NotWavingButDrowning

Reading is the only hobby aside from good personal hygiene that I've maintained my entire life. My mother was a lit teacher and turned me into a book elitist by the time I hit elementary school. I have always enjoyed Southern fiction. More specifically, I enjoy reading about the struggle of the Southern woman told from a reliable perspective.... more »

Reading is the only hobby aside from good personal hygiene that I've maintained my entire life. My mother was a lit teacher and turned me into a book elitist by the time I hit elementary school. I have always enjoyed Southern fiction. More specifically, I enjoy reading about the struggle of the Southern woman told from a reliable perspective. I don't mean the Dorthea Benton Franks of the world that put out a book a week. While I realize that there is a market for romantic tales of Spanish moss and mint juleps, I prefer to read about the hardships and realities of life. As far as fiction goes, I love Flannery O'Connor. She's dark and cynical and Southern... all the things I love in an author. I'm most definitely a regionalist..in case you hadn't already noticed.
As time goes on and I grow older, I read a lot more nonfiction. I will say that I am very set in my ways when it comes to what I read. I am fascinated by the Jim Crow era of America and I like social commentaries about the civil rights movement. Also, as a struggling on-again off-again student/ full time slave to retail America, I revel in memoirs that depict the amazing mundane aspects of humanity as well as the ridiculous absurdities that an individual can be faced with in the average life time. So Sedaris and Burroughs and all others of their ilk hold a special place in my heart as well.
Oh, and if you know what my display name is a reference to, good job, give yourself a hug, from me. « less