Long Man

A Novel

By: Amy Greene

Narrated by: Dale Dickey

From the critically acclaimed author of Bloodroot, a gripping, wondrously evocative novel of a family in turmoil, set against the backdrop of real-life historical event—the story of three days in the summer of 1936, as a government-built dam is about to flood an Appalachian town, and a little girl goes missing.

A river called Long Man has coursed through East Tennessee from time immemorial, bringing sustenance to the people who farm along its banks and who trade among its small towns. But as Long Man opens, the Tennessee Valley Authority’s plans to dam the river and flood the town of Yuneetah for the sake of progress—to bring electricity and jobs to the region—are about to take effect. Just a few days remain before the river will rise, and most of the town has been evacuated. Among the holdouts is a young, headstrong mother, Annie Clyde Dodson, whose ancestors have lived for generations on her mountaintop farm; she’ll do anything to ensure that her three-year-old daughter, Gracie, will inherit the family’s land. But her husband wants to make a fresh start in Michigan, where he’s found work that will bring the family a more secure future. As the deadline looms, a storm as powerful as the emotions between them rages outside their door. Suddenly they realize that Gracie is nowhere to be found. Has the little girl simply wandered off into the rain? Or has she been taken by Amos, the mysterious drifter who has come back to Yuneetah, perhaps to save his hometown in a last, desperate act of violence?

Suspenseful, visceral, gorgeously told, Long Man is a searing portrait of a tight-knit community brought together by change and crisis, and of one family facing a terrifying ticking clock. A novel set in history that resonates with our own times, it is a dazzling and unforgettable tour de force.

©2014 Amy Greene (P)2014 Random House Audio

Critic reviews

“Greene even-handedly renders a lost and mostly forgotten world to perfection in Long Man. It’s midsummer 1936, and in the bucolic Tennessee town of Yuneetah, FDR is a pretty unpopular president. Through his federal programs, geared to revive the economy and bring electricity to the region, locals are being bought out or relocated. [But] not everyone is going quietly into that good night. Annie Clyde Dodson and her folks have labored for generations on a hilltop farm, and it’s her dream to introduce her daughter to a natural world the author memorably renders as a New World Eden . . . Caught up in this drama are several colorful figures, all with troubled pasts, buried secrets being brought to the surface like graves uncovered by the enveloping waters.” —Dan Dervin, Fredericksburg Free-Lance Star

“Greene was immediately hailed as a new voice in Southern literature when she published Bloodroot, her first novel. In Long Man, she finds a way to embrace both the beauty and the intrinsic ferocity of small-town Appalachia as she returns to [its] hills, this time with a look at people who don’t want to leave, despite outside threats . . . She has written a vibrant novel, gripping in its depiction of what has been forgotten. Be sure to put some time aside. Long Man is spellbinding as it chronicles endings and beginnings with the hardscrabble poetry of the way of life it depicts.” —Steven Whitton, The Anniston Star

“Gorgeous . . . A novel about passion, mystery and loss . . . A panorama of a people and way of life pressed upon by progress. Strong women [are] key to the plot and soul. The book is also about evocative writing. It’s pungent, and never lazy. It can make a reader nostalgic for a place she’s never known . . . A virtually perfect blend of lyrical writing and page-turning plot. This book gives me hope for the future of the literary novel. Beautiful.” —Karen Sandstrom, Cleveland Plain Dealer

This is where I came from.

This is where I came from. However, I was never taught the brutality of what happened regarding the TVA. Why weren’t we taught this when we lived so close? My GrandDaddy worked for the TVA for years, but died young. Nothing about his experiences were ever recorded.
Why weren’t we taught this in TN history classes?
All I can figure is that my so many of my family came from a place of pride and didn’t want to be defined as victims. At least I do know that was the kind of man my Papa was.
Still. I have so many mixed emotions regarding the TVA.

Wanted to love it

I loved Bloodroot but this did not live up to my expectations. It was overly sentimental, and melodramatic. Greene has a way with words, but got lost in the gratuitous descriptions that did not serve character development or plot development .The beauty of the language in this novel is undeniable. However, the storyline seemed heavily reliant on the rich language alone to propel the story. It wasn't enough for me. I wanted to know more about Silver, Beulah, Mary, and Amos.

Gritty and Evocative

If you could sum up Long Man in three words, what would they be?

Heartfelt, stylistic and gothic

What was one of the most memorable moments of Long Man?

The moment when Annie Clyde's aunt confesses to the last moment that Gracie was seen. It's a twist I wasn't expecting.

Which character – as performed by Dale Dickey – was your favorite?

Annie Clyde's voice as performed by Dickey is so emotion-filled, it was hard not to get choked up. Dale Dickey MADE this book for me. Her narration and accent is perfectly suited to the tone, setting and historical dialect.

Beautiful book

Beautiful book about Appalachia in the 1930's beautifully performed. Author and narrator are a perfect pair.

Loved it!

Greene is a literary master. This novel brought out all my emotions. I loved every single word. A must read!

Unforgettable

It grabs you at the beginning and holds you to the last word.
It is well written.

fascinating and beautiful story of family

i love amy greene. i want her to write stories like this (and Bloodroot) forever and ever.

as with Bloodroot, this book is perfectly written. not a wasted word, not a misplaced thought. the characters are so full of emotion and sadness and nuance. i truly believe that they are jumping off the pages and living in the real world.

this is a story of family. a mother's love (both annie and beulah). how far someone will go for what they believe in.

it's just amazing, beautifully written - beautifully read and will be revisited soon.

A National Heritage story

Being from East Tennessee I especially enjoyed this bit of history it connected me with the type of folks that I came from. But anyone would enjoy this beautifully written, and well read story of an important piece of American history.

The Impact of the TVA from the other side. Beautifully written.

The TVA story has gone down in history as a success story, and it is. What few have been told is the devastation that success had in the people living then in what is now under water.

This lovely novel weaves together a compelling story with the real impact of the lost towns of the TVA and the forced evacuations its creation mandated.

Characters were richly describe and woven carefully in the story. The reader will welcome you to sit a while

I liked it all, Strong women, moments touch your heart. Sensitive people and small town roots. Giving up land in order to move with progress. Unforgettable