The problem with this book is that it doens't have enough pictures. I like the cover of the book, but Larry Griffin seems like he's forcefully yelling at the reader through his text. I just feel queasy thinking about it.

When I think about the South I don't think about all these problems and stuff, I just think about big ole biscuits and Nascar. I think Larry Griffin must just sit around and think about all kinds of nasty bad bad things.

Though I found some of the essays exteremely interesting and helpful in my studies (this was the textbook for a southern music class), other essays were just a waste of my time. The book and class did give me a different perspective of my southern heritiage and helped me understand southern slavery, poverty, and renewal after the civil rights movement.

A significant contribution to the study of the Southern United States. The selections and analysis therein provides the reader with an opportunity to analyze the most recent and important intellectual assessments of Southern culture, traditions, and influence toward the rest of the nation and Southerners themselves. Although the section dealing with popular culture issues such as NASCAR and pro-wrestling phenomena seems superfluous at times, in a broader perspective, the chapter melds well into the image and understanding of the South as a whole. The book may not be the best choice for the casual reader or those uninterested in American culture or Southern life; however, it provides a necessary tool and important insight into modern America.