Rating: 
Summary: Inspirational Life Story From an Exceptional Reporter
Review: After reading this remarkable memoir, I hunted up some of the articles that earned Bragg his Pulitzer. They're amazing. His profile of the sheriff who coaxed a confession out of Susan Smith is uncommonly artful journalism, and looking at it after reading "All Over But the Shoutin'" only enhances its poignancy. Bragg gives us a picture of a man a lot like himself: poor, white, southern, low-rated by society, burdened by a sad family history, but with the wits to do what nobody else could. There's some colorful prose in this book. Consider Bragg's description of an elementary school teacher who treated him like trailer trash: "She was an aristrocrat, a white-haired woman with skin like a wadded-up paper bag that she had smeared red lipstick on and dusted with white powder." One complaint: Bragg may have ten lifetimes worth of odds-defying achievement to congratulate himself about, but that doesn't make his nearly relentless self-congratulation any less annoying. Even when he's attempting to be self-critical, he can't resist patting himself on the back. When he confesses his alcohol abuse, the example he gives of his erratic behavior while drunk is his disarming of a gun-waving man in a bar. Please! But that's a small gripe. This is an inspirational story of "getting even with life," the kind that today's young people, with their "store-bought cynicism," really need to read.
Rating: 
Summary: Bragg seems to do more bragging than storytelling
Review: Our book group chose this as our August selection based on the rave reviews. We were disappointed. Although Rick Bragg is a talented writer, he misleads the readers to believe the story will be about his mother and his struggles growing up in poverty. Too much of the book focuses on Bragg and his accomplishments, as if by telling us about these, he need not elaborate on his family. If he's going to talk about himself, I would like to know more about his relationships. He seems to flit over each one, rarely mentioning the names of these faceless women. For a man so gifted at painting a picture, he didn't paint a complete picture of himself. Our book group gave the book a "C."
Rating: 
Summary: Beautifully written, almost like reading poetry
Review: This book is so beautifully written. Rick Bragg writes in a descriptive manner that really makes the words live. I find myself re-reading many of the passages just to get the full enjoyment of the way he uses words.
Rating:
Summary: WHAT A GIFT TO A MOTHER--AND TO READERS
Review: I am addicted to sad stories set in southern states (BASTARD OUT OF CAROLINA, WINTER BIRDS, etc.), so this autobiography attracted me. I was surprised to find, however, that much of the book was about his life as a journalist rather than his childhood in the South--and perhaps even more surprised to discover that it was that section of the book (the latter half) that I enjoyed most. The writing felt clunky at times (especially when he got too colloquial), but rarely have I been so moved by a book. At first I thought Pat Conroy's frothy blurb on the back cover was ridiculous, but when I finished the book, I knew what he meant. The last 90 pages or so were some of the most emotional in any book I have ever read. One customer found it superior to ANGELA'S ASHES, but I don't think I would go that far. It is more moving than ANGELA'S ASHES, but the writing does not seem as solid to me. It does, however, make one look more closely (and appreciatively) at those who made! sacrifices for us in our lives.
Rating:
Summary: An undeniable must read
Review: Being born and raised in Alabama and roughly the same age as Rick Bragg, I knew I'd be familiar with the southern places in his book. What surprised me, though, and caused more than a few tears was my familiarity with these people. I wasn't raised poor but my mama's family was, from the hundreds of acres of cotton that they farmed. His descriptions of the household, church, games and playing, friends, farming, working, "getting away" are as accurate as any I've ever heard, and his words are so well picked that the mostly sad story is somehow beautiful. If this book is any indication, there's no doubt that he deserved the Pulitzer. I only hope there's another book in him. We deserve to read more.
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Summary: Bragg speaks Southern as it's meant to be spoken!
Review: I loved the act of reading this book and hearing in my head the language of my family and my home. Any book with the word "chert" in it is well worth reading.
Rating:
Summary: one of the best memoirs I've ever read
Review: When I opened the book and read the prologue, it was so well and elegantly written that I thought there was no way the whole book could keep up that level of writing. To my surprize, it did. As one who spends much of his professional life writing, I envy Rick Bragg's natural ability to write descriptive, moving prose so well that it seems effortless, the true mark of a great writer. In addition to the quality of the writing, this book offers a powerful story of a young man's struggle to succeed, to understand, and to express his deep and abiding love for his mother. The book is as much her story as it is his, and she is a true saint in the struggling, working class, hill country, salt of the earth sense of the word.
Rating:
Summary: Honest & compelling story that was the wake up call I needed
Review: I am only 3/4 of the way through this book and know that this story has already impacted my life like no other so far in my adult life.As a divorced, single mother of 2 boys I feel fortunate that I own my home and can provide for them, but have fallen into bouts of self pity when I haven't been able to buy something I wanted or needed due to a limited budget. Never again!! Reading about and understanding the sacrifices that Rick Bragg's mother made to raise her sons has eradicated any self pity I may have felt or my feel tempted to allow myself. I looked at my boys while they slept last night and understood the immense love that kept her going day and night. It is a universal love that mothers have for their children that is not bounded by race, economics or education. My personal thanks to Rick Bragg and most to his mother for sharing their story.
Rating:
Summary: Humbling, real and a brilliantly written book
Review: I'm not going to take a long time to do this. The book was released here in the UK as 'Redbirds'. I was looking for something different, something about real people and real lives. I'm nothing like anyone in the book (in some cases good, in some bad!), but that's what I wanted to learn about - different people. I had no idea what it was about, I saw it on special offer in a local bookshop, read the summary, and bought it. It was fantastic - the tales of hardship hit home, but the committment and strength - and humour - of Momma and her family is just so much there. It made me feel humble. Rick B thinks he's had a lot of luck, but a lot of people, like me, are born and brought up in houses with bedrooms, with good mums and dads. He made his luck - many don't.
Rating:
Summary: This is a GREAT book and should be required reading!
Review: This story is so insightful and full of honesty, humility, sadness and laughter. I bought this book because the review I read reminded me of a dear friend. Now, I am buying this book for my friends and family because I want to share it, as it is truly a GIFT that everyone should read and comtemplate. Bragg is a great story teller, but this is not a story, but his life.
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