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Book Review of All Over but the Shoutin'

All Over but the Shoutin'
reviewed on + 4 more book reviews
Helpful Score: 2


There's no denying that Rick Bragg is a great writer. He is a man totally deserving of the awards he has won in journalism. This is a richly crafted memoir. I was initially afraid that he would focus on the abuse his mother suffered at the hands of his father, but Bragg proves to be a skillful story-teller as he weaves his threads of the past into the present. An excellent example of how an author can make a reader FEEL for his characters without making you feel sorry for them. Although at times Bragg does seem to hide behind his shield of past-poverty, there are relatively few episodes of his self-proclaimed superiority to muddle through in this book. Overall, I am glad I read it as it has given me insight into lives from which I am so far separated. It is a book I will remember and recommend.