"The Sweetgum Knit Lit Society"

   What a title!  "Sweetgum" is the name of the small town in Tennessee, named after the sweetgum trees growing there. And the novel is about a group of ladies that knit and read.

sweetgum tree

   It certainly is no literary masterpiece, but I thought it was fun- only 5 ladies of various ages.  The town librarian is the leader who chooses the books and she also chooses a knitting project to fit the theme of the book. e.g. a hat for the goatherder in "Heidi".
   Each of the ladies is facing serious life issues  that you become aware of as the story goes along.
   The focal point is Hannah- a teenager who lives in poverty in a trailer with a mother, whose boyfriend is a problem for Hannah.  The librarian, Eugenie, meets Hannah when she discovers that Hannah has ripped a knitting pattern from a library book.  In her strict librarian way, Eugenie suggests that she work off the price of a new book, and takes note of Hannah's interest in knitting.     Hannah is introduced to the 'knit and lit' group, so she can pursue her interest in knitting and also read the classics that Eugenie thinks would be helpful to her life- classics about strong girls.
  This book was a nice change of pace for me, as I thought of women's issues and how helpful it can be to share experiences with other women.  Reading and knitting are lovely themes, along with friendship, that warm the heart.