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Birmingham -- T.R. Pearson has been compared to Mark Twain and William Faulkner for his Southern influenced prose and circuitous, anecdotal narratives. Pearson's first novel, "A Short History of a Small Place" won rave reviews from readers and the praise of critics as well. 20 years later, he's out with its sequel: "Glad News of the Natural World", which again follows narrator Louis Benfield. Benfield was 13 and living in North Carolina in the original book. In "Glad News" he's fully grown, though not quite grown up, and working a collection of odd jobs in New York. WBHM's Tanya Ott spoke with Pearson about the book.

T.R. Pearson will be signing his new book, "Glad News of the Natural World", at seven tonight at Books & Company. Pearson's next book is a non-fiction retelling of the story of a man who sailed a homebuilt raft across the Pacific.

-- Tanya Ott, May 9, 2005