I'm being wooed by a Southern gentleman.  No, really, it's true.  He sent me this book, and I now suspect it's part of a strategy to convince me of the South's most engaging qualities, as observed by his friend, NPR commentator and author R. Scott Brunner.  He even sent me his *autographed copy*.  I feel special, and more than a little hungry after all of the descriptions of home-cooked meals.  Bring on the fried chicken, I say!

Critics of the book decry its romantic portrayal of this area of our country so beleaguered by racism, poverty, and redneck jokes.  Fans of the book, who far outnumber the critics (at least on Amazon!), love Brunner's evocative prose and the memories he summons as he shares his experiences of growing up in a place where faith, family, and food reign supreme.  Alternately laugh-out-loud funny (Waste-O-Matic, about his nephew's idea fair experiment gone awry) and tender (Chap Stick,  recounting his father's bypass surgery), each short, carefully-crafted chapter is a glimpse into one man's love affair with the best parts of Southern culture, with an occasional clear-eyed observation of its challenges.

Hey, I've been in California for seven years, but after ten years of living in Florida, I still say "Y'all."  (I know, Tami, Florida is not The South!) So I shouldn't have any problems fitting in when I go to visit my suitor, right?  Ha.  As soon as they find out I don't eat fish or collards, I'll be run out of town.