How can you resist a book that begins, ''Bubble Riley decided to drink all the wine in the world the night Billy cut the soldier''s lung in half''? It''s a fine and appropriate opening line, for The Acorn Plan is about excess—too much drinking, fighting, pride, family history—and Tim McLaurin conveys his understanding of such things in a clear Southern voice. — New York Times Book Review

A novel about people who work in cotton mills and eat pork chop sandwiches and are bad to get knee-walking drunk on Mad Dog 20/20 win, people who fight with knives, and hate and love like crazy and dream wild dreams. Tim McLaurin is a wonderful writer. — Lee Smith

The Acorn Plan stays with me, bruising my heart like the lonely memory of a freight train passing through the middle of the night. — Louise Shivers

A powerful and compelling novel by a young writer who has a talent and voice all his own. — Harry Crews