A Place Like Mississippi

This is a book for anyone who wants to understand the state of Mississippi a little bit better. It breaks the state down into sections and tells you the history of each.

As a native Mississippian, I was pleased to see my home state through the literary lens that I know so well. As the book breaks down the unique regions of the state, you learn about the depth of history, the richness of its setting, and the writers who saw Mississippi as beautiful, in spite of her scars.
I grew up near the Gulf Coastal region and also spent time in other parts of the state as a child and learned more than I expected, specifically about the modern authors that call Mississippi home.

If you want to fall in love with Mississippi, let this book be your love letter.

Date reviewed/posted: December 5, 2020
Publication date: January 5, 2021

When life for the entire universe and planet turns on its end and like everyone else you "have nothing to do" while your place of work is once again closed and you are continuing to be in #COVID19 #socialisolation as the #secondwave is upon us,  superspeed readers like me can read 300+ pages/hour, so yes, I have read the book … and many more today.

I requested and received a temporary digital Advance Reader Copy of this book from #NetGalley, the publisher and the author in exchange for an honest review.  

From the publisher, as I do not repeat the contents or story of books in reviews, I let them do it as they do it better than I do 😸.

There is a palpable connection to the landscapes of Mississippi displayed in the work of the state’s many lauded writers. This connection to the land runs deep—across onerous lines of class, gender, and race—and spans gen­erations of authors birthed in the Magnolia State. It’s difficult to read Faulkner, Welty, Wright, and Ward and not come away with the very particular sense of place that the state and the greater American South represent in their work.

In A Place Like Mississippi, W. Ralph Eubanks takes readers on a visionary tour of the real and imagined landscapes that have inspired generations of authors. Eubanks is a native Mississippian and he knows its writ­ers and its complicated history well. In A Place Like Mis­sissippi, Eubanks reveals how a little state that rests alongside the banks of a great and mighty river has made so many significant contributions to American letters, carrying an outsized role in the national imagination. The answer lies in a landscape that pairs ordinariness with beauty, magic with madness, and mystery with magnificence.

This is a beautiful, lyrical book that makes one want to take a road trip down the back roads and to find these places. The books that inspired this book are classics that represented the truth south and are worth reading and enjoying the Magnolia State with – read them, this book and gas up the car for a trip you will never forget. 

As always, I try to find a reason to not rate with stars as I simply adore emojis (outside of their incessant use by "🙏-ed Social Influencer Millennials/#BachelorNation survivors/Tik-Tok and YouTube Millionaires/snowflakes / literally-like-overusers etc. " on Instagram and Twitter... Get a real job, people!) so let's give it 🚗🌸🚗🌸🚗

There may well be no place quite like Mississippi, but every state should have a literary guide like this one, captivating in itself and a further prod towards bookstore and library, hill country and delta. Snapshots and photographs of Mississippi illustrate a text which illuminates an amazing literary legacy from William Faulkner and Eudora Welty through Larry Brown and Jesmyn Ward.  Something fertile found there feeds more than the blues, and this book is a prompt to feed the soul.

Over the last few decades I have been fortunate to travel the State of Mississippi and see the different topographically characteristics. “A Place Like Mississippi” has added another dimension to the memories of my travels.  Ralph Eubanks’ description of the landscape easily brings you to the area and one can imagine what the writers he highlights are feeling as they write.  He seamlessly moves from one write to another, making for a smooth continuous read.  A visit to Eudora Weltey’s home has been on my bucket list, now my daughter and I look forward to a trip to visit the homes of these other Mississippi literary prodigy.

This is a thoroughly entertaining look at the rich and bittersweet culture of  Mississippi through it's poetry and prose. Some of this country's greatest writers and literature have come from this State, and this book weaves its way through the different regions, their history, and all that it entails through the eyes and words of some very prolific writers. The imagery produced with the wonderful photographs from around the  State only tend to strengthen the depth and lend credence to the words written by Mr. Eubanks. A wonderful book! 5 Stars!

This is a great book for history and education on all things MississippI! Wonderful read! This had many facts that I did not know about Miississippi from growing up here most all of my life!!

This book breaks down everything you need to know about Mississippi. It was very educational and insightful. It was a beautiful book. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.