Walking Across Egypt

by Clyde Edgerton

"An unpretentious, finely-crafted novel that will linger with the readers like the last strains of a favorite hymn. It is more enjoyable than a pitcher full of sweet tea and one of Mattie's home-cooked dinners."
THE ATLANTA JOURNAL & CONSTITUTION
She had as much business keeping a stray dog as she had walking across Egypt--which not so incidentally is the title of her favorite hymn. She's Mattie Rigsbee, an independent, strong-minded senior citizen, who at 78, might be slowing down just a bit. When young, delinquent Wesley Benfield drops in on her life, he is even less likely a companion than the stray dog. But, of course, the dog never tasted her mouth-watering pound cake....Wise witty, down-home and real, WALKING ACROSS EGYPT is a book for everyone.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Southern, Book Club, Adult Fiction, Contemporary, Novels

229 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 3, 1987

About the author

Clyde Edgerton is widely considered one of the premier novelists working in the Southern tradition today, often compared with such masters as Eudora Welty and Flannery O'Connor.

Although most of his books deal with adult concerns--marriage, aging, birth and death--Edgerton's work is most profoundly about family. In books such as Raney, Walking Across Egypt, The Floatplane Notebooks, and Killer Diller, Edgerton explores the dimensions of family life, using an endearing (if eccentric) cast of characters. "Edgerton's characters," writes Mary Lystad in Twentieth-Century Young Adult Writers, "have more faults than most, but they also have considerable virtues, and they are so likable that you want to invite them over for a cup of coffee, a piece of homemade apple pie, and a nice long chat."

Raised in the small towns of the North Carolina Piedmont, Edgerton draws heavily on the storytelling traditions of the rural south in his novels. Without the distractions of big-city life and the communications revolution of the late twentieth century, many rural Americans stayed in close touch with their relatives, and often shared stories about family members with each other for entertainment.

Among Edgerton’s awards are: Guggenheim Fellowship; Lyndhurst Prize; Honorary Doctorates from UNC-Asheville and St. Andrews Presbyterian College; membership in the Fellowship of Southern Writers; the North Carolina Award for Literature; and five notable book awards from the New York Times.

Reviews

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is my third, and last, Edgerton. I liked this one better than the other two, but even with this one I was mostly hoping to reach the end by 3/4 of the way through. Mattie Rigsbee is a well-drawn character, as are several of the others, and I do love her down-south, got to feed you all, personality. She reminded me of my grandmother in that regard. I did find several of the situations she finds herself in amusing.

So, I cannot explain to anyone why Edgerton's humor does not connect with me. It just doesn't. Everyone else seems to enjoy him so much and find his books rollicking good fun. One of those occasions when you absolutely know it is you. This is one of the few times when I think perhaps the movie would be the better way for me to experience this story. So, I tried the audio version, but no that was worse.

I have given this a 3-star rating, "I liked it", which is a true rating. I did like it, I just didn't love it. I would never discourage anyone from reading Edgerton. Too many of my most trusted friends love him for me to doubt that he is an excellent humorist. No one should ever base their choice of anything comedic on me...I have a very strange sense of humor. But, I do laugh. The Princess Bride has me in stitches every time.

[Lori Keeton · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first pages had me laughing and completely endeared to Mattie Rigsbee, a dear, sweet character who lives on her own since her husband’s death 5 years ago. She is the epitome of a southern lady who prides herself on feeding everyone a good, country meal or a piece of apple pie or pound cake. At 78 she thinks she might be “slowing down” and is always pointing out all the things she can’t do as easily as she used to. She still cooks three meals a day, keeps a garden and a house. When a stray dog shows up she decides she has no business keeping him (although she feeds him well) and calls the local dog catcher who shows up at just the right time to help Mattie. These scenes are the best of the book and show Mattie’s vulnerable side in a funny predicament.

I just loved Mattie’s tender-heart and how she believes strongly in following the Lord’s instructions in helping and loving those that are “the least of these my brethren.” Through the dog catcher, Mattie learns of his nephew, 16 year old Wesley, who is spending some time in the juvenile detention center for stealing a car. The heart of the story surrounds Mattie’s concern for this boy she’s never met but whom she deeply wants to help. The story shifts to interactions with Wesley whom she feels just needs a good dose of Jesus in order to turn him around. And some good home cooking won’t hurt either.

There a some quirky characters to round out this experience of the south. The nosy neighbors who mean well, some hypocritical church members, Mattie’s unmarried son and daughter who haven’t given her any grandchildren (to her dismay), and her snuff-chewing sister.

I highly recommend that you pick up this funny, sweet and entertaining book and meet Mattie for yourself. She’ll fix you right up with a delicious bite to eat and you might even get to hear her play a hymn or two on her piano. This was such fun read and I’m glad to have discovered it.

[Connie G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mattie Rigsbee thinks she might be slowing down a bit at age 78, and has no time for a stray dog that shows up at her back door. A call to the dogcatcher starts a series of events that get more and more humorous. The dogcatcher has a 16-year-old nephew, Wesley, who is in juvenile rehabilitation, and Mattie brings him some of her home cooking. Wesley escapes and heads to Mattie's house for more of her pound cake. Mattie lives by the Gospel passage about doing good unto "the least of these my brethren" and takes Wesley under her wing for a few days. Concerned family members, the sheriff, inquisitive neighbors, and hypocritical church members add to the commotion. Soon, Mattie will have more than a stray dog to worry about. The book has all the vibes of a small North Carolina country town. I would love to stop by Mattie's kitchen for a slice of her apple pie and a few laughs.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is my second Clyde Edgerton book and another fun experience full of quirky Southern characters, but not too much so, and situations that have you alternately chuckling and shaking your head. If I were to provide much of the plot it could interfere with others' future enjoyment of the story so I'll reduce the story to basics. There is the older Southern woman, a church-going woman who would love some grandchildren, there is a dog catcher, there are nosy neighbors, there are here unmarried son and daughter and snuff swilling sister, and the mysterious teenage boy.

Enough said. These are the major characters. Edgerton creates a great story from this very basic line-up. there is also some very nice writing included along with the occasional craziness and thoughtfulness. Here we see Mattie in the early morning.


She walked into the kitchen, turned on the light and
saw through the window that the eastern sky was dark red. It
was her favorite time of day. She stepped out onto the back
step. It was cool. She also liked it when it was cold and she
could stand there taking in the cold morning while the sky
was red, and time stopped, stood still, and rested for a
minute. People thought that time never stood still, except in
Joshua when the sun stood still; but she knew that for a
minute before sunrise when the sky began to lighten, showing
dark, early clouds, there was often a pause when nothing
moved, not even time, and she was always happy to be up and
in that moment; sometimes she tried to stand perfectly still,
to not move with time not moving, and it seemed that if she
were not careful she might slip out of this world and into
another.


I suggest you come on over and meet Mattie. This is not "high" literature but it is highly amusing and Mattie will show you a good time while she cooks good southern food, sings some hymns and worries about getting old.

[Eilonwy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been thinking about this book because one of the characters, Wesley, is crazy about John Prine -- I was unfamiliar with his music at the time I read this, and while I never became a big fan, this book stands as a beautiful epitaph to him in a way. If my library were open, I'd reread this both in honor of John Prime and because it was a subtly sweet story that has stuck with me for a long time.

[Diane Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading this book was like opening my grandmother's screen door and stepping into a family gathering. Especially since I listened to the audio book on a very long car ride. It was not read by Clyde Edgerton, to my disappointment, but the reader did a great job with the North Carolina pronunciations and inflections of speech. All the familiar characters were here, the nosy neighbors, the hypocritical church-ladies, well meaning handy men, just good country people in a small town. But most importantly, there was Mattie Rigsbee who would feed anyone who came by with her table full of wonderful food. She believed in helping where she could, even in small ways, especially "doing unto the least of these my brethren". Fortunately for Wesley Benfield, he qualified as one of these.
Wesley was a 16 year old juvenile delinquent who Mattie decided to "improve", and the story of how she does that is sheer joy. As with any Clyde Edgerton book, there's a lot of humor in the telling.

I'm not a fan of audio books, but this was a good choice for a car ride that was 5 hours each way. It was gently told and didn't require intense concentration, but it took 6 hours to read a 200 page book that I could have read in a couple of hours, so I'll stick to my usual way of reading in the future.

[Vannessa Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Walking Across Egypt restores your faith in mankind. A sixteen-year old boy lives at a juvenile detention home and through his uncle, the local dogcatcher, he meets a senior citizen he comes to call Grandma. He escapes the detention home and comes to live with Grandma and they develop a grandma and grandson relationship. Her son and daughter objects to the friendship but grandma ignores them and she and the boy builds upon their friendship from her teaching him about things most children take for granted. The detention home reports him missing and flashes his picture over the media. He’s captured and returned to the detention home to ruthless guards and another boy who’s out the kill him. Though the outcome is predictable, Walking Across Egypt is a book you’ll want to read because it restores your faith in humanity.

[Sue K H · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderfully funny and heartwarming story about Mattie Rigsbee, a 78 year old who lives alone since her husband's death. She mows and trims her own lawn, cleans her house, plays and sings church hymns on the piano and still makes 3 hot meals a day. She's always ready to feed anyone who might need a meal. She's also actively involved in her church.

Even though Mattie is doing well she's worried that she can't keep it up, but her biggest worry is that her kids will never give her any grandchildren. One of her favorite verses in the Bible is from Matthew that talks about helping the least among us and she's determined to put it into practice. A stray dog starts a series of humorous events that starts with a dog catcher rescuing her from an embarrassing incident which later leads her to taking an interest in a 16 year old juvenile delinquent. Her her family, friends and even the pastor at her church are all concerned with her interest in the boy. There's a lot of funny moments but there's a conversation that she has with her daughter's boyfriend near the end that really cracked me up. This one put me in a great mood. The book would never have been on my radar if it weren't for the On the Southern Literary Trail group. I'll try another Egerton book when I need to lift my spirits.

[♥ Sandi ❣ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

This was my first read of anything Edgerton has written. His writing style reminds me of Anne Tyler or Elizabeth Berg, who are able to take everyday life and make an enjoyable novel of it.

I really enjoyed Mattie and her crew of people. She was very representative of her time. Hers is the type of household that I would just like to be a fly on the wall and take in everything. The delivery of this story was excellent - this is the Grandmother that everyone wants.

Although not an author that I had thought I had heard of I do have another of his books on my book shelf Where Trouble Sleeps. Although not a continuation of Walking Across Egypt, I can only hope it will as good.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I heard Clyde Edgeron speak at a writer's conference in 1999...he read the opening scene of Walking Across Egypt, told some stories, shared writing tips...one of the funniest guys I've ever heard. Perfect delivery, imagery, dialogue. Lets you see, smell, taste the biscuits, hear the conversations as if you're standing near enough to the stove to burn yourself if you're not careful. LOVE his writing style, the lazy meanderings of southern conversations, back and forth and around each other. Walking Across Egypt is the kind of story that reminds you of your grandma and all the things she taught you, right down to how you might want to keep your granny's button collection because your own grandkids might want them one day. Mine is in the linen closet waiting for that day.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book contains my favorite description ever. I won't give it away, but the scene has to do with dirty dishes, a soap opera, and chair seats being recovered.

[Terry · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Clyde Edgerton’s Walking Across Egypt, amusingly narrated by Norman Dietz. It is a sweet, lighthearted story about a woman who is “slowing down” and has about as much business “keeping a dog” as “walking Across Egypt”. She then proceeds to feed just about everyone she comes across or who visits her, while taking a special interest in a juvenile delinquent to the consternation of just about everybody that she knows.

This book had me laughing out loud in my car during my commutes. Anything that can cheer a person up when in traffic twice a day is worth a lot! I am going to get the sequel, Killer Diller and listen to that next!

Many thanks to the Goodreads group On the Southern Literary Trail for choosing this book for a group read. Without them, it is doubtful that I would have ever found this little treasure of mirth!

[Jeanette · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well, the less said the better. If you can't say something good about someone, don't say anything at all.

This is slapstick, farce done in a Southern past century house proud clime. Mattie is a singular characterization. Some of us age without getting any wiser, this is true.. But very few are pure silly. Nor does their overall tale hold a repetition of toilet humor.

"All My Children" was much better the worse Erica acted out. It was best when Erica was bad, bad, bad. The more mature and settled Erica got, the worse for both the town and the entire series.

My German immigrant Grandma who didn't come to the USA until she was past 40- told me something that I never, ever forgot. I caught her crying at the top of the stairs to her bedroom floor and couldn't understand why. She had just seen us all laughing at Rowan & Martin's Laugh In -a routine done repeatedly when Artie Shaw played the little ole man. She told me never, ever, ever make "happy fun" of old people. Especially upon how they moved. You see, I never forgot that old people are not joke throwaways. But it seems many think they are.

Somehow I can not understand either the humor, plotting, or "charming" aspect enjoyment of this story as others seem to have experienced. Southern friends ARE charming. Kind too. Nothing like this at all.

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." Matthew 25:40 is Mattie Rigsby's favorite Bible passage and she takes it to heart.

She befriends the Juvenile delinquent nephew of her new friend, the dog catcher. She and young Wesley form a bond and she realizes that Wesley needs a Grandma... Wesley needs her.

Mattie loves to make big meals and serves them to her family, friends, neighbors and just about any passerby. Wesley has never tasted food as good as Mattie's and neither has his Uncle, Lamar, the dogcatcher.

Mattie has two children but both are near 40 years old and neither on are married and neither have children. Mattie often laments this fact.

By the end of the story, she realizes that not only does Wesley need her to be his Grandma but she needs Wesley to be her grandson.

[Alka Joshi · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the totally wonderful, serendipitous opportunity to meet Clyde Edgerton in Wilmington, North Carolina, where I was vacationing. My husband and I were in a cafe when I overheard him talking to one of his students and somehow I just knew it was him! I timidly went up to his table to tell him how much I loved Walking Across Egypt. The story was so meaningful to me when I read it in my 20s, when I was just getting my bearings as a working professional and a sexual being. Edgerton's language is so clear and compelling and his dialogue so real that I felt I was sipping a cool glass of lemonade on a porch listening to the stories his characters were telling me.

[Larry Bassett · Rating 2 out of 5]

All My Children, a television soap opera that aired on ABC for 41 years, from January 5, 1970 to September 23, 2011, makes it into Walking Across Egypt as a minor character. I have never watched All My Children or any other soap opera but I do know what makes a soap opera and have read a few books that I think would qualify. But forty-one years? Am I that old? I guess so.

But I did watch The Andy Griffith Show so I know that seventy-eight year old Mattie Rigsbee must be related to Aunt Bee. They are both too cute, way too cute. I mean, just how cute is it to have washed your toilet seat with Listerine instead of alcohol so that it is sticky instead of clean? (Her older sister discovers the stickiness and points it out to her.) And how many times have you read a book where cleaning the toilet seat is discussed? Once is enough for me and I have no fear of it coming up again anytime soon.

And since I am on the subject of toilets, here is another snippet that you might think is TMI:

“Excuse me,” said Elaine. She stood, walked down the hall and to the bathroom, closed the door, pulled down her slacks and panties, sat down on the commode, put her elbows on her knees, her palms on her chin.

You ain’t seen nothin’ yet. This is just a hint of what you can look forward to reading in this way down to earth book. Mattie gets into the bathroom too.

She put on her housecoat and sweater and went to the bathroom. Thank goodness she’d always been regular. No problems there, Because she ate so well. Anybody who ate all the vegetables she did couldn’t help but be regular – didn’t need Milk of Magnesia like Alora did. And never the first hint of a hemorrhoid.

Believe me, I’m not making this up!

About halfway through Walking Across Egypt the author is born again or has an epiphany or something. A truly interesting and engaging character is introduced: Wesley, a teenage delinquent with a foul mouth, verbally and dentally. He brings energy to a mostly geriatric cast of characters. There is already conflict between the generations well represented as Mattie interacts with her adult children Robert and Elaine. In what I can only describe as a Mad Hatter’s tea party, Wesley is at the center of a large multigenerational gathering for an impromptu meal in Mattie’s dining room. There is action and repartee including an attempt by Robert to introduce a new girl friend to his mother, the arrest of the escaped Wesley by the Sheriff and the usual effort by Mattie to offer everyone who enters the house some of her delicious homemade food. But still we must return to the author’s favorite room:

Laurie was in the bathroom. She sat on the commode, looking at the space heater. What a strange meal, she thought. Robert certainly has an unusual family.

Mattie urgently wants a grandchild from one of her unmarried children but there are some problems.

Robert could easily have a child – as long as he married someone younger than himself. But he’s better hurry; she’d just read somewhere that sperm from a man over forty-four started losing its freshness. She’d been reading so much about sperm lately. Used to be you didn’t read the first thing about sperm, but it had got so you read about it in Reader’s Digest even. It used to be you could count on them to keep out that kind of thing,

Mattie shares this spermatic information, initially intended for Robert, with Elaine’s new boyfriend. Every male is a potential (if not potent) father of her grandchild! The short phone conversation on this topic is startling for the new boyfriend and humorous for the reader.

Thank goodness it is a short book. I was happy I struggled through the first horrible half of the book to get to the much better second half. There was finally some action (but not car chases) and suspense (but not horror) and humor (some actually laugh out loud). But author Clyde Edgerton did not fare well with me. One star for the first half and three stars for the second for an overall two stars. I will not be seeking out more of his books.

N.B. Aunt Bee from Mayberry was not in this book but was surely there in spirit.

[Jayne Charles · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, which is not set in Egypt, and where nobody walks much further than the local church, was an oddity. Two parts farce to three parts religious indoctrination, it centres on an elderly widow living in the North Carolina.

The depiction of the elderly characters is thought provoking. Their focus is on washing up, cooking, nurturing, offering hospitality and going to church. They aren’t distracted by the complications and concerns of the modern world, they just keep plodding forward the best way they know how. It put me in mind of ‘The Waltons’, though it is doubtful whether the Waltons would have dared crack quite so many jokes about sperm.

The pace and tone of the novel is gentle, and I suspect it would work quite well as a theatre production as there are very few scene changes, and characters (like the annoying but amusing neighbours) popping in and out to deliver their lines. If I had a problem it was that I never knew where I stood with it. Was I supposed to laugh, cry or pray? Was I having my heart forcibly warmed? My inner agnostic railed against the religious overtones, and whilst it would be lovely to think we could really change the world for the better with a slice of pound cake and a dollop of the gospels, I suspect it’s not feasible.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I deducted a star for a gratuitous use of the N-word during a baseball reference. I just could not see the point of it. It also had a lot of religious references that got tiring after a while.

I did love Mattie and the cast of characters with all of their faults. I’m not religious but we could use more Christians in the world like Mattie who truly believed helping folks was the only way to be. Truth is, most Christians these days don’t act that Christian, but not Mattie, she was no hypocrite. She truly practiced what she preached and not for any praise from other people.

I also liked how everybody seemed to look out for each other even when they had their doubts they usually pulled through and did the right thing. Anyway, a fast funny read with a cast of characters that will stick with you and make you think a little about yourself and what would you do?
4 stars. Best reads pile.

[Angela Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, but I didn't love it. The main character is Mattie, a woman who thinks she's "slowing down", and despite her prejudices and some totally irrational habits, she sincerely believes that she can affect her community for the better, one meal at a time. She's very human, and her naivite as well as her hypocrisy is enlightening.

Reading this reminded me of a lot of people I know, a lot of faults which I have, and the humor and good grace that gets me through it all.

[C-shaw · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've had this book for decades, tried several times to read it, but couldn't get interested. After reading an article about Clyde Edgerton in this morning's paper, I started it again, loved it, and read half the book this afternoon.
* * * * *
I must not have opened the book when I took it on vacations in the past. This is a wonderful little book, very sweet and heartwarming, exciting and funny. I want to go live with Miss Mattie and eat her country cooking!

[Julie Durnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

A heart warming southern tale of an elderly woman still living on her own but "slowing down"!-sugary as sweet tea!

[Trish · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish there was a rating of 3.5 so I could give it to this book.

[Bob Mayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Clyde Edgergton write books with a charm. Always entertaining. Southern but you don't need to be from the South to enjoy.

I recommend this book as a positive experience on a gray day.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mattie is an endearing feisty old Southern lady that cooks up a storm of southern goodies that saves the day. She is also so religiously brainwashed she almost gets herself in a lot of trouble. I enjoyed the book but there were times I wanted to whop her up-side the head.

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

will make you laugh and then want pound cake

[Rita · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! It is a very funny little book. I just wanted it to continue!

[Mitch · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book put me in mind of another I've read, Olive Kitteridge. The reason it did so was because I found the main character unlikeable.

The story is about an older lady, a regular churchgoer who generally means well, who attempts to do her version of good to a young hood. She basically scores strong with him due to her cooking but she fails in most other respects.

She is a well-drawn character, but she's fussy, hide-bound, seriously judgmental and unconsciously racist. (She partially blames today's lack of courtesy on integration. What???)

She attempts to shove this young delinquent toward heaven, and bear in mind that he's repeatedly lying to her, figuring out how he can steal from her and others around her, etc..., by having him go to church. Because that will work, right?

The book conveniently ends before she suffers the consequences of being so clueless.

-If you still want to read this book, please don't read any further. I hesitate to announce 'spoilers', since the book is plenty spoiled already in my opinion. It's supposed to be humorous but...

The reader is exposed to a scene where the old lady indignantly marches into the bathroom where the young man is naked in the bathtub and....actively displaying (?) his privates. Her motivation for this is a pencil and pen he stole, which she found out about by snooping in his things. Let's just say it's doubtful that a good church-going septuagenarian would invade a bathroom inhabited by a young naked male no matter how many pencils he stole.

The plot further descends into complete farce two more times; once when the juvenile delinquent tries to escape by donning a choir robe and hiding in the choir (which a police officer does as well, though it makes NO sense whatsoever) and a second time a page or two from the end when the main character goes into a nonsensical rant that went right off the deep end. This was also supposed to be funny but it just had me wondering what the author thought he was doing.

The story is littered with other minor characters, none of whom it was a delight to get to know.

I owe myself an apology for reading this book, and can only suppose my lack of courtesy concerning it has been caused, in part, by integration.

[Margaret · Rating 2 out of 5]

Right off the bat Mattie Rigsbee lets the reader know that she is 78 years old and "slowing down" when she finds a stray dog on her porch. She has as much business keeping a dog as she has walking across Egypt. She calls the dogcatcher.

In spite of all the slowing down, Mattie still manages to cut her own grass, stay involved in church activities, cook up a storm for anyone and every occasion, get herself stuck in a bottomless chair, and harbor a juvenile who has escaped from the prison down the road.

On the surface, this book had everything I love: a scene set in a rural town where everyone knows everyone else and everyone's business and then spreads it around with a few add-ons to make it more interesting; a spunky senior citizen, quirky but for the most part, well-meaning characters, and unlikely but funny situations. But it was just all on the surface. I never got to the depth of the characters or the story. There was no real plot, just a sequence of events that were meant to be funny but never really hit the mark for me. In fact, everyone just seemed a bumbling acquaintance of each other with no real sense of friendship or fellowship. I was just disappointed after reading all the wonderful reviews.

[Cheryl Carroll · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have not read any other work by Edgerton, don't know him personally, and I live by the "judge not lest ye be judged" and "do unto others" mottos.

All that being said -- I do not appreciate Edgerton's use of the "n" word on page 70. Maybe Elaine's discomfort is supposed to signal that the author knows that the slur is unacceptable? But then, why even use it? It adds nothing to the story. Race relations in the south can be understood without it. The increasing number of black players in the MLB could have been noted without using the word. Edgerton did so much quoting of Scripture, I kept waiting for him to circle back around to the Swanson's racism. Instead, page 154

Dodson pictured a sixteen-year-old youth - he'd better be Caucasian - standing and spraying the congregation with machine-gun fire.

Edgerton highlighting the gossip mill and "judgey" nature of a Christian community was great. His depiction of Mattie as a stalwart beacon of Christian love was great. The two passages that I noted were absolutely NOT GREAT, and were unnecessary additions to the narrative. He may not be a closet racist like Flannery O'Connor was, but other reviews note that he uses that word in other novels, and I'm not interested in reading anymore of his work.

[Daniel Joshua · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have begun to think I have a problem. I have enjoyed every book I've ready recently. This is worrying to me. Where have my standards gone? Have I become soft? Surely not everything is that good.

And then I read this book. I hated it.

Take a large bowl, add some Hemingway, O'Connor, Faulkner, and maybe a dash of Gary Schmidt. Sounds good so far right? Well then add ham biscuits - Lots of them - and pound cake. Then remove all interesting characters and compelling plotlines.

He knows the deep south and crusty baptist society well. He even could have gone somewhere with the characters. But he ruined it all with his writing style. I know it was to enhance the aura, but it was straight up bad. The awkwardly done Stream-Of-Conscientiousness-But-Not-Stream-Of-Conscientiousness was just painful.

One is also never quite sure whether he is applauding or mocking the fundamentalist, baptist south. The latter is more likely, knowing his background. It's like he himself can't quite commit to hating the whitewashed churches. The whole thing was overdone, just like Wesley's biscuits.

Loads of people like their iced tea sweet. No one likes it that sweet.