Mama Makes Up Her Mind: And Other Dangers of Southern Living [Paperback]

Bailey White (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 24, 2009

Welcome to the unique world of Bailey White. Her aunt Belle may take you to see her bellowing pet alligator. Her uncle Jimbuddy may appall you with his knack for losing pieces of himself. Most of all, you may succumb utterly to the charms of Bailey’s mama, who will take you to a juke joint so raunchy it scared Ernest Hemingway or tuck you into her antique guest bed that has the disconcerting habit of folding up on people while they sleep.

White’s indelible vignettes of Southern eccentricity have entranced millions who have heard her read them on NPR. Mama Makes Up Her Mind is as sweetly intoxicating as a mint julep and as invigorating as a walk in White’s own overgrown garden.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

White is known to fans of National Public Radio's All Things Considered for her endearing true stories about rural South Georgia where she lives and teaches the first grade. Her first book, which brings together some 50 of these short pieces, rich in humor and folksy charm, should delight her listeners, as well as readers new to her storytelling. Many of the selections deal with White's mother, who has never seen a movie as good as Midnight Cowboy , and other relatives and friends with similar eccentric wrinkles in their personalities. Other pieces are culled from the events of White's everyday life--gardening, her school's annual Christmas Party. First serial to Boston Globe Sunday Magazine and Miami Herald Sunday Magazine.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Tucson Citizen, 3/26/09
“Pass the corn pone and enjoy.”

Columbia State, 4/19/09
“Funny essays…and White’s mama…is amusing enough all on her own.”

Augusta Metro Spirit, 5/20/09
“A stunning display of Southern hilarity…Those in search of heart, humor, and intriguing characters could do a lot worse than the life of White.”

Bookviews.com, July 2009
“A celebration of the South…For fellow Southerners it will resonate with many memories of this unique region.”

Option, 8/15/11

“A trip back to Flannery O’Connor territory, with perhaps a side route to Capote-land.”

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Da Capo Press; Reprint edition (March 24, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0306818027
• ISBN-13: 978-0306818028
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (59 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #479,758 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Intellectual and Hysterical, November 14, 2001

By 

Mamalinde "mamalinde" (Dallas) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mama Makes Up Her Mind: And Other Dangers of Southern Living (Paperback)

Bailey White captures the magic of the eccentric south in this charming collection, where each little chapter is a story in an of itself - but all related. Sassy and playful, like Fanny Flagg's delightful books, but more of an intellectual's look at life, the book passes by the Dukes of Hazzard type mentality, and stands like a beacon on its own. Cooking, livestock and an amazing house are simply the tip of the wonderful things to come - definitely a book to be read not once, but many times. From a road kill menu to a swarm of bicyclists to a bed that morphs into a mirror and "something like a husband" the palette is full and rich with fun and love and the wonderful art of being southern. This would make a wonderful "read out loud" book that would leave the audience in giggles and begging for more!

15 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent., April 26, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Mama Makes Up Her Mind: And Other Dangers of Southern Living (Paperback)

This is the first book by Bailey White I have ever read and I intend to find all her other writings, because this is one of the finest books I have read in many years. I am European and I find this writing to provide wonderful insight into Southern states atmosphere. The book is entertaining, delightful, exquisitely humorous. In addition, there is a complete lack of the tiresome agendas so prevalent in current books. I have read the book twice now, and intend to read it again when I need a reminder that life's many facets are all worth relishing and (re)discovering. I have read sections to others who enjoyed it just as much as I have. Let this book entertain and even teach you a thing or two.

16 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Mind Mama, October 8, 2000

By 

Clark (Atlanta, GA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mama Makes Up Her Mind: And Other Dangers of Southern Living (Paperback)

Southern living is really dangerous. Random thoughts could get you in a ton of trouble. Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White is a hilarious memoir about her wacky family. One of the best qualities about the book is the way Bailey White paints the pictures of Mama. You can just see her sitting in her reclining chair, listening to the radio, and reading UFO newsletter or picking up some road kill for dinner. Another great quality is that the characters are easy to relate to. By the end of the book you want to talk to Mama or you wish that Bailey was your 2nd grade teacher. The characters are fun and exciting. The last quality that was really wonderful was that throughout the book you learned many lessons about life. From how great instant-care is to how to deal with 36 first graders on a field trip. Bailey White's life is as entertaining and Mama and the way She describes it is amazing. Mama Makes Up Her Mind was and entertaining group of stories that will make you laugh out loud. Buckle-up, because your about to read a thoroughly eccentric book.