Critical Praise

"I read this book straight through."

—Lee Smith

"THE DRY GRASS OF AUGUST is a haunting debut about family bonds that stretch without breaking, and a panoramic glimpse into an older America and the dying of an age. Young Jubie Watts is the perfect heroine and narrator of this tale with her clear-eyed look at the inconsistencies of the adults around her, and for her courage to ask ‘why.' Ms. Mayhew creates authentic characters and a Southern setting that will make you feel and smell a summer day from half a century ago. A beautiful book that fans of THE HELP will enjoy."

—Karen White, New York Times bestselling author