All Over But The Shoutin': Summary and book reviews of All Over But The Shoutin' by Rick Bragg, plus links to an excerpt from All Over But The Shoutin' and a biography of Rick Bragg.

The extraordinary gifts for evocation and insight and the stunning talent for storytelling that earned Rick Bragg a Pulitzer Prize for feature writing in 1996 are here brought to bear on the wrenching story of his own family's life. It is the story of a violent, war-haunted, alcoholic father and a strong-willed, loving mother who struggled to protect her three sons from the effects of poverty and ignorance that had tainted her own life. It is the story of the life Bragg was able to carve out for himself on the strength of his mother's encouragement and belief.

Media Reviews

Chicago Tribune Deeply affecting.   Constitution Atlanta Journal [T]ells about the South with such power and bone-naked love. . .that he will make you cry. Pat Conroy Rick Bragg writes like a man on fire. And All Over But The Shoutin' is a work of art. While reading this book, I fell in love with Rick Bragg's mother, Margaret Bragg, a hundred times. I felt like I was reading one of the prophets in the Old Testament when reading parts of this book. I thought of Melville, I thought of Faulkner. Because I love the English language, I knew I was reading one of the best books I've ever read. By explaining his life to the world, Rick Bragg explained part of my life to me. You feel things in every line this man writes. His sentences bleed on you. I wept when the book ended. I never met Rick Bragg in my life, but I called him up and told him he'd written a masterpiece, and I sent flowers to his mother.

Recent Reader Reviews

Rated of 5 by Nellie Gray
My favorite author of all time
I know every person Rick writes about from my life being born in Appalachia and growing up as the "white trash" knowing that " everything might turn to ____ at any second." His words on paper lets me know that someone...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Liz Meyers
All over but the shoutin'
In reading this book, it took me back to when I was a child traveling in the backseat of our old car over to grandma's homemade house on White river in Arkansas. My daddy was from Hamilton, Alabama and his daddy was run out of there to Ark for...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Paola
Work of Art
Rick Bragg does an admirable job in narrating his life. The book is very vivid. It made me laugh and almost cry. The characters and scenes were very life. It is my far one of my favorite books. I shake Mr. Bragg's hand for telling his life and...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Christine Lakey
Down Home
Having lived in the South 8 years as a Midwesterner, I think Mr. Bragg's depiction of southern people is vivacious, creative, and respectful. His sheer honesty, clear descriptions, and use of the English language is incredible. I am listening...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Deb B.
Thank you Rick Bragg
Simply put, this book is delicious... almost as wonderful as the homemade lemonaid squeezed into the white enamel pitcher, and drank off the blue-grey painted porch at my grandmother's home place. Yes, the cotton was there also - piled high and...   Read More

Rated of 5 by Lauren
Good book to read for fun
I read this book for a school book project, and quite honestly it was very hard to pull quotes from and apply to life. Sure, it is a very touching story about a poor boy growing up in the South and following his journalistic dreams, but I would...   Read More

...38 More Reader Reviews

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