Ellen's very slow meander through the 50 states

This will take a while since I've taken on several other challenges for 2011, but I figure I'll give myself lots of time to complete the set.

Washington -- Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet (read in 2010)

Idaho -- The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America -- this could probably count for Montana, as well, but I'll designate it for Idaho for now.

I loved Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet when I read it.

Texas -- Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
This is turning out to be a wonderful read!

Alabama -
Alaska -
Arizona -
Arkansas -
California - City of Bones (Harry Bosch) by Michael Connelly
Colorado -
Connecticut - The Accident by Linwood Barclay
Delaware -
Florida - The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald
Georgia -
Hawaii -
Idaho - The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan
Illinois -
Indiana -
Iowa -
Kansas -
Kentucky -
Louisiana - A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
Maine -
Maryland - Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Massachusetts -
Michigan - The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton
Minnesota - Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Mississippi - Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
Missouri -
Montana -
Nebraska -
Nevada -
New Hampshire -
New Jersey -
New Mexico -
New York - Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch
North Carolina - The Enemy by Lee Child
North Dakota -
Ohio -
Oklahoma -
Oregon - The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
Pennsylvania -
Rhode Island -
South Carolina -
South Dakota -
Tennessee -
Texas - Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
Utah -
Vermont -
Virginia - I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman
Washington - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
West Virginia -
Wisconsin -
Wyoming -

Maryland -- Kindred by Octavia E. Butler

North Carolina -- The Enemy by Lee Child

Freedom is set in more than one state, but since the initial action takes place in Minnesota, and since the emotional center seems to be that state, I'm counting it for Minnesota. Um, 6 down, 44 to go......

Just finished Kings of the Earth. I don't know how I heard about this one -- I had put it on hold at the library (I must have read a review, or someone recommended it, or something) but had no memory of it. I'm glad I chose to read it. It was surprisingly moving and engaging. New York

Oregon, where I lived for 13 years. Not only was The Girl Who Fell From the Sky a moving story of race, identity, coming of age, and the pain of a family heritage of suicide --- it was also enjoyable to read references to Portland, a city with which I feel such a strong connection.

For California, I'll count my most recent Harry Bosch mystery: City of Bones. Not the best in the series, but it still took place in California (LA).

For Mississippi, I've read Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter --- also for my TIOLI Edgar Award challenge for July. Gave it four stars.

For Michigan, I'll count The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton. I read this for my TIOLI Edgar Award challenge. The "home" part of it is set in Michigan, although the action moves around to a few other states. A great read!

I discovered this by accident and loved it too. Wish she would write some more.

I am counting I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman for Virginia. Just an okay read, another one for my Edgar Challenge.

I feel like I'd like to read something a bit more intellectually challenging for a couple of the states. I'll have to work on that in August.....

The Accident by Linwood Barclay is set in Connecticut. It's a mediocre read (2.5 stars) and the state in which it's set is largely irrelevant, but I'm taking credit in any case.

A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines is set in Louisiana in the late 1940s. It's a beautiful and painful novel about the death penalty, race, friendship, and self-respect during Jim Crow in the South.

Alabama -
Alaska -
Arizona -
Arkansas -
California - City of Bones (Harry Bosch) by Michael Connelly
Colorado -
Connecticut - The Accident by Linwood Barclay
Delaware -
Florida - The Deep Blue Good-by by John D. MacDonald
Georgia -
Hawaii -
Idaho - The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America by Timothy Egan
Illinois -
Indiana -
Iowa -
Kansas -
Kentucky -
Louisiana - A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines
Maine -
Maryland - Kindred by Octavia E. Butler
Massachusetts -
Michigan - The Lock Artist by Steve Hamilton
Minnesota - Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
Mississippi - Crooked Letter, Crooked Letter by Tom Franklin
Missouri -
Montana -
Nebraska -
Nevada -
New Hampshire -
New Jersey -
New Mexico -
New York - Kings of the Earth by Jon Clinch
North Carolina - The Enemy by Lee Child
North Dakota -
Ohio -
Oklahoma -
Oregon - The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
Pennsylvania -
Rhode Island -
South Carolina -
South Dakota -
Tennessee -
Texas - Black Water Rising by Attica Locke
Utah -
Vermont -
Virginia - I'd Know You Anywhere by Laura Lippman
Washington - Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford
West Virginia -
Wisconsin -
Wyoming -