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Sean of the South: Volume 1
The first volume of a collection of short stories by Sean Dietrich, a writer, humorist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. His humor and short fiction appear in various publications throughout the Southeast.
152 pages, Paperback
Published November 30, 2015
323 people are currently reading
514 people want to read
About the author
Sean Dietrich
7 books220 followersSean Dietrich is a writer, humorist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South.
Dietrich’s humor and short fiction have appeared in various publications throughout the Southeast, including South Magazine, Tallahassee Democrat, Wired Magazine, and he is a member of the NWU. His first short story was published during his childhood, in a hometown journal newspaper. Since then, he pursues his literary interests authoring four novels, writing humor, and short stories.
Dietrich’s humor and short fiction have appeared in various publications throughout the Southeast, including South Magazine, Tallahassee Democrat, Wired Magazine, and he is a member of the NWU. His first short story was published during his childhood, in a hometown journal newspaper. Since then, he pursues his literary interests authoring four novels, writing humor, and short stories.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
December 4, 2025
A series of (very) short pieces about living in the south, both as an adult and a child. I chose it to give me some idea of his writing style before reading one of his novels. Hes a funny guy with some unusual outlooks and expressions. Perfect bedtime reading.
November 5, 2019
A quick, feel-good read. This is a collection of musings or vignettes based on the premise that even though the we seem to be on a slow road to hell, the world is actually still full of good people doing kind things. Each story is exactly two pages long, and they are best enjoyed slowly, a few at a time. I smiled, cried, and occasionally rolled my eyes. But I felt happy and hopeful at the end and wished there were more of them.
March 5, 2025
This is just the kind of book I needed to read. Nothing complex, just a collection of humorous anecdotes that as a fellow Southerner I could fully relate to. Recommend highly to others who are caught up in bigger books with greater depth. The message of the simple living and enjoying the people around you is worth the effort.
December 31, 2025
I have stumbled across the writing of the multi-talented Sean Dietrich through his blog posts during 2025. He is always good for at least a few chuckles, and frequently full belly laughs. He is not afraid to share his spiritual side from time-to-time. I enjoyed this book of short essays. Be prepared for surprising plot twists, and those "wait...what" moments as he shares stories that anyone raised in the South will find relatable. You will just have to tolerate his being an Alabama fan. "How bout them Dawgsi"
June 20, 2023
With so many people suffering with no power and a severe heat wave had to read something light. This filled the bill. Light and heartfelt writer. Thank you Sean!
July 18, 2016
Slices of Life
Very short slice of life pieces that are familiar to anyone growing up or living in the Deep South. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these essays and will definitely look for other books by the same author.
Very short slice of life pieces that are familiar to anyone growing up or living in the Deep South. I thoroughly enjoyed reading these essays and will definitely look for other books by the same author.
May 2, 2017
I had the pleasure of hearing the author speak recently at my high school; and thoroughly enjoyed him. His humor is along the lines of the late great Erma Bombeck and Lewis Grizzard.
I had so much fun with these stories. Granted, not every single one if them were winners; but they were all satisfying. Many were touching as well as humorous. These are a collection of selected columns written by the author and published in newspapers across the southeast US...slices of life in the south and particularly Alabama.
I had so much fun with these stories. Granted, not every single one if them were winners; but they were all satisfying. Many were touching as well as humorous. These are a collection of selected columns written by the author and published in newspapers across the southeast US...slices of life in the south and particularly Alabama.
January 23, 2020
I really loved this collection of brief, humorous, and touching observations on life in the south with such brilliant, colorful descriptions that it makes this part time pastor a little* envious of his writing.
Thank, you, very, much, Sean.
*a whole lot. Lying is wrong.
Thank, you, very, much, Sean.
*a whole lot. Lying is wrong.
April 23, 2017
I love Sean Dietrich. I may be a tad bit bias as I live and roam the same parts as him, but reading his description of the South just makes my heart warm.
May 4, 2025
Sean, has done it again and never ceases to amaze me. I wanted to mark all my favorite pages then shortly realized they’re all my favorite pages! 😂
July 16, 2019
Sean Dietrich is one of my favorite new authors. I first started following him on social media, but thought it would be great to actually read his books. Dietrich's first book is a myriad of short stories that range from peanuts in Coca-Cola to the after-life of squirrels. Many of his stories remind me of my own childhood hometown and family antics. It was a quick, though entertaining read. I'll definitely be reading the rest of his books.
December 24, 2018
A collection of 'short stories' about life in the South that reads, to me, more like blog posts than short stories. These are really fast reads, and if you've had any experience in the South, or really, in any small town, you're going to recognize people and situations. I read it in one sitting, laughing all the way through.
July 4, 2019
An antidote for today's heartache
You need this dose of "good" truth. Give your weary heart some smiles, some tears and some breathing through pursed lips while saying, "whew". Genuine, and kind.
You need this dose of "good" truth. Give your weary heart some smiles, some tears and some breathing through pursed lips while saying, "whew". Genuine, and kind.
December 10, 2025
I was led to Sean of the South: Volume 1 by a friend’s review and am happy to report that I very much enjoyed getting to know Sean Dietrich. The beauty of Goodreads should not be underestimated.
Sean Dietrich is a columnist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. This slim book of 153 pages carries vignettes of his life, both past and present, and his interactions with the people he met over time. Most notable is Dietrich’s sense of humor which permeates his accounts of these personal encounters.
He had me curious about a biscuit sandwich at a service station in Berrydale. Apparently, “They have a biscuit sandwich that tastes just like deep-fried cherubs singing Handel.” Pity I live too far away to try one. In a chapter titled Oysters, Dietrich reported slurping the oysters so loudly in a restaurant that prospective diners had second thoughts. I could not help laughing.
He wrote about his English teacher who berated him for using too many commas in his essays. You should read the subtitle he gave to his self-proclaimed “stunning soliloquy on the rise and fall of the modern biscuit.” These episodes with his English teacher gave me pause. Don’t be too quick to judge a student’s ability. You never know how they can surprise you. I hope his teachers are now reading his stories.
Another underlying thread that stood out for me is Dietrich’s kindness that found expression in his treatment of strangers (e.g., a waitress bullied by customers, a housewife with two screaming children) and young boys who, like him, had to count pennies. He wrote lovingly and tenderly about his father who loved telling tall tales; his great-uncle Henry, the generous penny-giver; and his mother who made the world’s best biscuits.
This is a perfect little book for readers who need a light-hearted read and a good laugh. Thank you, Sean Dietrich.
Sean Dietrich is a columnist, and novelist, known for his commentary on life in the American South. This slim book of 153 pages carries vignettes of his life, both past and present, and his interactions with the people he met over time. Most notable is Dietrich’s sense of humor which permeates his accounts of these personal encounters.
He had me curious about a biscuit sandwich at a service station in Berrydale. Apparently, “They have a biscuit sandwich that tastes just like deep-fried cherubs singing Handel.” Pity I live too far away to try one. In a chapter titled Oysters, Dietrich reported slurping the oysters so loudly in a restaurant that prospective diners had second thoughts. I could not help laughing.
He wrote about his English teacher who berated him for using too many commas in his essays. You should read the subtitle he gave to his self-proclaimed “stunning soliloquy on the rise and fall of the modern biscuit.” These episodes with his English teacher gave me pause. Don’t be too quick to judge a student’s ability. You never know how they can surprise you. I hope his teachers are now reading his stories.
Another underlying thread that stood out for me is Dietrich’s kindness that found expression in his treatment of strangers (e.g., a waitress bullied by customers, a housewife with two screaming children) and young boys who, like him, had to count pennies. He wrote lovingly and tenderly about his father who loved telling tall tales; his great-uncle Henry, the generous penny-giver; and his mother who made the world’s best biscuits.
This is a perfect little book for readers who need a light-hearted read and a good laugh. Thank you, Sean Dietrich.
January 2, 2024
The subtitle of this book is a doozy, "A collection of short stories from someone so painfully average you wonder why he wrote a book."
Now, I must be perfectly clear. I love Sean Dietrich. Not the EROS kind of love, mind you, the kind where you just want to have he and his wife over for dinner and then to play the pianer a bit. I read him every day on Facebook (look him up!) and he makes my heart happy. If you want perfect spelling and syntax, this is not your guy. If you want to see the world through his loving eyes, with a whole boatload of colorful descriptions, this is your guy.
Here's an example, from page 43:
"As a thirteen-year-old, it was apparent that I liked to cook. Though I was terrible at it. I'll never forget my first dish. Potato Salad. I accidentally used sugar instead of salt. It tasted so bad the houseflies all pitched in to get our screen door fixed."
But it is his loving depictions of normal people, folks you might not even look twice at, that makes my heart happy. You'll chuckle, you'll snort, you'll walk away feeling like the world is a better place with writers who can't quite spell but have hearts full of wonder and love.
This is one of his earlier books. He's improved, but his heart is even bigger now than at the beginning. I spent a couple of wonderful hours this afternoon with this happy pill. This may not be your cuppa tea, but it certainly is my cuppa cocoa.
Five Stars because it is Sean Dietrich...
Now, I must be perfectly clear. I love Sean Dietrich. Not the EROS kind of love, mind you, the kind where you just want to have he and his wife over for dinner and then to play the pianer a bit. I read him every day on Facebook (look him up!) and he makes my heart happy. If you want perfect spelling and syntax, this is not your guy. If you want to see the world through his loving eyes, with a whole boatload of colorful descriptions, this is your guy.
Here's an example, from page 43:
"As a thirteen-year-old, it was apparent that I liked to cook. Though I was terrible at it. I'll never forget my first dish. Potato Salad. I accidentally used sugar instead of salt. It tasted so bad the houseflies all pitched in to get our screen door fixed."
But it is his loving depictions of normal people, folks you might not even look twice at, that makes my heart happy. You'll chuckle, you'll snort, you'll walk away feeling like the world is a better place with writers who can't quite spell but have hearts full of wonder and love.
This is one of his earlier books. He's improved, but his heart is even bigger now than at the beginning. I spent a couple of wonderful hours this afternoon with this happy pill. This may not be your cuppa tea, but it certainly is my cuppa cocoa.
Five Stars because it is Sean Dietrich...
December 7, 2021
I’ve been to the small towns of which Mr. Dietrich’s speaks in these stories, not the exact places, but for me, it brought me back to the familiar places I’d lived at different times of my life, places like Moncks Corner, Cowpens, Landrum, Lyman, Gaffney, and Greer. And I have met people similar to the family, friends, strangers, and acquaintances he speaks of in his stories. As I visited the locations and met the folks in these selected stories, these tales allowed me to revisit the earliest memories of my life and other moments that I hadn’t thought of in quite some time. I was able to relate to him in his storytelling. Sean has a magical way of making you bust a gut laughing at one story one minute and then pull at your heartstrings the next. These tales are quick and to the point, mostly only two pages. He says so much in only a few words—such a fun book with amazing stories. I urge you to read this (as well as his other books). In reading, you will travel to the places in his tales, and they will touch you. He impresses upon the reader the meaning of love and life with family and friends. And as he leads you through some of his selected memories, he will, in turn, take you down your memory lanes in your life just as he did me. It’s an incredible journey; you should take it.
December 30, 2017
I bought this book on a whim. I found it in the humor section and I’m generally a fan of Southern-set stories (being an Alabamian). Sadly, I didn’t love this as much as I’d like to. Sean Dietrich tells some interesting stories that capture the culture of small town southern life well, but almost every story ends with some sappy sentiment that you’d find in the worst of greeting cards. The final three stories, each longer than the others in the book, are when Sean’s writing really starts to shine. If his other books in the series are more like that, I’ll give them a shot. The man has a good sense of humor, but he’s a tad too sentimental about the dumbest stuff.
October 1, 2025
I came across this book (and the second volume) at my local used book store and thought it might be a good way to end my night and it truly ended up doing exactly that. Sean Dietrich writes daily blog posts about people living in the American South and this volume is a collection of those posts. Each piece is a humorous and uplifting 500-ish word "story," except for the last few. They were perfect for when my brain begins winding down but I'm not quite ready to give up my reading for the day.
Dietrich reminds me a lot of the late Lewis Grizzard, another humorist whose focus was the American South.
Dietrich reminds me a lot of the late Lewis Grizzard, another humorist whose focus was the American South.
April 17, 2020
If you receive Sean Dietrich's daily dose of humor, reflection and all things Southern in your inbox, then you already know if you like his tales or not.
Tall tales, written with few words and spiced to perfection like the boiled peanuts we all know and love so much, these little bites are perfect for light reads when you have just a couple of minutes or don't want to be weighed down with hard, heavy topics.
Or, when you're in need of reading material in the bathroom. I feel like Sean would agree.
Tall tales, written with few words and spiced to perfection like the boiled peanuts we all know and love so much, these little bites are perfect for light reads when you have just a couple of minutes or don't want to be weighed down with hard, heavy topics.
Or, when you're in need of reading material in the bathroom. I feel like Sean would agree.
March 26, 2021
I was born a Yankee, however, I am Southern by the grace of God. I was able to identify with these anecdotes. Sometimes I smiled, sometimes I chuckled, and sometimes I just plain laughed out loud. I will be reading more of his books in the near future. We need more laughter in our daily lives. It is far better to get through the day finding amusement everywhere instead of looking for something about which to complain.
August 19, 2025
A short book filled with two page anecdotes. Most I believe are meant to be thought-provoking wisdom, but it mostly sounded like I was listening to John Boy at the end of a Waltons episode telling about some whimsical aspect of southern life, although John-Boy Walton had infinitely more depth in his observations.
I will say, however, that his novel The Incredible Winston Browne was a very good story. And I would read a novel of his as opposed to a book like this.
I will say, however, that his novel The Incredible Winston Browne was a very good story. And I would read a novel of his as opposed to a book like this.
February 25, 2018
I grew up in LA (Lower Alabama), so Sean's stories are very vivid to me. He has a talent for observing people and telling their stories in a way that makes the reader reflect on themselves and their place in the world. I look forward to reading many more of his stories and vignettes in the years to come.
February 1, 2021
His stories remind me of stories my grandmothers have told me about working hard, growing up poor, and always remembering to put God first. It’s strange how life experiences from people who experienced this so long ago, in a country not so far away, can be so similar to a part of America I’ve barely driven through once.
May 1, 2024
I quite enjoyed this collections of short stories/essays. Easy read and good palate cleanser. Chuckled to myself quite a bit while reading. Really only took two days to read through, but EASILY could be done in one seating. Would also be good to read just one or two a day. Looking forward to reading volume 2 and more from Dietrich.
November 5, 2017
Sweet Vignettes of the South
I recently started read Sean of the South on Facebook. I enjoy his writing. It reminds me of growing up in Missouri. The people aren't sophisticated, but they are real.
I recently started read Sean of the South on Facebook. I enjoy his writing. It reminds me of growing up in Missouri. The people aren't sophisticated, but they are real.
May 21, 2021
Although the majority of the chapters were very chopped and short, leaving me asking myself "Is that it?", the final four chapters were of the caliber that I've come to know and love by Sean. I'm starting vol. 2 today and am hoping that it will be full of more like these final four chapters.
September 3, 2021
This collection of Sean Dietrich's daily columns will make you laugh and cry--and experience more emotion than you thought possible. Sean of the South does it again! (No wonder he's one of my all-time favorites...).
October 5, 2021
Love reading his stories
Short stories that leave lasting impressions' and bring about memories. I always enjoy Mr. Dietrich's ramblings and observations. Great way to spend your time!
Short stories that leave lasting impressions' and bring about memories. I always enjoy Mr. Dietrich's ramblings and observations. Great way to spend your time!
January 17, 2026
Perfect for a hard day
If youre5having a particularly bad day, reading at least one story from this collection will take the yuck right out! What a wonderful story teller. Can't wait to read another
If youre5having a particularly bad day, reading at least one story from this collection will take the yuck right out! What a wonderful story teller. Can't wait to read another
December 15, 2017
A superb storyteller
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews