A Southern GirlA Novel
Book Description:
The worlds of privilege and poverty collide in this moving tale of adoption, identity, belonging, dedication, and love.
Elizabeth, a self-proclaimed liberal with a global sense of duty, is eager for the adoption, while Coleman, a scion of the Old South, is at best a reluctant participant. But the arrival of Soo Yun (later called Allie) into the Carter household and the challenging reactions of Coleman's peers and parents awakens in him a broadening sense of responsibility and dedication to his new family that opens his eyes to the subtle racism and exclusionary activities that had dominated his sheltered life. To garner Allie's entrance into Charleston society, Coleman must come to terms with his past and guide Allie toward finding her own origins as the Carters forge a new family identity and confront generations-old fears inherent in Southern traditions of purity and prestige.
Deftly told through the distinctive voices of Allie's birth mother, her orphanage nurse, her adoptive mother Elizabeth, and finally Coleman himself, A Southern Girl brings us deeply into Allie's plights—first for her very survival and then for her sense of identity, belonging, and love in her new and not always welcoming culture. In this truly international tale, John Warley guides us through the enclaves of southern privilege in New Hampton, Virginia, and Charleston, the poverty-stricken back alleys of Seoul, South Korea, the jungles of Vietnam, and the stone sidewalks of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, as the bonds between father and daughter become strong enough to confront the trials of their pasts and present alike.
The first release from Pat Conroy's Story River Books, A Southern Girl includes a foreword by New York Times bestselling novelist Therese Anne Fowler.
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, a native South Carolinian, is a graduate of the Citadel and the University of Virginia School of Law. He practiced law in Virginia until 1993, when he moved to Mexico to write and teach. Now a full-time writer, Warley divides his time between Beaufort, South Carolina, and San Miguel de Allende, Mexico. His previous books include Bethesda's Child and The Moralist. He and his wife, Barbara, have three sons, Caldwell, Nelson, and Carter, born in Newport News, Virginia, and a daughter, MaryBeth, born in Seoul, South Korea.
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A few glowing accolades below:
"John Warley's A Southern Girl is a stunning achievement: a beautifully written and heartfelt account of a father's love for an adopted daughter, and his struggles in helping her find her own identify in an elite yet conflicted society. Based on the author's own experiences, this triumphant story belongs to anyone who has ever loved, grieved, questioned, rejoiced, despaired, and risked it all for the strongest bond of all, that glorious, undefinable unit we call family."—Cassandra King, bestselling author of five novels including Moonrise
"With both skill and passion, John Warley
carries the reader through generations and countries. Following plot
twists and heart-turns, we become a member of many families, loving and
loathing as we do in any real family. A Southern Girl is rich
with trustworthy and vulnerable narrators who allow us the privilege of
entering the secret traditions and lore-soaked South as well as the
clandestine corners of the character's souls. This is a gorgeous,
heartfelt book from a masterful storyteller; I didn't want to miss a
word of Warley's whispered secrets."—Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling author of And Then I Found You, Coming Up for Air, and others
"John Warley's novel A Southern Girl
takes us on a fascinating and powerful emotional journey that proves
itself to be a richly rewarding story of life and family. It's simply
unforgettable. Congratulations, Mr. Warley!"—Dorothea Benton Frank, New York Times bestselling author of ten novels
"Forget what you know about the South.
John Warley serves up a unique perspective and challenges perceptions of
the southern belle. A powerhouse of emotion, A Southern Girl
explores the depths of parental love and the lengths to which it will
go. Warley's words are fresh and urgent and beg you to keep
reading."—Nicole Seitz, author of A Hundred Years of Happiness and Beyond Molasses Creek
"Nobody does family pride like a
Southerner. But in his balletic, big-hearted new novel, John Warley
cajoles and challenges the limits of that pride. Here, it's the beaming,
fatherly love awakened by an adopted child that's cause for
celebration, rather than one's ancestral silver or membership in the St.
Cecilia Society. While reading A Southern Girl—-a rebel yell
for the traditional, non-traditional family—I was wondrously reminded of
theologian Stanley Hauerwas's great line: 'If you want to welcome the
stranger, have a child.' No kidding."—Robert Leleux, author of The Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy and The Living End
