Eatin' Crow, and the Best Man in Garotte
Eatin' Crow is a novel by Frank Harris, first published in 1971. It tells the story of a young man, John, who is sent to a small town in the American South to work as a farmhand. He quickly finds himself in the middle of a feud between two powerful families, the Crows and the Garottes. As he gets to know the people of the town, he discovers that the feud is rooted in a long-standing grudge between the two families, and that it has been simmering for generations. He also discovers that the feud has been kept alive by a series of secrets and lies, and that the truth of the matter is far more complicated than it appears. The Best Man in Garotte The Best Man in Garotte is a novel by Frank Harris, first published in 1972. It tells the story of a young man, John, who is sent to a small town in the American South to work as a farmhand. He quickly finds himself in the middle of a feud between two powerful families, the Crows and the Garottes. As he gets to know the people of the town, he discovers that the feud is rooted in a long-standing grudge between the two families, and that it has been simmering for generations. He also discovers that the feud has been kept alive by a series of secrets and lies, and that the truth of the matter is far more complicated than it appears. In the end, John must decide which side he will take in the feud, and whether he will be the one to finally bring peace to the town.
By Frank Harris · First published 1931 · Genre: Southern Gothic, Drama, Mystery · 2 chapters · 5,320 words
First lines
The evening on which Charley Muirhead made his first appearance at Doolan's was a memorable one; the camp was in wonderful spirits. Whitman was said to have struck it rich. Garotte, therefore, might yet become popular in the larger world, and its evil reputation be removed. Besides, what Whitman had done any one might do, for by common consent he was a "derned fool." Good-humour accordingly reigned at Doolan's, and the saloon was filled with an excited, hopeful crowd. Bill Bent, however, was anything but pleased; he generally was in a bad temper, and this evening, as Crocker remarked carelessly, he was "more ornery than ever." The rest seemed to pay no attention to the lanky, dark man with the narrow head, round, black eyes, and rasping voice. But Bent would croak: "Whitman's struck nothin'; thar ain't no gold in Garotte; it's all work and no dust." In this strain he went on, offending local sentiment and making every one uncomfortable.
What this Textopian page supports
Eatin' Crow, and the Best Man in Garotte is listed on Textopian as a short story by Frank Harris, dated 1931 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Short story
- Author: Frank Harris
- Date: 1931 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Southern Gothic, Drama, Mystery, Romance
- Length: 5,320 words
- Structure: 2 chapters, 75 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Eatin' Crow, and the Best Man in Garotte by Frank Harris
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Eatin' Crow, and the Best Man in Garotte?
- How does this short story by Frank Harris fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Southern Gothic first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Sheriff And His Partner by Frank Harris
- Una Of The Hill Country by Mary Noailles Murfree
- Thomas Jefferson Brown by James Oliver Curwood
- The Phantom Of Bogue Holauba by Mary Noailles Murfree
- Run To Seed by Thomas Nelson Page
- Competition by James Causey
Genres
- Southern Gothic — The book is set in the fictional town of Garotte, which is likely located in the Southern United States. The plot follows a man's journey to redemption, which is a common theme in Southern Gothic literature.
- Drama — The book follows the protagonist's journey to redemption, which is a common theme in drama literature.
- Mystery — The book follows the protagonist's journey to uncover the truth about his past, which is a common theme in mystery literature.
- Romance — The book follows the protagonist's journey to find love, which is a common theme in romance literature.
Tags
Fiction · Short stories · bent · boys · came · camp · charley · come · crocker · crowd · eyes · face