All Over But the Shoutin'

This haunting, harrowing, gloriously moving recollection of a life on the American margin is the story of Rick Bragg, who grew up dirt-poor in northeastern Alabama, seemingly destined for either the cotton mills or the penitentiary, and instead became a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter for The New York Times. It is the story of Bragg's father, a hard-drinking man with a murderous temper and the habit of running out on the people who needed him most.

But at the center of this soaring memoir is Bragg's mother, who went eighteen years without a new dress so that her sons could have school clothes and picked other people's cotton so that her children wouldn't have to live on welfare alone. Evoking these lives - and the country that shaped and nourished them - with artistry, honesty, and compassion, Rick Bragg brings hone the love and suffering that lie at the heart of every family.

The result is unforgettable.

Heartfelt & soulful

An honest and thought provoking story of real life that will bring some tears and a giggle or two

what a life!

i don’t know what to say about this because it was so hard for him.

Purty Good

Honey, I felt the emotional family dysfunction through the unique lenses of Mr. Bragg. He poured out his heart. He was so proud of the pulitzer prize. His momma gave him the best gift… unconditional love. You can’t buy that. She may have watched the TV preachers that he loathed, but she was a true example of the servanthood of Christ. She would’ve laid down her life for her babies.

Grab a tissue

This story hits hard. It’s similar to my family’s story. The insight to the generation, time periods, and places is on point. He spells it out in a way that connects to your core.

Wonderful Tribute to a Mothers Love

Great story, well written and well told The author's own voice here really brings story alive.