As a quick read and intermission from my current literary venture, I read Julia Reed's Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialties. I had been meaning to read it since I first came upon the title while editing a story by the author herself that we ran in Southern Accents. I am so glad I finally got around to it because it has inspired me to gobble up all of her work like the greedy little reader I am.
It wasn't until I was at Southern Accents that I really came to identify with my "Southernness". I always thought of myself as a Floridian. I was born in South Florida-the part where people actually had southern accents and had been living in the same house for the past fifty years-and lived there until I was eight. Then we moved to Tallahassee and then Pensacola. I grew up on sweet tea, fried chicken, and mysterious congealed salads. And I loved every minute of it. When I moved to Birmingham for my six month internship with Southern Progress I was surrounded by interns from all over our region. We were from all different walks of life but had one thing in common-we all called the South home. This book had me laughing about the idiosyncrasies of life in the South that I never really thought twice of and some of which I had never heard of. I guess that is what makes the South so interesting. Every state has its own identity but we all make up a region (I would say the best region but I may be a little biased) that has its very own style and grace that can't be found anywhere else. Here is to Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialties because it deserves a big "Oh my gracious, indeed"!
* PLEASE EXCUSE THE TERRIBLE GRAMMAR, SENTENCE STRUCTURE, AND WORD CHOICE (OR LACK THEREOF) IN THIS POST. FOR ANYONE LOOKING TO HIRE ME AS A FREELANCE WRITER: PLEASE DON'T USE THIS AS A CALIBER TO JUDGE MY WRITING SKILL.
**I thought that was necessary.
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