Rick Bragg is the best. His voice is always recognizable, and always dearly loved. His books are books I reach for when I feel homesick for a place that no longer exists.

While I lived in Florida for most of my life, “family” always means Georgia for me. So Southern journalist Rick Bragg’s stories from the capital ‘S’ South hit the spot for that nostalgia. WHERE I COME FROM is a collection of his shorter magazine pieces, so unlike his other memoirs/books, these offer just a taste of the South. These vignettes had me absolutely cracking up while listening (his ode to sitting in Atlanta traffic in particular brought back nightmarish flashbacks!), Despite their brevity, they aren’t lacking for depth. I recommend for any Bragg fan or anyone missing their Southern roots and some good food this time of year ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

I’ll leave you all with a quote from one of the meatier musings in here, written post-Charlottesville: “I do not need a statue or flag to know that I am Southern. I can taste it in the food, feel it in my heart, and hear it in the language of my kin.”

I always enjoy reading about other parts of the US to learn about the cultures - especially the South. In this collection of essays, Rick Bragg reminisces on his life in the South - both childhood and adulthood in Alabama, Georgia, and Louisiana. The essays were organized in sections by theme (such as sports, or food, or fishing, etc.). As a Northerner I was especially amused by his comments on our cold and snowy lands, and as an avid Ohio State fan I was also amused by his digs at the Buckeyes and his loyalty to (boo) Alabama (hahaha). I enjoyed most of the essays, but didn’t relate so much to those where he was focused more on getting older (as I’m just not to that life stage yet!)

I'm of Southern descent (first - and only- northern born in my family) and am still enthralled with where my ancestors came from. I have visited the south on many occasions family, ancestor searchs, friends... and am still so sorry to have been born in the north. I enjoyed reading this book, makes me wonder what my folks from Alabama were like or would be like today. It's just so cozy and comfortable reading it. Good read! I have never read any of Rick Bragg's works, as far as I know. Another reviewer said he wrote for Southern Living! I'll have to look it up!

I"m a little prejudiced, because Rick is a distant cousin, but the man can write. I subscribe to Southern LIving magazine, and every month when it comes I immediately flip to the last page, because that's where Rick's column is. This book is a collection of essays that he has written for Southern Living, Garden and Gun, and other media outlets. Rick writes about life in the "New South", but always keeps an eye on the past that has made the South what it is. When I read his stories I can hear the North Alabama accent of my family, and it makes me want to laugh and cry at the same time. Whether he is writing about packing a Piggly Wiggly bag to carry to Panama City, or about the sorry state of fast-food biscuits, I always look forward to seeing what "Cousin Ricky" has to say.

Sometimes a book reminds me where I came from, complete with the nostalgic feelings of a life left in the past but not too far behind me. Rick Bragg makes me remember being a little girl growing up in the South, going on random adventures in the trees behind our house. This is a wonderful trip to past to those who know their Southern, but aren’t big on letting others know thanks to the loud mouths who still tout the good ol’ days of Dixie, complete with racist undertones (and overtones).

Rick Bragg has become pure comfort listening for me: I especially love to listen to his stories while I'm cooking. This new collection compiles magazine essays from his decades writing for Garden and Gun and Southern Living. Some are piercingly poignant, like his tales of Harper Lee, Pat Conroy, a talented photographer, and his Aunt Jo (everyone needs an Aunt Jo). Others are laugh-out-loud funny, like his one about Tupperware, or what precisely is wrong with country music these days. While his books would make beautiful editions to any coffee table, I think I will always listen to Rick Bragg.

Always a fan of Rick Bragg, this book was no disappointment. I love his style of writing, and I can hear him reading the book to me even when I'm not listening to the audio. I gave copies of this book for Christmas because the stories inside are so refreshing and heart-warming especially during this crazy pandemic. Rick Bragg never fails to write the next-read on my list

If you read Southern Living, you’ve probably read most of the essays in Rick Bragg’s book Where I Come From: Stories from the Deep South. I’m not from the South. I’m not from the mill towns and hills and country that Bragg describes with so much love. But, it doesn’t really matter because his poetic descriptions of his home and family bring me to tears. And, sometimes I nod when I think of my grandfather who was a farmer and wore his bib overalls, and my grandmother in her housedress. Those salt-of-the-earth relatives and Sunday dinners live in memories, whether you’re from Alabama or northern Ohio.

Rick Bragg is a little younger than I am, but I laughed at his memories of the old black-and-white monster movies, Frankenstein and The Mummy. He’s right when he admits the ones that still scare him are the ones about creatures that grow to “insane proportions”. He doesn’t mention Them by name, but he mentions the giant ants. I’m still haunted by the sound of those creatures at the beginning of the movie.

Food. Rick Bragg can describe food so that you want to jump in the car and head south. Fortunately, I’ve lived places where I could get good biscuits and gravy, and good sweet tea. I agree with him. I don’t understand people who don’t appreciate a tomato sandwich on white bread with mayo, salt and pepper. You don’t get those kind of good tomatoes much any more, the ones that make you stand over the sink and eat that sandwich. He appreciates the city so much that there are three chapters about the food in New Orleans.

There’s a section that is a tribute to the deceased. He wrote two essays about Harper Lee, one about his friend, Pat Conroy. But, the longest essay in that section is about a dog, a stray that showed up, and stayed, and protected the property from animals and deliverymen. There are a lot of people who will acknowledge that a favorite animal deserves an essay or two.

And, personally, as someone who loved the country music of Johnny Cash and the Carter Family, Patsy Cline, and Marty Robbins, I agree with Bragg about the decline of country music. But, he could have written an entire book on that subject.

Rick Bragg’s essays make me smile and cry. I had no plans to go home for Thanksgiving this year, but he makes me yearn to be there in a year when no one should be visiting family this holiday. When it comes right down to it, that’s what Rick Bragg does best. He brings back memories of family and the past. He doesn’t stir up memories of “the Deep South”, of Southern rights and Confederacy and flags. He stirs up memories of the people and food and stories that mean home, no matter where you’re from. Where I Come From really means the roots and people we come from, no matter who we are. That’s what Rick Bragg does best.

Years and years ago, I read Rick Bragg's most popular book [book:All Over But the Shoutin'|470495], which is his memoir of growing up in poverty in Alabama in the mid-20th century. His latest release is Where I Come From, which is a collection of short essays about life in Alabama and other areas of the American South. The essays are grouped into sections including ones about Halloween, Christmas and Sports. My favorites were the ones about holidays or food (of course, since I am all about the food). As with "All Over..." Bragg's writing is woven through with wit and self deprecation. He clearly loves his family and loves his experiences growing and living in the South.

Most of these essays are quite short and can be read in 3 minutes or less. There were a few that maybe took 10 minutes to read. So this is a great book to keep at hand for those times when you have a spare moment to read.

It's hard to go wrong with a Rick Bragg column. He is able to take the most mundane things and turn them into big moments, some of which are laugh-out-loud. Others pull at your heartstrings. These columns are collected from those published earlier in Southern Living and Garden and Gun. Dogs, pickup trucks, his Mama, Alabama and the deep south all show up in his stories. Food and some of southern oddity foods make appearances. He has always taken to heart the adage to write about what you know.

Alabama native Rick Bragg is a celebrated author and newspaper columnist, winner of a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 recognizing his work at The New York Times.

These short essays are the perfect read during breaks in your day, as I read them during my lunch breaks for a few days and loved being able to pick up with a new essay each time I came back. The author's love for the deep South is evident and he makes the reader understand the connection that he has to it.

Excuse me while I go cook up some grits and book my trip to somewhere that laughs at the thought of snow and ice. This is an ode to the true Southern spirit and the topics range from old hound dogs to Rick's mother to delicious Southern dishes to Jerry Lee Lewis, and Santa Claus. There is something here for everyone and I was personally charmed the most by his deep love for his mama. I also found the chapter on the Jubilee to be fascinating. Want to go somewhere warmer or just appreciate your Southern locale? This is the book for you.

Thank you to Knopf Doubleday and NetGalley for a DRC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first book by Rick Bragg. I have to admit I had no idea what to expect when I got an ARC of this book, but I was pleasantly surprised.

This is a non-fiction humor book written about what it is like to grow up and live in the south. It covers topics from sports, food, traffic, family and many others. Many times I found myself laughing so hard being that I have lived in the south in the past.

If you read a lot by Bragg, this content might not be new to you, as these are essays that were written in the last 8 years or so, for this collection. For a newbie like me, it was the perfect introduction to his writing.

Thank you NetGalley and Knopf for an Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This collection of stories from Rick Bragg has something for everyone and every mood. From touching stories of growing up in the South to his hate for fire ants and the deep ties of religion to the region, Bragg writes with humor and heart. Some of these stories have appeared in various magazines over the years but it's nice to have them all in one place. This book is a love letter to a place but doesn't shy away from touching on the complicated relationship of race and poverty. Even if you've never been to the South, Bragg writes with such love & detail you can almost feel the muggy air in your lungs, taste the sweet tea on your lips and the buzzing of summer mosquitoes in your ear.

Many thanks to Knopf Doubleday and Netgalley for the ARC.

Where I Come From by Rick Bragg is a collection of his columns from Southern Living and Garden & Gun. Whether he is writing about a beloved dog or driving a new-fangled truck, Bragg can touch the heartstrings and tickle the belly laugh. Whether he is writing about his photographer friend Ken Elkins or his mother Margaret, Bragg is a terrific storyteller.

He brings a unique perspective to each situation he writes about. His food critiques make this reader’s mouth water.

Alabama native Rick Bragg is a celebrated author and newspaper columnist. He won a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 recognizing his work at The New York Times. He has written books about the people of the foothills of the Appalachians including All Over but the Shoutin, Ava's Man, and The Prince of Frogtown.

My review will be posted on Goodreads starting September 13, 2020.

I’d like to thank Alfred A. Knopf, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in return for an objective review.

Where I Come From by Rick Bragg is a great compilation of columns and short articles that will take you away to the Deep South and have you laughing and smiling, then pull on your heartstrings. Many of the articles were written for Southern Living Magazine, which is a must have subscription if you live in the south. There’s something for everyone in this book from a dog named Skinny, to the simplicity of a tomato sandwich. Touching on authors Pat Conroe and Harper Lee. This is a great book to pick up if you only have a few minutes, and just want to escape for a little while. Well done Rick Bragg. Thank you NetGalley and Knopf Doubleday Publishing Group for the advanced copy of this digital book for an honest review.

I enjoyed reading, mostly re-reading, this collection of Bragg’s columns from Southern Living magazine and the few from Garden & Gun magazine that I don’t read. His southern mountain childhood stories of his family are my favorites though the NOLA stories and columns about Pat Conroy and Harper Lee touched my reader’s heart.

A great collection of short stories that can be read even if you have little time. I really enjoyed this and look forward to reading more from Rick Bragg.

Rick Bragg in short, perfect reading for when you only have a short time. All pieces enjoyable tributes to Bragg's great writing