The Florence King Reader

by Florence King

A collection of writings by the humorist author of Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady features excerpts from each of her books; a complete novel, When Sisterhood Was in Flower; noted columns and book reviews; essays on modern life; and a selection from The Barbarian Princess. Reprint.

Genres: Humor, Essays, Politics, Nonfiction, Comedy, Southern

448 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1995

About the author

Born in Washington, D.C. in 1936 to a bookish British father and a tomboy American mother, Florence King spent her childhood living with her parents, her maternal grandmother, and her grandmother's maid.

King showed talent in French, but unable to pursue it as a major at American University, she switched to a dual major of history and English. She attended the University of Mississippi for graduate school, but did not complete her M.A. degree after discovering she could make a living as a writer.

King, who lived in Fredericksburg, Virginia at the time of her death, retired in 2002, but resumed writing a monthly column for National Review in 2006. She died on January 6, 2016 at the age of 80.

Reviews

[Tracey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was a bit concerend with the foreword being almost unctuous in its praise - but Ms. King lived up to the intro, and then some. Southern, smart & snarky - quite a combo!

Dorothy Parker/H.L. Menken meets Eudora Welty was the main vibe I got (also reminded of Sampiro over on the SDMB) while reading this collection of fiction and non-fiction - ranging from a retelling of the Lizzy Borden case, to historical romance/soft-porn to essays on (fellow) misanthropes - all equally entertaining.

I am definitely going to have to read more of her stuff!

[Eve Tushnet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five stars because this collection includes the edited version of "When Sisterhood Was in Flower," one of the funniest books I've ever read. Slutty conservative Isabel and uptight liberal Polly form a feminist collective, and roam the 1970s in a miasma of solidarity. The scrapple scene alone is a masterpiece of comic disgust, and the Sword and Scabbard interlude is the only good anti-porn prose out there. King loves these characters, the way you love your worst cat, and she lets them win.

The rest of the book is extremely mixed. There are delights, like the lampoon of Southern gay lit ("Time is a Lost Flute") and some of the book reviews. But King's quasi-political essays often use other people's lives merely as a spotlight for her own persona. That persona is not interesting enough to justify the casual thoughtlessness in which she indulges.

So, browse at your own risk. But don't miss WSWIF, King's triumph of cynical compassion and comic politics.

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A bit uneven - parts are excellent and, as always erudite and well-written. Other parts just start to feel like pouty ranting. This is NOT a book to sit down and read all at once. Spread out over time, she is MUCH more effective. If you read it straight through her perplexing politics and conservative views become very heavy handed. I much prefer when she's doing her southern thing.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny, gun-totin' dyke who wrote for National Review. I want to be Flo King when I grow up. (I made her an honorary lesbian; Ms. King claims to be "bisexual".)

[Julia Galvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

While overall this collection is incredibly clever and enjoyable, the selections vary wildly in quality. King's sketches of various southern or WASP types are snarky and clever; her excerpt from an early "bodice ripper" is almost unreadable. She knows this and pokes fun at it, but maybe a shorter selection would have been less painful. The same pattern occurs in "When Sisterhood was in Flower" which is hilarious throughout and occasionally touching, but falters when she begins including passages from her viewpoint character's brief career as a written pornographer. Again, they are treated derisively, but they're lurid and unpleasant regardless. These parts, alongside some of the later essays on politics and misanthropy, are the collection's low point; the character sketches, book reviews, edited novel, and excerpts from her autobiography more than make up for them!

[T. Michael · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an extremely entertaining book. How I have I missed for so long. She is a terrific writer!

[Susan Stans · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book should be required reading for every adult woman. Florence compiles a series of her writings so you can see her thought process evolve during her development as a writer and a woman. A good resource for those interested in the history of the feminist movement. At times enlightening and frequently humorous. It is great look back at the transition of feminist thought.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'd forgotten how much she made me laugh. This collection has a nice variety of her writings. Sh had such a way with words. Now to find more of her books to read.

I was inspired to revisit her writings after I read her obituary in the New York Times. Hers might just be the best obituary since that of Alma Mahler Gropius Werfel (Tom Lehrer fans will understand what I mean.) Look them both up - neither obit will disappoint.

[Suzanne Costner · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is a master's class on editing your own work. Just comparing the "reader" versions of the stories, essays and even a novella, and then reading the original versions would be immeasurably helpful. However King also goes into the thought processes behind these changes and it was a revelation to me. Also read this book because it is damn funny, and so very wicked!

[Tammy Buchli · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rereading this to get me through the discovery that Miss King died earlier this year. This large omnibus includes the whole of her (hysterically funny) comic novel When Sisterhood Was In Flower as well as selections from each of her other books. Wonderful.

[Henriette Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the type book you pick up to read segments of over and over--a "for women only" book--Men would be too confused

[Delanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has a copy of her impossible-to-find and utterly fabulous book "When Sisterhood Was In Flower". Makes me laaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaugh...

[Roger Myers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Funny as hell, smart, sharp, biting, honest. This should be read for Miss King's book reviews alone.

[Chuck Skorupski]

Very funny. A great introduction to Florence King. Favorite piece was "A WASP looks at Lizzie Borden"

[Jennifer Leo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Had me howling out loud with laughter. I'm not Southern, but King makes me wish I were, if only to have such interesting relatives and neighbors.