What do you think?
Rate this book
Gully Dirt: On Exposing the Klan, Raising a Hog, and Escaping the South
No part of America scars its children as does the south.
In this incandescent memoir, Robert Coram tells how a rough-edged boy escaped from a nowhere little town in rural southwest Georgia and became an accomplished writer.
With a flawless ear and an unblinking eye, Coram escorts us across a unique landscape, capturing the nuances of life in a small southern town during the 1950s, not by writing of the romantic south, but rather of a south that can be narrow and harsh and brutal. He takes on the big race, religion, love, death, and family values. His coming-of-age story is troubling, sometimes embarrassing to read, but always hilarious.
As a native son, Coram captures in pitch-perfect tone the voice of a teenage boy, a new voice from the old south—a voice as fresh and as blinding as a southern sunrise.
Coram holds nothing back. No part of his early life is too embarrassing or too personal, including losing his virginity in a church and public beatings by his father. Though centered on Coram’s long-suffering mother, his brutal father, and his dog that lived in hope, the main feature of his story may be the humor. Rarely does a writer draw so much humor from such a harsh childhood. His story will linger in your heart.
Coram is the author of seven novels and seven works of non-fiction, including four acclaimed biographies. He lives in Atlanta.
In this incandescent memoir, Robert Coram tells how a rough-edged boy escaped from a nowhere little town in rural southwest Georgia and became an accomplished writer.
With a flawless ear and an unblinking eye, Coram escorts us across a unique landscape, capturing the nuances of life in a small southern town during the 1950s, not by writing of the romantic south, but rather of a south that can be narrow and harsh and brutal. He takes on the big race, religion, love, death, and family values. His coming-of-age story is troubling, sometimes embarrassing to read, but always hilarious.
As a native son, Coram captures in pitch-perfect tone the voice of a teenage boy, a new voice from the old south—a voice as fresh and as blinding as a southern sunrise.
Coram holds nothing back. No part of his early life is too embarrassing or too personal, including losing his virginity in a church and public beatings by his father. Though centered on Coram’s long-suffering mother, his brutal father, and his dog that lived in hope, the main feature of his story may be the humor. Rarely does a writer draw so much humor from such a harsh childhood. His story will linger in your heart.
Coram is the author of seven novels and seven works of non-fiction, including four acclaimed biographies. He lives in Atlanta.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published January 1, 2017
About the author
Robert Coram
28 books93 followersRobert Coram is the author of three nonfiction books and seven novels. He lives in Atlanta.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews
March 2, 2017
Robert Coram’s memoir “Gully Dirt” is a witty yet deeply introspective coming-of-age story of a young kid from rural Georgia trying to climb his way out of family strife and a culture of racism. Coram grew up in Southwest Georgia in the 1950s, among peanut farmers, folks with no telephones or toilets. Set against this poor, gritty, racist backdrop, Coram writes with eloquence and nuance. It’s a fascinating and easy read despite the weight of some of the subject matter.
The oldest of four, Robert seems despised by his ex-Army father, who seems to take pleasure in substituting anger and mean-spiritedness when his son deserves care and attention. His mother tries as hard as she can to keep the two from fighting, but it’s an impossible task.
Robert never really fits in. He’s not too into religion — “from the beginning, preachers and religion frightened me” — and not very good at sports. But he does maintain a merry band of friends, and gets into some impressive sexual situations with girls for a teenage kid in the 50s. But Robert seems obsessed with a desire to flee the place he was born and raised.
Some of this is due to his fanatical reading habits. In books, like many of us who find ourselves in strange and uncertain situations, Robert finds peace and inspiration. “In reading Poe, I discovered emotions and feelings I did not know I possessed. That summer I learned that the contents of a book could resonate in the heart and linger in the memory.”
As he grows up, he begins to question the assumptions of his racist father and the culture in which he grew up. Much of this is brought on when he reads a book by a Georgia author named Frank Yerby. “Mr. Yerby said that men in the South were ‘too enamored by the mystical brotherhood of whiteness to comprehend democracy’ and that the rise of black men did not mean the fall of whiteness.” Coram continues: “I was deeply disturbed. The book had forced me to consider whether what I thought I knew about black people could be wrong. If there were in reality black people such as those Frank Yerby described, they were clearly superior to many of the white people I knew. The scope of such a heretical idea was, at the time, simply too much for me to assimilate.”
He devours all of Yerby’s books, which further instills in him the power of the written word: “… a book is more than pages covered with printed words. A book is a package of wonder, a container of bliss, a vale of emotion, an unexploded bomb.”
An even bigger shock comes when he learns that the author is black: “I was obsessed — there is no other word for it — with the discovery that Frank Yerby, the greatest writer that God ever put on earth, was from Georgia. And he was black.” Coram continues: “The books of Frank Yerby were a yeasty concoction that would ferment for years and make me question the things I had been taught about black people, about the South, about my family, about the very roots of my existence.”
But institutional racism wasn’t built overnight, and a kid raised in this culture doesn’t quickly extricate himself from it. Coram writes: “The racism that was in the marrow of my bones would, like a virulent poison, take years to eradicate.”
The title of the book is a little misleading. Coram does raise a hog, and he does “escape” the South, at least in spirit, but there is no exposing of the Klan. Young Coram and his buddies do sneak into an old building in the woods that turns out to be a Klan hideout, complete with hoods and white capes. They mess around a bit, but nothing much comes of it. I was expecting the Klan to feature a bit more prominently in this book, and hoping Coram would somehow stick it to the Klan, but none of that happens.
Still, this is a wonderfully written memoir that seems to speak truly and honestly about this specific time and place.
The oldest of four, Robert seems despised by his ex-Army father, who seems to take pleasure in substituting anger and mean-spiritedness when his son deserves care and attention. His mother tries as hard as she can to keep the two from fighting, but it’s an impossible task.
Robert never really fits in. He’s not too into religion — “from the beginning, preachers and religion frightened me” — and not very good at sports. But he does maintain a merry band of friends, and gets into some impressive sexual situations with girls for a teenage kid in the 50s. But Robert seems obsessed with a desire to flee the place he was born and raised.
Some of this is due to his fanatical reading habits. In books, like many of us who find ourselves in strange and uncertain situations, Robert finds peace and inspiration. “In reading Poe, I discovered emotions and feelings I did not know I possessed. That summer I learned that the contents of a book could resonate in the heart and linger in the memory.”
As he grows up, he begins to question the assumptions of his racist father and the culture in which he grew up. Much of this is brought on when he reads a book by a Georgia author named Frank Yerby. “Mr. Yerby said that men in the South were ‘too enamored by the mystical brotherhood of whiteness to comprehend democracy’ and that the rise of black men did not mean the fall of whiteness.” Coram continues: “I was deeply disturbed. The book had forced me to consider whether what I thought I knew about black people could be wrong. If there were in reality black people such as those Frank Yerby described, they were clearly superior to many of the white people I knew. The scope of such a heretical idea was, at the time, simply too much for me to assimilate.”
He devours all of Yerby’s books, which further instills in him the power of the written word: “… a book is more than pages covered with printed words. A book is a package of wonder, a container of bliss, a vale of emotion, an unexploded bomb.”
An even bigger shock comes when he learns that the author is black: “I was obsessed — there is no other word for it — with the discovery that Frank Yerby, the greatest writer that God ever put on earth, was from Georgia. And he was black.” Coram continues: “The books of Frank Yerby were a yeasty concoction that would ferment for years and make me question the things I had been taught about black people, about the South, about my family, about the very roots of my existence.”
But institutional racism wasn’t built overnight, and a kid raised in this culture doesn’t quickly extricate himself from it. Coram writes: “The racism that was in the marrow of my bones would, like a virulent poison, take years to eradicate.”
The title of the book is a little misleading. Coram does raise a hog, and he does “escape” the South, at least in spirit, but there is no exposing of the Klan. Young Coram and his buddies do sneak into an old building in the woods that turns out to be a Klan hideout, complete with hoods and white capes. They mess around a bit, but nothing much comes of it. I was expecting the Klan to feature a bit more prominently in this book, and hoping Coram would somehow stick it to the Klan, but none of that happens.
Still, this is a wonderfully written memoir that seems to speak truly and honestly about this specific time and place.
November 16, 2022
This book tells the story of small, rural Georgia in the 190s and the impact that culture had on Robert's life. I appreciated his honesty regarding the challenges he faced with the culture as well as his father. His ability to tell his story with dignity and respect kept me engaged, I also appreciated his humor sprinked in. The descriptions are so detailed, I felt transported to the 1950s south. Having lived in Texas, I do believe the south has its own culture that imprints on us whether we want it to or not.
This book is an excellent reminder about the importance of looking for commonalities even when we think they aren't any!
This book is an excellent reminder about the importance of looking for commonalities even when we think they aren't any!
March 19, 2017
Disappointing in several ways
A coming-of-age novel about a teenager in rural Georgia in ten 1950's. I grew up in the South at about the same time. I guess I hoped to look at that part of my life through different eyes. The book did bring back memories but provided little insight nor perspective about what was going on in the US at that time nor much perspective about the unique culture in the South-both good and bad aspects. The narrative line of the book was inconsistent and the language crude and simplistic. Not likely to read any more by Coram.
A coming-of-age novel about a teenager in rural Georgia in ten 1950's. I grew up in the South at about the same time. I guess I hoped to look at that part of my life through different eyes. The book did bring back memories but provided little insight nor perspective about what was going on in the US at that time nor much perspective about the unique culture in the South-both good and bad aspects. The narrative line of the book was inconsistent and the language crude and simplistic. Not likely to read any more by Coram.
July 8, 2022
Honest and Real
I LOVED the voice of this young man! His cultural challenges and his paternal challenges are conveyed honestly and with humor as well as his own pain. I think everyone should read this to taste the flavor of diversity through tradition, and see for themselves the bonds between us all. We all struggle just to become into our own. Mr. Coram is a beautiful reminder that we have more in common than differences. Plus, he did so with a great sense of humor. Thanks Robert Coram💞
I LOVED the voice of this young man! His cultural challenges and his paternal challenges are conveyed honestly and with humor as well as his own pain. I think everyone should read this to taste the flavor of diversity through tradition, and see for themselves the bonds between us all. We all struggle just to become into our own. Mr. Coram is a beautiful reminder that we have more in common than differences. Plus, he did so with a great sense of humor. Thanks Robert Coram💞
June 1, 2021
Interesting Read and Interesting Perspective on the South in the Storyline 1950,s
Book kept my interest,very detailed....some personal details I could live without. Mr. Coram d had a very difficult upbringing and grew up around a lot of prejudice. I would like to read about his adult years.
Book kept my interest,very detailed....some personal details I could live without. Mr. Coram d had a very difficult upbringing and grew up around a lot of prejudice. I would like to read about his adult years.
June 14, 2026
The author of this book recounts his experiences growing up in southwest Georgia during the 1950s. The opening paragraph of the book talks about how people often say the South is full of nice people living in the Bible Belt, and how that is exactly the opposite. In fact, he said they are meaner than uncovered cat shit, and I have to agree. All of these nice Southern Christian people are the very same people that are involved in racism, domestic violence, drug and alcohol abuse, and theft. I have lived in Tennessee my entire life, except two years I spent in Georgia, and I can say with a thousand percent certainty there are some wonderful people and wonderful things to see down here, but there are some truly heinous people. The author made another statement that I feel in every fiber of my being: I am FROM the South, not OF the South. Each day, I can understand the stereotypes other people have.
At any rate, the book provided a really good look at this time period in the South. We are about 70 years past the time covered in this book, and so much remains the same. I also found a lot of humor in the story and in the writing by the author. I actually really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. If you are interested, it is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
At any rate, the book provided a really good look at this time period in the South. We are about 70 years past the time covered in this book, and so much remains the same. I also found a lot of humor in the story and in the writing by the author. I actually really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. If you are interested, it is currently available on Kindle Unlimited.
December 2, 2022
There’s nothing quite like a firsthand perspective to teach us all something new! This book shines a spotlight on the American South and shows just how seedy and destructive it can be. Even still (being a southerner myself), I loved reading about Robert Coram’s journey finding his way out of the “gully” and into his life as an acclaimed writer.
He gives a gritty and unflinching look at where he came from and how it made him into the man he became. His humor despite hardship is most impressive and I came away from this book feeling like I had a fun friend with a deep past.
Memoirs really are my favorite, as I get older, because I just love the way they link us all together in the commonality of the human experience. Even when our journeys are different, we all experience the same feelings. In that way, we are all connected…and there is nothing more magical or inspiring that such a feeling.
He gives a gritty and unflinching look at where he came from and how it made him into the man he became. His humor despite hardship is most impressive and I came away from this book feeling like I had a fun friend with a deep past.
Memoirs really are my favorite, as I get older, because I just love the way they link us all together in the commonality of the human experience. Even when our journeys are different, we all experience the same feelings. In that way, we are all connected…and there is nothing more magical or inspiring that such a feeling.
August 4, 2022
I absolutely love this book. So why three stars? Because I felt cheated at the end. I’ve never read this author and I do not like memoirs. But this one caught my eye for some reason. I was really invested in Mr. Coram. I wanted him to succeed and obviously at some point he did. But to stop the book when he’s facing military school, that he was destined to hate, that he entered for all the wrong reasons, and what he knew was not a good fit and still trying to please a horrible father, and just leave us hanging there I found distressing. I wanted to know how he got from that point to where he is today.
November 21, 2022
5/5 RIVETING STARS!
Completely CAPTIVATING!
Gully Dirt is an absolute PAGE TURNER! I was so engrossed in this story. I was hooked and could not put this one down. I devoured page after page.
Robert Coram had a true talent for telling a story. These words drew me in right away, and I could just picture everything in my head. It was so honest, real and enjoyable! I was absolutely fascinated by Robert Coram’s life.
This was a truly fantastic fun read!!
Completely CAPTIVATING!
Gully Dirt is an absolute PAGE TURNER! I was so engrossed in this story. I was hooked and could not put this one down. I devoured page after page.
Robert Coram had a true talent for telling a story. These words drew me in right away, and I could just picture everything in my head. It was so honest, real and enjoyable! I was absolutely fascinated by Robert Coram’s life.
This was a truly fantastic fun read!!
October 1, 2017
Coram puts a dose of realism into a Mark Twain like narrative, which left me wide eyed. A fascinating and unfortunately true experience of the author's own, this memoir is clearly a release of personal demons. A fantastic read which destroys romanticism of the south and establishes an empathy for the underdog
June 10, 2021
Great book
I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and it had its sad parts. It was interesting because I went to college in Cuthbert back in early sixties. I knew all about Edison, Blakely and other places he named. We would leave school and go to Albany to eat pizza. I enjoyed that part of book and his growing up years. I did not like the ending. He is a very good writer.
I really enjoyed this book. It was funny and it had its sad parts. It was interesting because I went to college in Cuthbert back in early sixties. I knew all about Edison, Blakely and other places he named. We would leave school and go to Albany to eat pizza. I enjoyed that part of book and his growing up years. I did not like the ending. He is a very good writer.
September 16, 2018
What a combination of emotions!!!! It was one of the most hilarious books -- as in, laugh out loud -- I've ever read. It was also heartbreaking in too many places. Can't wait for the sequel, when Robert finally leaves his home town!
June 16, 2019
Gully Dirt by Coram brought to life growing up male in the deep south in the 1950's and 1960's. Funny tales, crazy family dynamics and heart wrenching truths are on every page. I really enjoyed this book.
October 10, 2021
Southern insights
The book held my attention, which made for a quick, easy read. I recognized many places Coram mentioned - as well as many attitudes. Why do parents pick on one of their children? Hard to imagine. I'd read another of his books
The book held my attention, which made for a quick, easy read. I recognized many places Coram mentioned - as well as many attitudes. Why do parents pick on one of their children? Hard to imagine. I'd read another of his books
Read
July 2, 2021Funny, sad, poignant coming of age in the south memoir.
April 16, 2022
Great read! Why not?
Knew I was going to enjoy this book 20 pages I in. Coram's relaxed amusing writing style is captivating. Great story teller!
Knew I was going to enjoy this book 20 pages I in. Coram's relaxed amusing writing style is captivating. Great story teller!
April 28, 2022
Read this as an ebook and I swan the red clay dust sprinkled out of my phone as I turned each page. Pairs well with a nice bourbon. This man is a master storyteller. Salute!
February 1, 2017
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars
March 28, 2023
A poignant look into what life was like in rural Georgia in the 1950s through the eyes of a teenage boy. While this has value and I mostly enjoyed reading this coming of age story, I was less than impressed with one of the final take home messages - that his mother's affair with a family friend after his controlling, impotent, drill-sargeant of a father died left him with a feeling of profound betrayal and bitterness that lasted with him all his life. It showed very little acknowledgement of how much his mother did to protect him from his father and how selfless she was throughout her life, offering help and care to anyone in need. The portrayal of women in general was juvenile and sexist, which makes sense given the context. One would have thought, however, that the author would have tied things up in the end with a more progressive, fully formed perspective with regard to women, as he attempted to do with racism.
April 26, 2017
Page turner
Couldn't put this down. Growing up in the Deep South, this author knows the south and its children. Heard expressions I hadn't thought of in years. Laughed and cried in the same chapter!
Couldn't put this down. Growing up in the Deep South, this author knows the south and its children. Heard expressions I hadn't thought of in years. Laughed and cried in the same chapter!
August 5, 2017
Among one of the worst books I have ever read! Heavy use of sexually events and vulgar language to keep the book moving. This is the story of an unhappy and resentful boy, who is coming of age in a very bad way in a small southern town in Georgia. There is nothing redeeming or even interesting in his story. While race and the mysterious Klan are mentioned in the book, it is clearly put in to draw the reader into a blank hole with no substance whatsoever. The book is essentially about a dull and unfulfilling youth. Robert Coram blames the town he was raised and its people for an unhappy life of his own making.
Displaying 1 - 21 of 21 reviews