The Road from Gap Creek

Following the best-selling Gap Creek, an Oprah Book Club Selection that traces the early marriage of Julie and Hank Richards, Morgan writes a sequel that continues the story of the couple and their four children. Through daughter Annie's narrative, we learn of the effects of war as well as the far-reaching ramifications of the Great Depression. The novel begins with the death of son Troy during World War II and flows through time to describe the family's experiences in the Appalachian South. The seemingly insignificant events, such as the mad dog that attempts to attack Annie or the presence of the short-tempered Albert, make the story and characters real to the readers, and key climactic moments also contribute to the novel's authenticity. While the language is effortless, Morgan's occasional poeticism is refreshing: "I reckon a woman knows she's in love when she keeps loving a man she don't want to love."