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34 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
4 1/2 Stars...Magic, In Flashes, May 18, 2008
I first fell in love with Rick Bragg's writing, and his various family members, while reading "All Over But the Shoutin'"--one of my favorite all-time non-fiction books. That love affair continued, though with not quite the same intensity, during the reading of "Ava's Man." Bragg has proven himself to be a writer of Southern wit and pathos, not to mention a splendid chronicler of the human condition.
"The Prince of Frogtown" is Bragg's third foray into family history and Alabama roots, giving great peeks into mill town life and the currents of whiskey and class-distinction that played out in his past. In "Shoutin'" we got to meet his mother, in particular. "Ava's Man" represented his grandfather. Here, "The Prince" is Bragg's father, an off-and-on figure on the stage of Bragg's childhood. We also see how that limited parental role affects Bragg's own more recent and unlikely role as stepfather.
The book's poignancy finds its greatest power in this contrast between fatherly figures. At times, the historical aspects drag a bit, but they find their strength again when revealed through the more recent experiences of Bragg and "the boy," as he refers to the son of his wife.
It's a formula that works, and by any other standard would be topnotch. By Bragg's standards, however, it didn't tug as many laughs and tears from me as his previous books. The magic is still here, in flashes. He can spend two pages describing a fallen angel with perfect teeth, then, in one understated sentence, cause my heart to soften. "The Prince of Frogtown" is an ode to a bygone era, and an attempt to stay relevant in a changing America.
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22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Laugh one moment...cry the next..., May 9, 2008
I have long been a serious fan of Rick Bragg. I happened upon him during a reading at a local bookstore 9 years ago and have been hooked since. I never pass up an opportunity to hear him speak and have been anticipating the release of this book for over a year.
His new book does not disappoint. One moment I was laughing out loud and making my husband listen to me read passages from the book...the next I was all but sobbing. Bragg tells the tragic story of his fathers life and contrasts this with tales of being a new stepfather. It makes for an incredibly moving read. He is able to use the English language and southern dialogue like few people can.
Bragg's two previous family related books were easier reads, but the stories included in this book are wonderful and well worth the read.
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20 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent Account of Hard Knocks and Change, May 18, 2008
I completed The Prince of Frogtown in three sittings, as I did with Ava's Man and All Over But the Shoutin'. I also had the pleasure of knowing "The Woman" when we were grad students and adjunct instructors in Memphis, and I can tell you without any reservation that Bragg is not kidding when he defines The Woman as a strong woman and a loving mom who isn't inclined to tolerate a lot of bullhooey. The best side of this new tome is Bragg's ability - as always - to bring absolute color to his father's life and deeds (mostly misdeeds - to say the least) in a way that only a Southerner could have experienced it.
The contrast between the father's stories are neatly intertwined with brief chapters on The Boy (The Woman's son by a previous marriage - now Bragg's stepson). It is "The Boy" chapters that bring heart to the book. You see how two completely opposite world's smack Bragg wholehearted upon becoming a step-parent to a child who hasn't the slightest comprehension or experience in and around Bragg's world and youth. In the beginning, Bragg is baffled that The Boy doesn't know how to fight, sheds tears on occasion, and owns a wealth of electronic gadgets. Essesntially, a child who is a million miles from Bragg's youth.
The book is an incredible study of contrasts, colorfully told with a mixture of sorrow, hilarity and personal growth by both Bragg and The Boy. Though The Woman does not really play much in the book, her loving, reproachful and stable persona shine throughout without Bragg's invasion of her world.
I highly recommend this book for those who are fans of Bragg's, Conroy's, Styron's or other writers who tell of lives that were very hard, but manage to see the light through others and ultimately within themselves.
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