Charlaine Harris: "The Sookie Stackhouse Companion"

Author: Charlaine Harris
Title: The Sookie Stackhouse Companion
Publisher: Berkley, 2011

     If you are a huge fan of the SOOKIE STACKHOUSE (SS) series, this is a must-have purchase. For others, it is a great reference that you can check out from your local library. Click HERE to read my review of the SS series.    

     Here's a look at what's in the book:

Preface: The World of Sookie Stackhouse Charlaine Harris, p. ix:

This brief introduction to the book provides a few interesting background bits—including how the author created her characters' names.  

Bon Temps and Its Environs, p. xii:

This is a map of Bon Temps and environs. Haven't you always wanted to know where Hot Shot is? Beware, though. The map is so small as to be incomprehensible in the Kindle version.

"Small-Town Wedding," p. 1:

In this nice little SS story, Sookie and Sam take a road trip to his Texas hometown for a family wedding, where they run into hordes of species bigots. The best part of the story is that it finally resolves the situation between Sookie and Quinn.


Life in Bon Temps, by Victoria Koski, p. 81:

This valuable section provides a day-by-day recap of the major events in all of the SS books and short stories—from Dead Until Dark through Dead Reckoning. If you can't quite remember the chronology of the action, this is the section for you. It includes a rather silly fanfiction addenda for each book entitled "The Secret Dialogues of Bill and Eric," but the rest of this chapter is a great information source for anyone invested in the series.
 

The Sookie Short Stories and Related Material, by Charlaine Harris, p. 211:

Harris explains exactly how and where each short story fits into the series.

Vampires, Two-Natured, and Fairies, Oh My!: Sookie Discusses the Creatures She's Met, by Charlaine Harris, p. 217:

In just a few pages, Sookie explains what she has learned about vampires, shifters, and fairies.

Sookie's Family Tree, p. 226:
This diagram traces Sookie's lineage back to Niall and his generation. Once again, this graphic has tiny print and is almost unreadable on the Kindle.

Sookie Stackhouse Trivia: How Much of a Sookie Fan Are You? By Beverly Battillo and Victoria Koski, p. 227:

If you think you are up to snuff on the series, try your luck on this quiz. It's a book-by-book list of questions about the characters and the action.

What's Cookin' in Bon Temps: A Selection of Down-Home Southern Recipes, p. 241:

Not the most valuable chapter, but interesting, nonetheless. The butter-friendly recipes are submitted by Harris and others. Recipes are divided into sections: breakfast, lunch, supper, sides, desserts, and drinks.

Inside True Blood: Alan Ball Answers Questions from the Fans, p. 28:
This section gives us a behind-the-scenes look at the television series. In answer to several questions, Ball explains how his show differs from Harris's books.

From Mystery to Mayhem: The Works of Charlaine Harris, by Beverly Battillo, p. 289:

Harris has written three other series besides SS, and this chapter summarizes each one: AURORA TEAGARDEN, LILY BARD, and HARPER CONNELLY. It also includes a list of titles for SS and a discussion of True Blood. Click HERE to read my review of the HARPER CONNELLY series.

Recollections Around the Duckpond: The Fans of Charlaine Harris, by Beverly Battillo, p. 295:

This is the least valuable chapter. It's a fan club organizer's recollections about her involvement with Harris and her works. 

Charlaine Harris Answers Questions from Her Fans, p. 301:

Another not-too-valuable section with low-ball questions from fans and answers from Harris. Harris is very polite and patient about answering several questions based on fans' misinterpretation of particular situations in the books. 

A Guide to the World of Sookie Stackhouse Victoria Koski, p. 313:

This is arguably the most valuable section—a veritable goldmine—because it lists just about every main and supporting character in the series and provides summaries of their involvement in the action, including all of the novels and stories in which they appear. In particular, the chapter explains the connections between the various characters and Sookie.