Redneck Boy in the Promised Land: The Confessions of "Crazy Cooter" (Hardcover)

by Ben Jones (Author)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
A former congressman from Georgia, Jones earlier portrayed grease-covered garage owner Cooter Davenport on the early-1980s TV show Dukes of Hazzard. Now Jones and his wife, Alma Viator, own the Cooter's Place museums in Nashville and Gatlinburg, Tenn.; they also stage Dukesfest, an annual Nashville gathering of Dukes fans. Looking back at his hardscrabble childhood, he recalls his barefoot days growing up in a Virginia railroad shack minus electricity and hot water. He studied TV-radio at the University of North Carolina, but graduated as a likker drinkin', hell raisin', dope smokin', fist-fightin', womanizin' jailbird wild man. During the 1960s he participated in civil rights sit-ins, established a theatrical career and kept on drinking. At 36, after three disastrous marriages and countless fractured relationships, he went on the road to recovery. When the Dukes ratings soared, he became a heartland hero, and Jones's congressional career fills the final chapters. Capturing Southern culture in a burlap bag full of funny anecdotes, Jones covers miles and memories: In the vastness of America, I have never found a road that wasn't interesting. Observing life from his porch in the Blue Ridge Mountains, this modern-day Will Rogers writes with a mix of humor, pathos and passion in a rip-roarin' book with a down-home flavor. (June 3)
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Review
“Best known as Cooter, the good ol’ boy mechanic on The Dukes of Hazzard …. [Jones] engagingly zips through his destitute boyhood in the segregated South and his days as an alcoholic civil rights activist [and] recounts his transformation from boozin’, brawlin’ womanizer to successful actor to two-term Democratic congressman from Georgia.”
—Entertainment Weekly

“Growing up in Georgia, 'Cooter' was one of my heroes. I’m not sure, but I think it was required by law. Who would have thought that one day I would actually come to know Ben Jones, and, in knowing him, find that he remains one of my heroes. You’ll understand why when you read this book. Ben Jones is nothing less than a great American.”
—Jeff Foxworthy, author of Jeff Foxworthy’s Redneck Dictionary

"Ben Jones and I go way back, before anyone called him "Cooter" or "Congressman". He always told the truth. A little on the slant, maybe, which only made it more interesting. And like the wildboy I knew then, his book, Redneck Boy in the Promised Land, is gutsy, funny, and good-hearted. And definitely reader-friendly."
—Russell Banks, author of The Reserve

“This modern-day Will Rogers writes with a mix of humor, pathos, and passion in a rip-roarin’ book with a down-home flavor.”
—Publishers Weekly

“A warm, witty portrait of a quietly extraordinary American life.”
—Kirkus

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 304 pages
• Publisher: Harmony; 1 edition (June 3, 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0307395278
• ISBN-13: 978-0307395276
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 5.8 x 1.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #625,503 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring story, July 4, 2008

By	Charles Carter (Reva, Virginia) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've met Ben and he is exactly how he presents himself in this book -- a witty, charismatic man who has overcome adversity and remembers where he come from. This is a good, inspiring story of recovery.

5.0 out of 5 stars My niece's favorite book, June 11, 2009

By	L. Williams - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I am far more interested in the PERSON,
than in the TV shows they appeared on.
This books gives some insight.
Unless you go through what someone else has experienced,
you have NO IDEA.
Try to put aside all preconceived notions and listen with your heart while reading.
You won't be disappointed.

1 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book, but..., March 30, 2009

By	Paul "umrgrad91" (Chicago) - See all my reviews

This is a mildly interesting book, but don't bother if you're looking for insights into Cooter's Dukes of Hazzard years. Only 10% of the book's 290 pages refer to the TV show, and even that has few interesting Hazzard anecdotes. Most of the book is just about a guy who stays drunk all of the time and married some of the time. Maybe he should run for Congress...