This novel is actually a series of short stories tied together by a grandmother's death and a grandson's and daughter's memories. The stories are about simple people who are much more complex than they seem. This is an enjoyable read, one that brought back fond memories for me. ( )

Although the cover says “a novel,” Farewell, I’m Bound to Leave You is really a collection of loosely connected short stories, bound together by a strong sense of place — the small mountain hamlets of North Carolina.

In the opening, Jess Kirkman’s grandmother lies dying in the back bedroom, with her daughter by her side. Jess and his father have been banished to the front room, and in the silence of their waiting, Jess recalls the stories his grandmother and mother have told him over the years. The stories are all about women and aspects of being a woman, reflected in their titles: “The Feistiest Woman,” “The Helpinest Woman,” “The Remembering Women,” and so on. While many of the stories are about death, they are all about the love of women — particularly the love women have for one another.

Chappell’s stories remind us that he is best-known as a poet, as his writing has a simple but lyrical quality that precisely evokes the places and people he describes. One of my favorite stories, “The Wind Woman,” reads like a dream and is about the process of creation itself, in which we learn that young Jess is a writer and is collecting these old stories in order to save them. The other stories range from funny to horrific to tragic, but they share an appreciation for the strength and beauty of women. ( )

http://www.amazon.com/Farewell-Im-Bound-Leave-You/dp/0312168349 ( )