.B.” submitted news from the Crete community, writing that “the school at this place conducted by Miss Carley Ellis of Evergreen, came to a close last Friday. The concert was well attended and we thank the young people of Herbert for the good behavior.”

In the March 30, 1911 edition of The Record, Whitcomb reported that “the month of March has been one of the dullest for business in this section since the panic. Evergreen is not alone in this depression as the reports are that business is dull throughout the country. No particular reason is given for this condition at this season of the year.”

Also that week, under the headline “Fire,” readers learned that “Today (Thursday) at noon, fire broke out in a frame building on Big Hominy, owned by J. Golightly and occupied by Mr. Philyaw and family. A high wind was blowing at the time and the building was soon a mass of flames. The loss is total. Some of the furniture and bedding was saved.”

Under the headline “Base Ball,” subscribers saw that “Evergreen is to have a ball club for the season of 1911. During the past week the young men of the city have been busy organizing a ball team for this season. A sum of money has been subscribed and ground rented and the lovers of the game are assured of good sport during the summer months.”

Whitcomb also reported that week that “the county commissioners have recently purchased a parcel of land adjoining the jail and a fence will be erected around the building. A portion of the grounds will be reserved for farmers and others who come to town to hitch their horses and mules.”

Whitcomb closed out the month with the following news item.

“The City Grocery has just installed in its store a large up-to-date refrigerator, the first of the kind ever brought to Evergreen. It holds about 500 pounds of ice. Mr. Williams informs us that they will keep all their perishable goods in it, such as butter, cheese, berries, etc. and their patrons are assured of buying clean, fresh goods of them at all times.”

Well, I guess that’s all that space will allow for this month. Next month, I plan to take a look at the events of April 1911 in Conecuh County. Until then, if you get the urge to research the county’s past yourself, take advantage of the Evergreen-Conecuh County Public Library’s excellent selection of old newspapers on microfilm and other resources. The library’s friendly and courteous staff will be more than happy to get you started.

The Evergreen Courant's Sports Flashback for March 3, 2011

21 YEARS AGO
MARCH 1, 1990

“Red Level will hold warm-up domino tourney: The Red Level Band Boosters 7th Annual ‘Warm-Up’ Domino Tournament will be held on March 31 at Red Level High School beginning at 8 a.m. Play will be adults, doubles only, teens and children, singles only. Entry fees this year are $10 per person. There will be cash prizes and trophies given. Concessions will be available.”

“Softball meeting at Carver: There will be a softball meeting on March 8 at 7 p.m. at the Carver Recreation Center. Anyone interested in fielding a softball team for the upcoming season must attend. There will only be one more meeting. Play begins in April. For more information, contact David Thomas, Park Director.”

36 YEARS AGO
MARCH 6, 1975

“Sam Skipper, star halfback for the Sparta Academy Warriors, has been named to the South Team for the annual Alabama Private Schools Athletic Association All-Star Game. The game will be played Friday night, March 14, at Troy State University Stadium.
“Skipper has compiled a remarkable record at Sparta. He has been a starting halfback on both offense and defense for four years. This past season he piled up 780 yards rushing, averaging 5.6 yards per carry.
“Skipper is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Levaughn Skipper of Garland.”

51 YEARS AGO
MARCH 2, 1960

“Eagles Bow In Tourney by Oscar D. Tucker: The CCTS Eagles met an old nemesis in the S.A.A.A. Conference Tournament last Saturday afternoon and were eliminated by a score of 46-43 to their old nemesis, Booker T. Washington of Brewton. B.T.W. defeated the Eagles for the third time this season, and I think that’s par for the course. After this third drudging by the Trojans, they have made believers of us all.
“The Eagles were never out of the contest. They were losing by nine at the half, but came within one point with 55 seconds to go in the game. The Eagles had control of the ball at this crucial point, but a pass went away and a subsequent foul by an Eagleman on a one and one situation saw the Eagles lose a close, hard-fought basketball game to BTW by a score of 46-43.
“The Eagles journey to Brewton to play Southern Normal Monday night and perhaps to exhibit something they learned in the tournament.”

“Junior high basketball games scheduled to be played on Friday, March 4, are as follows: Castleberry at Butterick, CCTS at China, Nichburg at Lime Hill, Little Zion at Mount Zion and Sandy Grove at Rabb.”

My movie picks this week are 'The Adjustment Bureau' and '127 Hours'

It’s Wednesday, so today I give you my weekly list of movies that will open in theatres this week as well as a list of movies that will be released this week on DVD.

I hope this will serve as a useful guide as to what’s going on this week if you happen to be near a movie theatre or if you’re looking for something to drop into your NetFlix queue.

Movies that are scheduled to hit theatres this Friday include:

The Adjustment Bureau (Romance, Science Fiction, Drama, PG-13): Directed by George Nolfi and starring Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Anthony Mackie, Terence Stamp and John Slattery.

Beastley (Romance, Fantasy, PG-13): Directed by Daniel Barnz and starring Vanessa Hudgens, Alex Pettyfer, Mary-Kate Olsen, Neil Patrick Harris and Peter Krause.

HappyThankYouMorePlease (Comedy, Drama, R): Directed by Josh Radnor and starring Josh Radnor, Kate Mara, Zoe Kazan, Malin Akerman and Tony Hale.

The Human Resources Manager (Comedy, Drama, Not Yet Rated): Directed by Eran Riklis and starring Mark Ivanir, Noah Silver, Rozina Kambus, Julien Negulesco and Thanassis Karathanos.

I Saw the Devil (Suspense, Horror, Drama, Thriller, Not Rated): Directed by Kim Jee-Woon and starring Choi Min-Sik and Lee Byung-Hun.

Rango (Family, Animation, Adventure, PG): Directed by Gore Verbinski and starring voices of Johnny Depp, Abigail Breslin, Isla Fisher, Alfred Molina and Ray Winstone.

Take Me Home Tonight (Comedy, Drama, R): Directed by Michael Dowse and starring Topher Grace, Anna Faris, Dan Fogler, Teresa Palmer and Chris Pratt.

New DVD releases for the week of March 1 include:

127 Hours (Drama, Adventure, R): Directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco, Amber Tamblyn, Kate Mara, Lizzy Caplan and Clemence Posey.

Burlesque (Musicals, Drama, PG-13): Directed by Steven Antin and starring Christina Aguilera, Cher, Eric Dane, Cam Gigandet and Stanley Tucci.

Faster (Action, R): Directed by George Tillman Jr. and starring Dwayne Johnson, Billy Bob Thornton, Oliver Jackson-Cohen, Maggie Grace and Carla Gugino.

Love and Other Drugs (Comedy, Romance, Drama, R): Directed by Edward Zwick and starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Anne Hathaway, Judy Greer, Katheryn Winnick and Hank Azaria.

What If… (Drama, Family, PG): Directed by Dalla Jenkins and starring Kevin Sorbo, Kristy Swanson, John Ratzenberger, Debby Ryan and Kristin Minter.

If I could only watch one movie at the theatre this week, it would be “The Adjustment Bureau,” and if I had to pick just one DVD to rent this week, it would be “127 Hours.”

In the end, let me know if you get a chance to watch any of the new movies in theatres this week or if you’ve already seen any of the movies that have just been released on DVD. What did you think about them? Which would you recommend? Let us know in the comments section below.

'Devil' does for elevators what 'Jaws' did for sharks

A couple of days ago, I finally got around to watching the 2010 movie, “Devil,” and I have to say that this is the best, most entertaining horror movie that I’ve seen in a while.

“Devil,” which is also known as “The Night Chronicles: Devil,” was released in theatres on Sept. 17, 2010. Based on an M. Night Shyamalan story, this 80-minute movie was directed by John Erick Dowdle and was written by Brian Nelson. The cast featured Geoffrey Arend, Logan Marshall-Green, Chris Messina, Bojana Novakovic, Jenny O’Hara and Bokeem Woodbine.

The plot of this movie is deliciously simple. Five people become stranded while riding an elevator in a skyscraper, and as it turns out, one of them is the devil in disguise. Security personnel can see inside the elevator thanks to a closed circuit camera and can talk to the elevators occupants. However, communications are only one way because the folks on the elevator can’t answer back from their end.

It’s not long before the lights flicker off and when they come back on, one of the elevator’s occupants is dead, having been stabbed in the throat. No one is sure who did it, and the remaining four begin to turn on each other as they try to determine who the real killer is.

As the building’s maintenance crew, firefighters and police work to free those trapped inside the elevator, the mystery surrounding the true identity of the killer only deepens. Before it’s all said and done, you may find yourself wondering if you’ll ever step foot on an elevator again. This movie does for elevators what “Jaws” did for sharks.

This movie was highly entertaining, and there was no perceptible lull in the action from start to finish. It reminded me of the board game “Clue” in that it forced you figure out who the real killer was before it was too late.

I personally think that “Devil” is one of the best horror movies of 2010, and when this movie wasn’t included in this year’s short list of nominees for the Saturn Award for Best Horror/Thriller Film, I was shocked. (Why they combined the Horror and Thriller categories this year I’ll never know.)

On the upshot, I was pleased to read that “Devil” is actually the first installment of a planned trilogy of films called “The Night Chronicles,” which explores the supernatural forces in modern urban settings. The working title for the second installment is “Reincarnate.” It’s supposedly about a jury that has to make a decision in a case that involves supernatural elements. It’s also being reported that the as yet untitled third installment will be a sequel to the 2000 film “Unbreakable,” which was written and directed by Shyamalan.

I really enjoyed “Devil,” and if the next two movies in “The Night Chronicles” are as good as the first installment, we’re in for a treat.

In the end, how many of you have seen “Devil”? What did you think about it? Did you like it? Dislike it? What was your favorite part? Which part did you think was the scariest? Let us know in the comments section below.