A bestselling writer and mentor recommended Rick Bragg’s All Over but the Shoutin’. Before his recommendation, I had not heard of this poignant book. I cannot give this excellent story and writing enough praise to do it justice.
Rick Bragg didn’t have the easiest life. Growing up in Alabama in extreme poverty, his mother not only gave up meals so her two sons could eat, but she also worked in the cotton fields and saved money for them instead of purchasing a new dress for almost two decades. Her love and sacrifice contributed to Bragg’s success as an extraordinary author, journalist, and recipient of the Pulitzer Prize.
One of my favorite components of this memoir is Bragg’s brutal honesty about himself and his upbringing. In high school, he took a journalism class because he thought it would be an easy course to pass. Later, at Jacksonville State University, Bragg took feature writing from Mamie B. Herb, who told Bragg he had “talent and promise.” Imagine, after that one class, Bragg competing against Ivy League writers with the best education, opportunities, and resources for a newspaper job.
In 1994, Bragg experienced his big break in New York. Bill Kovach, a former New York Times editor, and other mentors became “guiding lights.” They fed Bragg’s inquisitive mind and strong work ethic and navigated his achievement of earning a Pulitzer Prize.
I appreciated Bragg’s story of overcoming obstacles. His determination and perseverance made me believe that hard work pays off in the long run, regardless of the circumstances.
If you like Bragg’s All Over but the Shoutin’, you may enjoy Stephen King’s On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft and Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life by Anne Lamott.
