Where I Come from: Stories from the Deep South
- Downloads：2892
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2021-08-11 10:19:00
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Rick Bragg
- ISBN：0593310802
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
In this irresistible collection of wide-ranging and endearingly personal columns culled from his best-loved pieces in Southern Living and Garden & Gun， Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rick Bragg muses on everything from his love of Tupperware to the decline of country music; from the legacy of Harper Lee to the metamorphosis of the pickup truck; and from the best way to kill fire ants to why any self-respecting Southern man worth his salt should carry a good knife。
An ode to the stories and the history of the South， crackling with tenderness， wit， and deep affection， Where I Come From celebrates "a litany of great talkers， blue-green waters， deep casseroles， kitchen-sink permanents， lying fishermen， haunted mansions， and dogs that never die， things that make this place more than a dotted line on a map or a long-ago failed rebellion， even if only in some cold-weather dream。" Evoking the beauty and the odd particularity of humble origins， Bragg's searching vision， generous humor， and richly nuanced voice bring a place， a people， and a world vividly to life。
An ode to the stories and the history of the South， crackling with tenderness， wit， and deep affection， Where I Come From celebrates "a litany of great talkers， blue-green waters， deep casseroles， kitchen-sink permanents， lying fishermen， haunted mansions， and dogs that never die， things that make this place more than a dotted line on a map or a long-ago failed rebellion， even if only in some cold-weather dream。" Evoking the beauty and the odd particularity of humble origins， Bragg's searching vision， generous humor， and richly nuanced voice bring a place， a people， and a world vividly to life。
Reviews
Cassie Zabek
，
Ab
Lamandra
，
As always， I was captivated by Bragg’s nostalgic， romantic musings on family， food and the South that he loves。
Sean
，
The only reason I'm doing three stars is that Rick Bragg has a ton of great books out there， including some great collections of his reporting。 The essays contained in this book are a great look into Bragg's complex relation to the South - or as the Drive-By Truckers state: "the duality of the southern thing。" The first half of the book is the high point of this collection， especially when he talks about the eccentric characters he's profiled and the food he's consumed。 The second half meanders The only reason I'm doing three stars is that Rick Bragg has a ton of great books out there， including some great collections of his reporting。 The essays contained in this book are a great look into Bragg's complex relation to the South - or as the Drive-By Truckers state: "the duality of the southern thing。" The first half of the book is the high point of this collection， especially when he talks about the eccentric characters he's profiled and the food he's consumed。 The second half meanders a bit as he gets more into the philosophical musings of Bragg。 Still， a breezy summer read。 。。。more
Mary Prus
，
My people， our people， us！I would laugh outloud， or maybe it was just a chortle， and realize tears were on my cheeks。 How does he do that I wondered？ A sense of place， a taste of some delicacy that made my mouth water just reading about it。 If we all loved home， our mothers and our people they way Rick does， this world would be a better place。 "Read this and send his mom some flowers。" My people， our people， us！I would laugh outloud， or maybe it was just a chortle， and realize tears were on my cheeks。 How does he do that I wondered？ A sense of place， a taste of some delicacy that made my mouth water just reading about it。 If we all loved home， our mothers and our people they way Rick does， this world would be a better place。 "Read this and send his mom some flowers。" 。。。more
Gretchen
，
Mostly listened to on audio。 Narrated skillfully by the author。 It made me home sick for the south
Bonnie Bergeron
，
A quick， fun read of stories from Rick Bragg's life that keeps me smiling。 A quick， fun read of stories from Rick Bragg's life that keeps me smiling。 。。。more
Relyn
，
I have loved Rick Bragg's writing for a long， long time。 I have subscribed to magazines because he wrote a short column each month。 But。。。 all these stories felt too familiar。 Maybe because I read all those columns for all those year。 I have loved Rick Bragg's writing for a long， long time。 I have subscribed to magazines because he wrote a short column each month。 But。。。 all these stories felt too familiar。 Maybe because I read all those columns for all those year。 。。。more
Debbie
，
I used to subscribe to Southern Living and as soon as it arrived， I would flip to the back where Rick Bragg’s monthly essay would be。 Several of the essays in Where I Come From seem very familiar to me and I believe they were probably originally published in Southern Living。 But they are all still a joy to read。 I don’t think there is another writer who can so accurately describe life in the South。 Rick Bragg is a man who likes to eat and there are such loving descriptions of southern food that I used to subscribe to Southern Living and as soon as it arrived， I would flip to the back where Rick Bragg’s monthly essay would be。 Several of the essays in Where I Come From seem very familiar to me and I believe they were probably originally published in Southern Living。 But they are all still a joy to read。 I don’t think there is another writer who can so accurately describe life in the South。 Rick Bragg is a man who likes to eat and there are such loving descriptions of southern food that it will make you drool as you read。 I have read so much about his family， I am starting to feel like they are my family。 My favorite portions of the book were the essays concerning his mother， food， traffic in Atlanta， his mother’s dog and his first trip to Florida as a child。 He also discusses a few southern writers。 He was friends with Pat Conroy。 He met Harper Lee and there are a couple of essays about her and To Kill a Mockingbird。 This is a wonderful collection and I enjoyed every story。 。。。more
Amanda Renslow
，
I've never felt like I could identify myself as a Southerner， having only been born and not raised here。 However， so many of Bragg's stories resonated with me， and I could find glimpses of my own family and upbringing within the pages。 I listened to the audio version which is read by Bragg himself， and that was a real treat。 I laughed outloud many times and would listen again just for the joy of it。 I've never felt like I could identify myself as a Southerner， having only been born and not raised here。 However， so many of Bragg's stories resonated with me， and I could find glimpses of my own family and upbringing within the pages。 I listened to the audio version which is read by Bragg himself， and that was a real treat。 I laughed outloud many times and would listen again just for the joy of it。 。。。more
Teri
，
Loved this book of short stories from Rick Bragg。 In a lot of ways， it reminded me of my childhood spent just 72 miles up the road from "Where Rick is From"。 Loved this book of short stories from Rick Bragg。 In a lot of ways， it reminded me of my childhood spent just 72 miles up the road from "Where Rick is From"。 。。。more
Angie
，
Excellent book。 I thoroughly enjoyed this collection of essays。
Christopher Pokorny
，
I picked this up at a local bookstore in NC on a whim。 I wanted something light， local and refreshing to read。 Rock Bragg definitely provides that in his short vignettes on Southern life。 He pulls from childhood memories， pop culture and his humble life。 There’s something for everyone in “Where I Come From。” It’s like riding in a car with an old friend， reminiscing and sharing life。
Barbara Kochick
，
I listened to the audio。 The combination of Bragg’s accented， deep， slightly raspy voice and his lyrical ode to all things good and Southern was pitch perfect。
Devonne West
，
This is my introductory book to Rick Bragg。 What a wonderful gem of a book filled with "feel-good" stories， humor， and just down-right common sense。 I'm not from Atlanta or New Orleans， but Rick's kind of people are my kind of people。。。。and as divided as our country is right now， I think we can all relate to something in this book。 I hope we find that common link and focus on that instead of the things that divide us。 Thank you， Rick。 This is my introductory book to Rick Bragg。 What a wonderful gem of a book filled with "feel-good" stories， humor， and just down-right common sense。 I'm not from Atlanta or New Orleans， but Rick's kind of people are my kind of people。。。。and as divided as our country is right now， I think we can all relate to something in this book。 I hope we find that common link and focus on that instead of the things that divide us。 Thank you， Rick。 。。。more
Taylor
，
Well， that was a charming audiobook！ I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this compilation of stories， which often times had me chuckling out loud to myself。 First book I've read by this author， but won't be my last！ Well， that was a charming audiobook！ I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this compilation of stories， which often times had me chuckling out loud to myself。 First book I've read by this author， but won't be my last！ 。。。more
Jennifer Jeffryes
，
Meh。 Some good stories， some that were just trying too hard to be funny。 Michael Perry is a better use of your time。
Kimberly
，
Nice collection of essays。 I really like this author’s writing。 This has been at my bedside table for months， and I enjoyed reading just a few small sections at a time between other books or for light reading at bedtime。
Angtburg
，
Another great compilation of the author's writings about his family， his community， and his experiences over the years。 Enjoy hearing him narrate it。 Another great compilation of the author's writings about his family， his community， and his experiences over the years。 Enjoy hearing him narrate it。 。。。more
Jessica
，
I LOVED Rick Bragg's book The Best Cook in the World， so I was excited to pick up this new book with essays from his publications in Southern Living and Garden and Gun magazines。 The essays are organized by themes like "We will never see their like again，" "Faux Southern，" and "The best part of the pig。" He is such a great writer and you feel like you are beside him as he's relating these stories。 He is also very funny - I laughed out loud several times while reading it and read sections to my h I LOVED Rick Bragg's book The Best Cook in the World， so I was excited to pick up this new book with essays from his publications in Southern Living and Garden and Gun magazines。 The essays are organized by themes like "We will never see their like again，" "Faux Southern，" and "The best part of the pig。" He is such a great writer and you feel like you are beside him as he's relating these stories。 He is also very funny - I laughed out loud several times while reading it and read sections to my husband or coworker。 If you like Rick Bragg or you're from the South you will love this collection of essays。Some quotes I liked:[An essay on fire ants] "The fire ant is something else entirely。 If you catch a June bug in your hands， to look at it， it will not call in three thousand of its closest friends to try to sting you to death。 The fire ant injects an alkaloid venom that， to me， seems just plain unnecessary， and may bite with its mandibles， just to be mean。 It is one of the few things that can hurt you with either end， like an alligator。 But it is far worse than an alligator， because you are unlikely to step on an alligator by accident when you take out the trash。" （p。 32）[On new/current country music] "New country is as country as black turtlenecks， all had and no cow。 It is bland， but more than anything it is a formula of clichés， stitched together by pretty people who have never， it seems， picked a row of okra or packed for Panama City in a paper bag from Piggly Wiggly。 They sing in exaggerated accents about tractors， but you know they never had to go looking for their class ring in the roadside weeds after their girlfriend flung it there。" （p。 70）"It used to be， when you saw a truck， it meant work， and not just any kind of work。 Look in the back and there would be six feet of logging chain going to rust， a half bottle of brake fluid， and a shovel and mattock。。。But it used to mean something， to drive a truck。 If you did， you knew how to sling a wrench， or lay a brick。 You hauled manure in it， or at least sand。 You owned a hydraulic jack， and a four-way lug wrench。 I have a good friend who drives a truck。 He is an insurance man。 He ought to be ashamed of himself。 Nissan makes a big ol' truck。 They call it， no foolin'， a Titan。 But I ain't never seen a shovel in the back of one。" （p。 74-5）[Even though I am a born and raised Southerner， I don't like tomato sandwiches。 But， this story was hilarious] "It never fails。 At a talk or signing somewhere in the frozen tundra， someone will ask what we eat 'down there，' like I'm going to answer 'dirt' or 'bugs。' 'A good tomato sandwich，' I say。 'Tomato and what？' they always say。 'Just tomato， mayo， salt， and pepper， on white bread，' I always say。 'Yuck，' they always say。 This should be a test for where the South begins。 'Yuck' should tell us we have strayed too far toward the ice cap and should make a U-turn and not slow down until we see Spanish moss。" （p。 85）[On carrying a pocketknife] "A Southern man， knifeless， was pitiful。 Men without knives were like men who rode around without a jack， or a spare tire， just generally unprepared for life。 A man without a knife could not fish， hunt， or work at any respectable employment。 I am a writer， which is one step up from helpless， but I have always had a pocketknife。 I believe， foolishly， it holds me close to my people。" （p。 201） 。。。more
Karianne Ramsay
，
Well…。I absolutely loved this book it brought me home。 I am originally from Monreville Al。 When I heard the Harper Lee chapter I cried。 It brought so many amazing memories。 I was raised in the innocent life of a small town and I knew nothing else; everything els was another country。 His memory and riding through time was like I was there and thank you。 I knew Neil lee as Ms Lee who was great friends with my grandmother and the courthouse was my BFFs playing ground， now it is a museum。 I highly r Well…。I absolutely loved this book it brought me home。 I am originally from Monreville Al。 When I heard the Harper Lee chapter I cried。 It brought so many amazing memories。 I was raised in the innocent life of a small town and I knew nothing else; everything els was another country。 His memory and riding through time was like I was there and thank you。 I knew Neil lee as Ms Lee who was great friends with my grandmother and the courthouse was my BFFs playing ground， now it is a museum。 I highly recommend this book。 Especially to a southerner and anyone curious of a life as a southerner。 。。。more
Sandra Futch
，
The man can paint a picture with words。 Fantastic writer。 Makes you smile。
Peggy
，
I don’t usually like short stories。 But I love Rick Bragg。 And he didn’t disappoint！！
Linda Rollins
，
Laughing my head off。 He has a way of making you visualize everything he is talking about。
Scott Martin
，
（Audiobook） This one really grew on me。 Admittedly， I didn't recognize the name at first （later， when I got to the college football essays， the tenor began to sound familiar and my wife pointed his name out to me）， but this was a joy to listen to。 The laments about Atlanta traffic （having lived that） were spot on， and the essay about the ills of the hotel breakfast buffets had my howling with laughter going down I-95。 While the tone of this work is most light， there are good lessons to learn abo （Audiobook） This one really grew on me。 Admittedly， I didn't recognize the name at first （later， when I got to the college football essays， the tenor began to sound familiar and my wife pointed his name out to me）， but this was a joy to listen to。 The laments about Atlanta traffic （having lived that） were spot on， and the essay about the ills of the hotel breakfast buffets had my howling with laughter going down I-95。 While the tone of this work is most light， there are good lessons to learn about life in the South and the Southern mentality （a key topic of focus for many over the past 5 years）。 Also， the college football essays were spot on。 Having lived in the South， this resonated。 You don't have to be a Southerner to enjoy it。 Might slightly recommend the audiobook more， but either version will work just fine。 。。。more
wade
，
A compilation of short essays that Bragg has written about his life in the South。 Many are nostalgic for the way things used to be like music and food for instance。 The theme here is things aren't like they used to be and I generally don't like it。 He does gives tips where you can get the old dishes prepared properly。 There are essays centering on his mother and dogs his family has owned over the years。 If you like Rick Bragg you will like this book。 A compilation of short essays that Bragg has written about his life in the South。 Many are nostalgic for the way things used to be like music and food for instance。 The theme here is things aren't like they used to be and I generally don't like it。 He does gives tips where you can get the old dishes prepared properly。 There are essays centering on his mother and dogs his family has owned over the years。 If you like Rick Bragg you will like this book。 。。。more
Angie
，
Enjoyed this but didn’t find it to be AMAZING。 Fun snippets but that was mostly it。
Sarah
，
Really enjoyed this。 Recommend listening to the audiobook for that accent。
Bill Linton
，
If you liked Lewis Grizzard， then you’ll like Ricky Bragg。Bragg， like Grizzard， is an excellent writer and story teller。 They share many common characteristics; small town southern boys with alcoholic fathers raised by strong southern women with help from extended family， and a love of most things southern。 They write about some of the same things; fried chicken， family vacations and a subtle disdain for Yankees that look down on those of us who embrace our southern small town heritage。 I will s If you liked Lewis Grizzard， then you’ll like Ricky Bragg。Bragg， like Grizzard， is an excellent writer and story teller。 They share many common characteristics; small town southern boys with alcoholic fathers raised by strong southern women with help from extended family， and a love of most things southern。 They write about some of the same things; fried chicken， family vacations and a subtle disdain for Yankees that look down on those of us who embrace our southern small town heritage。 I will say that those who were not raised in the South， or in a small rural town， may not appreciate （nor understand） some of Mr。 Bragg’s story subjects， but his writing is world class。 He wrote for the New York Times， who I believe has the best writers in the world （although I do not agree with how they look down on those of us who embrace our southern small town heritage）。But， Mr。 Bragg also has some distinct differences from Mr。 Grizzard。 While Grizzard landed in one of the more fashionable neighborhoods of Atlanta， Mr。 Bragg returned to rural northeast Alabama after stints in major metropolitan cities like New York， Tampa， and Miami。 While Grizzard wore Weejuns and khakis， Bragg wears cowboy boots and Wranglers。 His stories are more about folks who are proud to have dirty fingernails after a day of work。This book is a compilation of articles that were written for publications like Southern Living and Garden and Gun， so there are a broad array of subjects。 I read parts of this book on an airplane， and folks looked askance at me when I laughed aloud。 Bragg is also able to write about the sorrows and at times brought me to the verge of tears。 While one can read this book in one sitting， it is better savored a story or two at a time。 。。。more
Barbara M
，
What wonderful stories。 Bragg is a writer for Southern Living among other things。 I understand that he writes a column about life and the people in the South。 These are not short stories as I think of them but rather a compilations of essays about his life and the people in it。 In the second section "We will never see their like again" he talks about Harper Lee whom he met toward the end of her life when "macular degeneration and hearing loss imprisoned her。" He was also friends with Pat Conroy What wonderful stories。 Bragg is a writer for Southern Living among other things。 I understand that he writes a column about life and the people in the South。 These are not short stories as I think of them but rather a compilations of essays about his life and the people in it。 In the second section "We will never see their like again" he talks about Harper Lee whom he met toward the end of her life when "macular degeneration and hearing loss imprisoned her。" He was also friends with Pat Conroy （one of my favorite southern writers）。He talks about his mother and his grandmother with great admiration。 The stories are funny， charming， and touching。 He talks a lot about the food of the south。 Since he has traveled a lot for his work， he sometimes compares the south with his experiences in the northeast and the west， there was mention of Boston and California。 He notes that he doesn't write much about politics but he did include a section about the Charlottesville truck going through crowds and how it feels to be the southerner seeing that。 This section almost made me want to cry。 He noted that he saw me in custom-molded neo-Nazi helmets and designer flak jackets and hundred-dollar aviator glasses。 "It used to be that all [Southern men] needed to dress up to hat was a good white sale。" A little humor in a section that was one of his serious observations。He has a great turn of phrase。 I wanted to make notes of some of them。 I was almost sorry this was an audio because an e-book would allow me to capture all those phrases。 In the audio， Bragg reads this series of essays in his slow drawing southern voice。 His voice doesn't have a lot of inflection and yet I found myself so emotional through many of these essays。 The one about his dog Skinny is just beautiful。 His language is wonderful and his voice is perfect for this in audio。 The audio is really lovely， wonderful to hear his voice telling about his life， his stories， his essays。 If I see his byline， I will definitely stop to read it and may pick up more of his books。 He made me laugh， and sigh， and nearly cry。 All the emotions。 The essay on hot chicken had me giggling out loud。 It was a good thing I was alone。 。。。more
Erin
，