Rating: 
Summary: An absolute treasure!
Review: I can't recommend this book highly enough. My husband and I listened to the audiobook, read by Bragg himself, while driving through rural Virginia to a weekend cabin. I thought it would be a nice way to pass the time on the road, but then neither of us wanted to get out of the car when we arrived. We hooked up an old tape player and sat by the fire for hours, lost in the world of Charlie Bundrum, Ava's man. I hated to have it end. I now intend to read the book, since the audio version is abridged, and I want to devour whatever parts were left out -- but I loved hearing Bragg's melodious voice tell the story and recommend the audio version highly. I am astouned at the artistry and eloquence of a writer as young as Bragg, who has the sagacity of someone way beyond his years. "Ava's Man" is a brilliant example of the universal told through the particular, and although this is Bragg's family's story, it is the story of a whole people. Now I'm going to go find everything Rick Bragg has written, and then give this book to everyone I know. Wow.
Rating:
Summary: What a true gem of the South.
Review: I read Rick Bragg's ALL OVER BUT THE SHOUTIN' and was convinced he knew my Mother. I am not sure who Ava's man is in my life, just wish he had been closer to me. This is truly a remarkable book. I treasured every page and re-read many a passage. All my literary friends that share my passion for great Southern writers are getting this book for Christmas.
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Summary: And now a word from the Deep South
Review: I read all of the reviews listed online and saw nary a single Southern reviewer. I think this speaks to the fact that the Southern experience is as universal as it is unique. I love that these other folks were able to appreciate the beauty, triumph, and truth of Rick Bragg's Depression-Era South. However, I take ownership of that world. Not that I was alive during the depression. I am alive in the South created post-Depression. The South that to this day struggles to find its way in the world economy. It is my world. The world of my family. I can visualize Mr. Bragg's family because I know them. Not literally. Figuratively, in the sense that they are so many Southerners that I come into contact with daily. My people just have slightly different names and live in a different Southern town. I loved Ava's man. I wanted him to be related to me. I want Rick Bragg's mama and brother Sam to be customers in my drugstore. I want them to be people that I run into at the grocery store and stop to talk to for a few minutes before heading to the frozen food section. But, wait. They are all of those things already. It's just that the folks I know are slight variations of Rick Bragg's family. I think this is the strength of Rick Bragg's writing. His writing is a window into a world. And he loves that world as much as I do. It's a world that I think any reader would love to visit. Heck, I'll just say it. It's a world that I think any reader would love to LIVE in!!!
Rating:
Summary: One of the Best I've Ever Read!
Review: This historical memoire is poetic literature at its finest. Its truth is glaring, and at the same time the writing and cadence are remarkably fine. This book touches the soul and lifts it up high, high above the tragic realities you'll read about, to a place where much of this book soars: Pure-Dee Joy!
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Summary: Bragg and Hickam, a great pair
Review: I bought Ava's Man and Sky of Stone at the same time. I had lots of good chuckles and small tears with Rick's books. Homer Hickam's book was simply great, leaving me laughing out loud, sniffing back tears, and at the end, a great sense of satisfaction came over me. I think it would be a good idea to sell these two books together. They will cure any ailment and make you forget war and hatred. As one of Homer's characters said in "Stone," "Boys, there's only two things that are going to keep you alive in this coal mine: me and the tolerance of God." Reckon that's true about keeping alive in this old world - trust others but keep an eye on the Man upstairs.
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Summary: This Books Worth Every Illegal Drop
Review: Imagine a tall, thin, tough, kindhearted, bootleggin', God-fearin' man, and you'll have an inkling of who "Ava's Man" was. In "Ava's Man," we get to meet Charlie Bundrum, Rick Bragg's grandfather. Charlie died a year before Bragg was born, so Bragg retells the story through the accounts of relatives and friends. The result is worth every page. Bragg, in his gritty and poignant manner, depicts life during the Depression with power and grace--and an armload of humor. I found myself laughing out loud at times, then wiping tears from my eyes a moment later. That's the sort of writer Rick Bragg is. While lending his characters dignity and respect, Bragg manages to show them with warts and all. You'll meet unforgettable characters, such as Hootie (the lonely man Charlie took into his home for over two decades), and Bob (the horse that gingerly deposited drunken Charlie at his doorstep). You'll discover murder and moonshine, family loyalty and love, and even glimpses of something divine. Bragg manages to give us a story equally as engaging as his incredible "All Over but the Shoutin'." I'm not much of a drinker. But I am a big reader. If "Ava's Man" was moonshine, I'd be arrested for bootleggin' cause this is irresistible stuff.
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Summary: Ava's Man is Great
Review: I just finished Ava's Man last night and thought it was wonderful. Beautiful writing . . . I literally could not put it down. Loved it!
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Summary: IT'S THE BEST !
Review: As a librarian (and former English major) I have read literally thousands of books. Until recently, I told people that Rick Bragg's All Over But the Shoutin' was the best book I ever read. Now I'm telling them that Ava's Man is even better. Rick Bragg is definitely one of the best current writers. He needs to get off this war reporting and write some more books.
Rating:
Summary: Ava's Man
Review: Once again Rick Bragg has let his readers become a member of his family for a time. While reading this book I felt like one of the family. Reading this book made me remember the members of my own family that are gone now. Without ever meeting his grandfather, Rick brings him to life. He writes about his family, but it could be the family of most of us in the south. I anxiously await his next book.
Rating:
Summary: Memories
Review: I loved the spirit and the characters in this book. Although not from the South, much of it reminded me of stories I heard about my grandmother and her husband during the same era. Mr. Bragg's writing takes you right down Soth; his prose is eloquent. I felt like I was in his truck, fishing with them, in the various cabins, or up on the roof with Charlie. I especially appreciated the way people like Hootie were adopted along the way while the family unit remained strong and close. My grandmom was always letting someone stay with her during the war. She took in many children cared for them and loved them so their mothers could work in the factories during the war. What a wonderful story, Ava's Man, is about a strong man who supported his family in various ways while maintaining his own uniqueness and integrity. His spirit lives on, and his family has survived and thrived. Although, Mr. Bragg said he never met his grandpop, I believe in some medium, in some spiritual way he has.
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