The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love: A Fallen Southern Belle's Look at Love, Life, Men, Marriage, and Being Prepared

Sweet Potato Queens #1

by Jill Conner Browne

To know the Sweet Potato Queens is to love them, and if you haven't heard about them yet, you will. Since the early 1980s, this group of belles gone bad has been the toast of Jackson, Mississippi, with their glorious annual appearance in the St. Patrick's Day parade. In The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love, their royal ringleader, Jill Conner Browne, introduces the Queens to the world with this sly, hilarious manifesto about love, life, men, and the importance of being prepared. Chapters include:
The True Magic Words Guaranteed to Get Any Man to Do Your Bidding
The Five Men You Must Have in Your Life at All Times
Men Who May Need Killing, Quite Frankly
What to Eat When Tragedy Strikes, or Just for Entertainment

And, of course:
The Best Advice Ever Given in the Entire History of the World

From tales of the infamous Sweet Potato Queens' Promise to the joys of Chocolate Stuff and Fat Mama's Knock You Naked Margaritas, this irreverent, shamelessly funny book is the gen-u-wine article.

Genres: Humor, Fiction, Chick Lit, Book Club, Southern, Womens, Adult

213 pages, Paperback

First published January 19, 1999

About the author

Jill Conner Browne is the multiple #1 New York Times bestselling author of nine Sweet Potato Queens® books and has created a global phenomenon--6,200 chapter groups in 37 countries--based upon her philosophy and world-view as recounted through these rollicking, raucous and riotously funny essays. Women and smart men understand that the bawdy, sassy, down-to-earth humor is simply the vehicle by which the greater message is conveyed--that is, one of self-reliance and empowerment, inspiring all to do what makes their hearts sing.

Reviews

[Rachael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wow, so many bad reviews! Like one reviewer here, I don't read chicklit. Not really my cuppa tea. However, I might change my mind about that after reading the reviews for this book, I don't want to end up all sour and pretentious. If your IQ went down after reading this book, maybe you should take a supplement. I think you have a degenerative issue.

I was given this book as a gift from a most wonderful (and might I add, educated) friend who read it herself and rated it the same as I did. Miraculously, neither of us became babbling, drooling, idiots upon finishing the last chapter and have remained the same people we were before we started reading it. So I guess some people are impervious to it's brain damaging effects.

I loved this book. I love to laugh and I love to read about the South. If you enjoy reading about different types of people and have a sense of humor, you may like this book a lot. It's meant to be funny. If you're the type of genius who might go to a stand up comedy club and walk out complaining that you didn't hear about any important breakthroughs in neuroscience, you probably shouldn't read it.

There were times I laughed until I cried, I so enjoyed this ridiculous, colorful, hilarious book. And I thank my beautiful friend Kristie for sending it to me. I love you. I'm sorry I lost it and read it 8 months later ;) xox

[Victoria · Rating 5 out of 5]

I laughed until my face hurt when reading this book.
I am now reading another one of these books and love it.
If you are Southern you will especially love the humor in this book
when you read words like "yamamaanddem" that only we can relate to.
guarenteed laughs on every page because every woman can relate to
each chapter.

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

Lets see, it seems like I actually learned one thing, I just cant remember what it was because it was so insignificant. I absolutely hated this book and feel like it was a huge waste of time. The only reason I finished it was because it is for our new book club. I felt like it was 200 pages of really lame and annoying fat lady blabbing. ugh. There were about 3 paragraphs of interest on the last 2 pages, mostly in quoting others, but too little, too late. what a piece of crap.

[Aviva · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked up this book because I was out of things to read and it was just sitting on a friend's coffee table. It's totally what the Ya-Ya women would do if they were real people. Which is why I love it.

Okay, so basically this woman decided that she wanted to have a little fun, and guess what, she WAS a queen. Not one of those insipid beauty queens that's only got the crown for a year, no, she was a queen all the time (after my own heart, I tell you what) and she decided to make her presence known in her city's St. Patrick's Day parade (that wasnt' held on St. Pat's, go figure) wearing a bright green thing, stuffed up top an ddown below, with majorette boots and a bright red wig. Well, it was so awesome all of her friends wanted to get in on the action too! Only, you know, not everybody can be a sweet potato queen, SOMEBODY'S got to be the ruled, you know? So it's sortof an exclusive club. And they have their own guide to life. Which is basically, be true to yourself and always be fabulous.

I loved this book. So, so much. This is what happens when people are unapologetically themselves and just refuse to have anything less than an absolutely fantastically marvelous time. It's a memoir, but it's also an inspiration.

[L. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually don't buy into girlpower type of books, but this one was actually funny and helpful. The final chapter about living a full life provided the kick in the butt I sometimes need. Every woman should remember the power of trashy lingerie and the fact that not having a man around doesn't mean you're a failure as a female.
Each chapter is full of cute anecdotes and stories. I said "meh" to the whole "I am a queen and you can't be" rhetoric. Most of us don't need a title or tiara. For me, it's shoes. Beautiful red spikes or wannabe combat boots have the same effect on me as a tiara for others. I appreciated the "five men you need in your life" chapter and agree four of them ideally should be gay. My husband fits four of the five on a regular basis, but a little variety would be nice. (Before you ask, the only category he doesn't fulfill is the one who can dance. That's ok since I suffer from vertigo.)
As I age I realize each woman needs a few female friends with whom she can howl at the moon, or in my case drink, knit, and watch BBC shows. This is a good road trip, Saturday afternoon book. Or a "the world sucks and I need to laugh" kind of book.

[Julia · Rating 1 out of 5]

To say that I despise this book is not damning enough. On the one hand, I’m glad I read it, because it’s refreshing to be reminded of why I don’t read chick lit: it’s demeaning to women, to men, to everyone on the planet. It makes me feel dirty to read it, not the sex, that was boring, it's the games. There may be a good recipe in it, I’ll find out when I make it for our Messy Housekeepers Book Club meeting next week. It’s for “chocolate stuff,” I intended to make sweet potato pie for our discussion of this book, but this book is not worth the effort. This is on my list of worst books of the year, which is a sub-list of Book Challenges I have never felt the need to make.

[Ashlie aka The Cheerbrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

What can I say about the Sweet Potato Queens. You won't believe until you read it, that's for sure. I think this novel, and the women in it, represent what is great about the modern southern woman: unlike the past, we don't feel that we NEED a man, but if we can get one (or a couple) we sure know what to do with them!

Much like my review, this book is not to be taken seriously. It employs a lot of stereotypes about men that aren't necessarily true, but at the end of the day, it is hilarious. Read this one, and all the others, and you won't be disappointed.

[Denise · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is the worst book I have ever read. It was a complete waste of time! I actually thought my IQ was going down as I read it. There were a couple of times where I gave a little chuckle and that's why the book got one star. These "Sweet Potato Queens" have no respect for themselves at all...never mind dignity. Or maybe they just don't know what dignity is. I read SPQ for our book club and I just kept thinking about all the great books I could be reading instead of this. Horrible book, I would not recommend it to anyone! Read only if you want your IQ to go down!

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had me laughing out loud! The Promise, trashy lingerie, the recipes, gimme Chocolate Stuff now —— and the overall purpose of just BE who you were meant to be!

[Avid · Rating 2 out of 5]

Our book club chose this book and a few said it was hilarious. While I did find some portions to be funny I mostly found it obnoxious, demeaning, and everything I don't ever want to see myself becoming. It is everything that I saw in high school bullies and everything that they make fun of of others in beauty pageants that they have turned around and become themselves. To enjoy having others beg and grovel and follow you around and promise men certain favors in order to get them to do something knowing full well you will never follow through and laugh about it and have them be your lackeys and so many other things I don't find this humorous at all. To go out and search four five men in order to have what you want in life because you can't find it all in one man is absolutely horrendous way to try to raise a young girl to look at the world in my eyes.

These are spoiled rotten b****** that I feel sorry for any man that gets caught up with these ladies. They will be used by them and that is it. They want someone catering to their every whim and are very superficial.

It's interesting at one point when they are watching a beauty pageant on TV together and are angry with how beautiful and Young the entry contests are and that they don't have any talents. I understand that these women do have careers but I wish that they would look in words and take a look at this book and what was written and who they have become and the hatred that they hold. They are much uglier on the inside and outside then any beauty contest. They lost sight along the way. :-(

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are going to spend time with the queens you should do it on audio. The book is read by the queen herself author Jill Brown. This book keeps a smile on your face from the first to the last page. There is a bit of head shaking as well, when you think did she really just say that aloud??, not for the faint of heart. These girls(who are middle aged) are brutually honest, tell it like it is, southern belles.
They say a woman needs 5 men in her life. My current beau encompasses 3 of the men, which the queens would say is impossible. He is a man you can talk to, a man you can have ummm.. sleep with and a man who can pay for stuff. The two qualities he doesn't possess are a man you can dance with, which he whole-heartedly admits to and a man who can fix stuff. The funny thing is he argued the point he thinks he can fix stuff. My neighbor Bob is the man who fixes stuff in my life. As for the man who can dance since I am a girl who cannot dance, not a man I really need in my life. I rather have a man who can clean a house without complaint or being asked to. There are a bunch of books in this series listen to them!

[Holly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a book about women who act like male drag queens. Men in drag is universally understood to be good comedy, but when women walk around in female drag it's funny for about two seconds then you want to walk away. This book has some very funny lines and moments, but after the first chapter, you've pretty much already got everything there is to get out of the book. It's just more of the same for the remaining chapters. I chuckled out loud maybe twice, smiled a few more times. There's nothing horrible or offensive or unreadable, but also nothing hilarious or relatable. I don't understand the whole "Princess" mentality some women have, and this book didn't help me understand it any better.

[Amie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am head over heels in love with this woman, her ideals, and all her queens. Its not only HILARIOUS to the point of making you laugh out loud till you pee, but its quite honestly inspiring and just damn good advice. I believe my sisters and I have already tapped into something like this but I've never quite been able to put into words but this book spells it out in a way I never thought quite possible. To be honest, Im a little p*ssed we never thought of this first. :) Golf claps and praises from Amie Pearl. I recommend this book and every book by Jill Conner Browne from the bottom of my heart to all the women I love.

[Kellie Bush · Rating 2 out of 5]

This squeaked out two stars, as giving only one feels cruel. Mildly amusing at times, but I never looked forward to reading this book - too campy, too southern, just too much. I had high hopesbut they were not met. I did like how all the Queens were named Tammy for anonymity, it gave me a chuckle when she, once again, said, "Now another one of the Queens, Tammy..." OH! And I had to skim as fast as my little eyes could zoom along over the chapter with all the disgusting fatty foods. BLECH.

[Alison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as a get well soon gift from My Favorite Aunt while I recovered from surgery. She said I would laugh so hard I'd cry while reading it. Simply put: she was right. Read, howl, cry with laughter, repeat. Over and over again.

[Bookslut · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt like I was listening to Julia. Cute and fun. Some of it is that canned humor that was maybe funny the first time, but loses something in the reselling upon retelling you can sense it's been through. Some of it is genuinely hilarious. A good read for the moment.

[Terry ~ Huntress of Erudition · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read it in one night - a little dated, (Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood was better) but amusing.
What made it more funny were the reviewers who were shocked & appalled by this book!

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun series!

[dolly · Rating 3 out of 5]

i got this from a thrift shop, and the former owner had marked up all of the sections on men with underlines and stars. this was clearly her gospel. i, on the other hand, enjoyed the recipe section a lot more - i've already made the pineapple casserole (ultimate comfort food, oh my goddd) and the butterfinger cookies, and am looking forward to making the chocolate stuff. and buying the authors sweet potato queens' cookbook.

[Andee · Rating 1 out of 5]

Save yourselves and DON'T DO IT! Do NOT read this book! Consider this a public service announcement. Oh and p.s., you're welcome.

I got as far as page 22. This was so stupid it was painful.

I see many comments from readers saying this is why they don't read chic lit. Please don't insult chic lit by comparing it to THIS. I get that chic lit can be insipid, self absorbed, lacking substance or character development at times, shallow, etc., but that's what also makes it a retreat from life. Sometimes a lady just wants to curl up with something easy and simple to read that is an escape from the daily grind, something that doesn't require effort or thought, that doesn't tax your brain.

THIS book though, is none of that. It's not easy or simple. It's definitely NOT the opposite of that either which would be a well written book with characters of depth, an interesting plot, something that engaged you and made you think and use your brain, a story that you thought about while lying in bed at night.

No. This book made no sense at all. Why is this a book? Why would anyone take the time, energy or money to actually call this a book? To create shelf space for such an atrocity? They should read this to the prisoners at Guantanamo, oh my goodness how quickly they would talk. Waterboarding has nothing on this.

From what I gather, this is about a bunch of fat, middle-aged women who want to dress up like whores (fat old women in skimpy clothes, yum!) and be obnoxious. I sort of skimmed the rest by flipping through it quickly and it doesn't get any better. I am eternally grateful to myself for refusing to read any further, which is something I hate doing. I've read thousands of books in my life and no matter what I nearly always make myself read a book in it's entirety. In this case, common sense certainly prevailed.

[june3 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book just gets better as I get older. It is at once wise and hi-****ing-liarious.

First, to set the record straight - I have never been a Sweet Potato Queen or anything like it. I am at my absolute worst socializing in big groups of women. I get tense, I never know what to say. I don't have a recipe file, I agonize for weeks later as to what I did or didn't say...you get the picture. In fact, my younger son actually apologized to me because I had to make an appearance at a Pre-Prom Moms party, he told me he couldn't politely get me out of it (although bless him, he tried).

That said, Ms. Browne has so much to say about life, love and the pursuit of happiness.

Okay, here is the real reason that I love this book. The first time that I read this, I read her description of "The Promise" which I will not reveal here because you can just go read the book. I thought, how funny, that MUST be a joke. Who would do that?

However, since the first time I read this book, I have gained substantial insight into the goings on in my ultra-sophisticated workplace. While no one would ever actually come out and say anything like this (certainly not now, if ever) it is interesting how "The Promise" is really a metaphor and the true underlying theme of many work-place transactions. I am sure I am not alone in recognizing this.

[Zoe Jackson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Book 45 of the PopSugar Reading Challenge: A Book With a Fruit or Vegetable in the Title

To be honest, I feel like I lost some brain cells reading this book. I was expecting a mashup between Steel Magnolias and the Divine Secrets of the Ya Ya Sisterhood, and I got...well, I'm not even sure how to describe it. A book that has not aged very well, filled with sexism and littered with casual racism. I get that this book, which is based on a real-life group of women, is probably highly exaggerated. However, I think a lot of Browne's "advice" missed the mark. I will say that I found myself nodding along as she shared some of her views on spirituality and child rearing (even though I, a childless women, have absolutely no business having an opinion on child rearing- lol). But besides that I found nothing of substance in this book. If you're looking for stories about a strong group of southern women who have done and seen it all, I would recommend skipping this book and reading the books/watching the movies for the two sagas I mentioned at the beginning of this review.

[Lori Law · Rating 4 out of 5]

I usually have at least two books going, one on my Kindle and one on my iPhone for those times I'm stuck somewhere and need easy entertainment so I don't die of boredom. Easy entertainment is the key when reading on a phone.. It can't be too heavy or thought provoking since I'm... reading on a phone... and usually in public, active environments. This novel fit that bill perfectly. It's easy to hop right back in where you left off while waiting in line at the DMV and gives plenty of laughs to ease the pain of waiting in a doctor's office and a wonderful cast of queens to make you forget about the losers around you. Don't over think it (it's not particularly finely crafted--in fact is quit thin on emotional development--and it's not something that will linger in your mind) just read and enjoy for what it is.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

Though this book had its charm and some very intriguing thoughts and recipes, I was simply not into it. While there are some very good ideas that I came away with after listening to this, for the most part I just felt a little uncomfortable by the language and actions of these women.

I chose to listen to this instead of read it because I was thinking that having the author do her own narration on the audio book would give it that much-desired edge and reality that other audios lack. I was mistaken. While her voice itself is perfect for a reading of this particular book, I was slightly dismayed at her lack of emotional range and felt as though she seemed bored reading it (which made it boring for me as well).

[Andrea · Rating 1 out of 5]

I hate not finishing a book. Even if I don't like it. Although I had every intention of giving it 2 stars because I really do admire anyone who could put herself out there and write a book (because I know I couldn't), I just couldn't do it. Just like I couldn't get past 1/2 of the book because I physically felt nauseated by the way she talked about using men to buy them stuff. I don't understand who the intended audience is for this book. It was neither funny, a good story, or inspiring. Oh and the typos! Augh, that just made the book even worse. This was the one time that Goodreads' overall rating led me astray.

[Kattie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hilarious girly book. It is a quick easy read about the theories of the author and how the sweet potato queen (and then queens and their followers,) came to be. You do not have to be from the south to enjoy the stories of the author and her attitude.
These are women that I would love to hang out with for an evening, even if I don't totally agree with their menu of snacks. If you are interested in their food, you might want to look at the cookbook, which is stories about food and the recipes to follow.

[Reeds]

The author told a story about when she was a girl that she had a male friend. One time someone was making her miserable, and her friend said, "Ooh I hate her, I hope she dies." The author felt horror until she thought about the spirit of his attitude of being totally committed to their friendship.
That story has stuck with me for many years. It is actually the only thing I remember from the book. It just tickles my funny bone. I told my husband about it, and sometimes one of us will say that whether anyone has even done anything to either one of us, and we burst out laughing together.

[Barbie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You really need to read this book at home cuz you will just laugh your head off. It was funny from front to back and everything in between. I even told my husband he needs to read this. As much as he doesnt like being called a Southern, (born in Texas but raised in NM) not only will it EXPLAIN stuff to him but he'll get to see where these women come from - women in general if you ask me. Anyhow, do read this book you will enjoy it no matter where you are from.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

My mother brought this over to me tonight after making Love Lard. I swear, it's much better tasting than the name sounds. Recipe in book.

What a fun, bubblegum read. It is perfect just before going to bed at night because then I fantasize about being a 'Tammy' and putting on green sequins and fake boobs and being oke with it.

[April · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fluffy, fun, light read. Shipped to me fresh from my dear friend Helen in Louisiana (of course.)

I believe I actually quoted this book on a recent date when I put a plate of cookies in front of him and said, "I wouldn't be a proper Southern woman without putting something in front of you that has sugar as the main ingredient." Or some-such...