They Tore Out My Heart and Stomped That Sucker Flat

by Lewis Grizzard

The syndicated columnist and humorist reflects on his thirty-fifth year of life, recalling the upheaval of his open-heart surgery and the hilarious atrocities perpetrated by doctors and nurses

Genres: Humor, Nonfiction, Essays, Biography, Comedy, Southern, Memoir

140 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1982

About the author

American writer and humorist, known for his Southern demeanor and commentary on the American South. Although he spent his early career as a newspaper sports writer and editor, becoming the sports editor of the Atlanta Journal at age 23, he is much better known for his humorous newspaper columns in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. He was also a popular stand-up comedian & lecturer.

Grizzard also published a total of twenty-five books, including collections of his columns (e.g. Chili Dawgs Always Bark at Night), expanded versions of his stand-up comedy routines (I Haven't Understood Anything Since 1962), and the autobiographical If I Ever Get Back to Georgia, I'm Gonna Nail My Feet to the Ground. Although much of his comedy discussed the South and Grizzard’s personal and professional lives, it was also a commentary on issues prevalent throughout America, including relationships between men and women (e.g. If Love Were Oil, I'd Be About a Quart Low), politics, and health, especially heart health.

He made us laugh and think at the same time. Indeed, during his lifetime, Lewis Grizzard heard himself described as "this generation's Mark Twain," "one of the foremost humorists in the country" and "a Faulkner for plain folks" by the national press. What he was, without a doubt, was a masterful storyteller, stand-up comedian, syndicated columnist and best selling author.

Lewis Grizzard Museum: http://newnan.com/lg/

New Georgia Encyclopedia entry:
http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/ng...

Reviews

[Deborah]

You Just Might Smile

I don’t think you have to be from the South to find this funny but you DO have to possess a sense of humor. I have always been a fan of Lewis Grizzard’s books. Don’t get me wrong, there are some sad bits too but you just might love the funny bits a whole lot more! I am rereading a few now.

[Kitty]

The late Lewis Grizzard was one of my favorite Southern humorists. I feel like I coud have been along on his exploits. Always the master of understatement, he makes me chuckle rather than giggle uproariously. Fun to read and reminisce.

[TC]

Read this when I was a kid. Very funny. He was a funny Southern writer. I remember reading this in the library and trying not to laugh out loud.

[James Collins]

Hilarious and Touching
They Tore Out My Heart and Stomped That Sucker Flat by Lewis Grizzard is a rare book that combines the comedy and drama. This book is more than Grizzard’s down home humor, but it is also emotionally engaging. If you will pardon the pun, the book has heart.

The chapter titled “An Awful attack of Sentimentality” is a standout. I was moved to tears as Grizzard told stories about his parents. The author is at his best when he is vulnerable. Of course, he makes light of things in his usual country comedian style, but you really connect with him when he speaks of the fear and anxiety he faced when having heart surgery.

I highly recommend They Tore Out My Heart and Stomped That Sucker Flat, particularly if you enjoy books about faith, love, and the doubts and fears wea all face. It will bless your heart.

[Robert]

Don't be mislead by the comic title, this is a touching and personal memoir about love, and loss, and confronting ones own mortality far to soon.

[fleegan]

This is a very old Lewis Grizzard book (I think it's from '82 or '84) and I didn't really enjoy it. It was laying on a table at work and between deposits I would read it and wonder how on earth he was such a famous writer. Famous might be an exaggeration, but everyone I know has heard of him so, there you go. I don't remember reading any of his newspaper columns so maybe those were better, but this book sucked like a bucket of ticks. He's not very likable, I think that's why I didn't enjoy it. The book itself is about him having to have heart surgery and him being a pain in the ass about having to have heart surgery. The only good thing about this book is that it's short.

Perhaps his other books are good? Maybe I'll give another one a shot.

[Danielle]

I probably would have thought this book was funny even if I hadn't just had heart surgery. But since I had a pulmonary valve replacement almost four months ago, I found it hysterical and VERY true.

[RAD]

The Tell-Tale Heart

Lewis Grizzard occupies a place in long line of southern and regional humorists, from Augustus Baldwin Longstreet and George Washington Harris in the mid-nineteenth century, to Mark Twain (and his lesser-known contemporary Bill Arp), to Joel Chandler Harris and Flannery O’Connor. While Grizzard’s writing is not yet recognized as being as literary or unique as some of these authors, his style is uniquely southern, and the passing of time may elevate his common-folk vernacular to wider appreciation.

Non-southern readers may not appreciate the nuances of Grizzard’s writing and the spirit captured by his local patois. Yet even Twain was dismissed (even excoriated) early in his career. Grizzard’s They Tore Out My Heart appears casual, at times low-brow, and even pedestrian on its surface, but aside from its humor, the book contains deeper, poignant insight into the human condition.

Heart is written about two hearts: the actual physical heart, and the heart that deals with love and loss, with its own, separate difficulties. The two are even intertwined, as Grizzard’s second divorce occurred just months after his first heart surgery (he ultimately had four, the last one leading to his death before the age of 50).

Grizzard masks the seriousness of the physical heart in a constant stream of jokes. His thoughts about the second heart explore several aspects of love, from marriage, to the familial (his mother, father, and stepfather), to the nostalgic (dogs, baseball, beer), to the charitable (balloons to a young girl in the hospital), to the base (chasing after much younger girls while he was a teenager, which, while funny, would likely received editorial censorship in today’s environment).

The book ends in characteristic Grizzard style: sentimental truths cloaked in humor.

There is just this one other thing. There is the matter of what to do about the current condition of my second heart. We all have two. One to lub-dub and carry on the actual function of life. Another, to skip and flutter and occasionally break with the bitter and sweet that living life inevitably brings.

They don’t write songs about the first heart, the one that can be repaired by surgical brilliance. “I Love You Sorta, Way Down in My Aorta.” That would never fly. They write songs about the second heart, the one that fills up and runs over when you hug her close and kiss her and she hugs you and kisses you back and the seat covers nearly catch on fire. The one she stomps flat and empty when she runs off six months later with somebody named Junior Ledbetter.

There are a lot of songs that have been written about situations like that. If somebody hasn’t written one called, “If My Heart Was a Pick-Up Truck, It Would Be a Quart Low,” then they should.

I lost my first love. I lost my second. I’ve hurt for my mama. I’ve missed my daddy, and I’ll even admit to crying over a good dog long gone to dog heaven where they never run out of raw wienies and the creeks are always cool.

And a couple of months after my surgery, my third attempt at being married fell hard and quick, for reasons I’ll probably be years trying to figure out. The only thing I’m absolutely certain about is nobody named Junior Ledbetter was involved.

“How’s your heart?” they ask me now.

Too few probably even understand my answer.

“One’s better than ever,” I reply, “but danged if that other sucker still doesn’t have a ways to go.”

Grizzard’s hearts are not the guilty ones of his southern predecessor Poe: rather, they are the tell-tale beatings of the important things in life, and even of life itself.

[Zachary Harris]

First off, it’s an easy but Interesting read. My parents bought it for me because I had a similar surgery and I did not know until after I was done that it was published 40 years ago. Crazy to see that the similar stuff about wires and aftercare is in play 40 years later. Really enjoyed it

[Tara]

This book is easy to read. Mr. Grizzard is a wordsmith in the most Southern of ways. I half expected to read the phrase "might could", then again he was a pro. Or am I just a softie for southern style phrasing?

[Michael Smith]

Lewis was hilarious.

[Belinda Wigington]

I love Lewis Grizzard! There isn’t a book or joke that you won’t make to smile!

[WILLIAM H. FERGUSON]

Surgery?

I like the Tom Wolfe descriptions of southern life, but the excruciating conversations about medical procedures was not very interesting.

[Nadine McGrady]

Good old fashioned/clean humor. If you need something light, entertaining, and make you lol, any of his books are worth the read.

[Sue]

If you’re just looking to get a taste of Lewis Grizzard and his humor, this short book is perfect.

I laughed a lot and didn’t want it to stop so I moved right on to another by him.

[Thomas Sanborn]

It’s entertaining but not really funny. It got monotonous at a point so i started skipping pages. It’s only 98 paged so it’s not a “book.” More of a novella. Not worth $11.

[Nancy]

Having just gone through the same surgery as the author I found this book to be quite accurate.

[D]

Charming and a bit amusing. You'll learn about heart surgery too. Wouldn't read if you get squirmy when thinking about donating blood like I do

[David Ward]

They Tore Out My Heart and Stomped That Sucker Flat by Lewis Grizzard (Peachtree Publishers 1982) (081). Ol' Lewis shares more stories about growing up Southern in Moreland, Georgia in the 1950's all the way through the pain of losing a parent during adulthood. My rating: 7/10, finished 1984.

[Laurel]

Solid and decent

This had the feel of a long short story, rather than a book. While it was a good story, it was a bit narcissistic. I don't read auto biographies for that reason. It was humorous enough, and I really enjoyed not having to put up with the raw language or dark attitudes that permeate so many modern books. I can recommend this book as easy entertainment.

[Ben B]

I met Lewis Grizzard at a book signing. He signed my book, "To a great American." I treasure it. He's funny in a way that Jeff Foxworthy, to pick a name at random, can only hope for. His genius is just barely concealed behind his red neck.

[Melissa Mc Lees]

Lewis Grizzard is a commical relief read for my life. He sure knows how to bring out the laughter in you when your sad, just pick up one of his books today and read it. I totally am a FAN of Lewis Grizzard.

[Marty]

Laughter is good for the soul.

[Marty]

Grizzard was one or maybe the funniest writers I have ever read. I learned some people can laugh even in the face of critical heart surgery.

[Gail Strickland]

This is the one about his heart surgery.

[Linda]

The late Lewis Grizzard can make having open heart surgery humerous. I miss him and his funny books!

[Toni]

Short humorous read that I think anyone who has been through surgery could relate to.

[Amelia]

It's a shame that Lewis Grizzard has fallen out of fashion. He's a delight to read -- not many people can make me laugh and cry within the course of a few sentences.

[Sivasubramanyan M.V.]

truly entertaing book..and its marvellous how Grizzard can manage to be so comical and humorous about his heart surgery!

[Karen-Leigh]

Never disappoints.