Down Town

by Ferrol Sams

A rollicking tale of a small Southern town by the bestselling author of Run with the Horsemen With his naturalistic and humorous storytelling style, Ferrol Sams has won fans from all walks of life, especially those drawn to Southern fiction. And while the literary landscape of the rural South is peppered with great storytellers, few are as endearing as James Aloysius Buster Holcombe, Jr., the observant narrator of Sams's new novel. From Reconstruction, the first World War, the Depression, and World War II, to racial integration, land speculation, and economic boom, Buster Holcombe recounts the events that have shaped our country since the mid-nineteenth century through the eyes of the wide-ranging denizens of our town. Down Town offers a panoptic history of the American South, carefully observed and skillfully presented by a native son.

Genres: Fiction, Humor

320 pages, ebook

First published June 1, 2007

Reviews

[Ann Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book made me laugh out loud on several occasions. The characters were colorful. The stories were so unbelievable they were believable. I really really really liked it. Though the voice in my head while reading it was that of Blanche Devareaux and not some backwoods attorney.

[Louis · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reading this book is like moving to a small town, knowing no one, and trying to read the local weekly paper. This novel tells the tale of a small Georgia town near Atlanta that evolves in the 20th century from rural backwater to bedroom community. If only the people did as well. Narrator Buster Holcombe tells us more than we want to know about people who we never get to know. This makes it hard to hang on to the end. Since I try not to quit reading books in the middle I persevered but there was not much payoff for doing so. The key to writing good Southern literature is to make your characters eccentric yet lovable. Sams misses that goal here; his townspeople never develop enough to find a place in your heart. Since he wrote other novels that have charmed readers, I'm going to guess he cobbled this together out of odds and ends from those books. I do have to admit he's made me much more interested in the poetry of Edna St. Vincent Millay than I had been previously. Otherwise, Down Town is a three-star slog.

[Joe Hampton · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I have always hated the South. For everything it stood and stands for. And I think I still do, but Mr. Sams has me questioning my hate just a little bit.

Ps, I still think all it's inhabitants are stupid though."

-HRC

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me begin this post by saying I absolutely adore Ferrol Sams. I consider him to be one of the premiere southern writers and I loved his trilogy sequencing the life of Porter Osborne from his wild childhood to his education (both intellectual and social...and *ahem* sexual) to his sad journey through World War 2. If you have not read them--Run with the Horsemen, Whisper of the River, and When All the World was Young--get to it now so we can talk.

Gosh, I loved those books so much that I could not get my hands on "Down Town" fast enough once I realized it was out there. By the way, I will use quotes and italics interchangeably for book titles. I know that I should use italics all the time, but it just seems to take too much time to do that versus using quotes...so, please forgive me.

Anyway, "Down Town" was a different kind of book because the characters are mostly transient and the main emphasis is on the town itself. That being said, I think Sams could have put a little more time into character development along the way as it is difficult to even figure out who the main voice is for quite some time. Now, I will give the caveat here that I read the first half of this book while excitedly traveling to Vail to see Dixon so it may be possible that I was distracted when all of the important character introductions were occurring.

That being said, I did not truly get into the book until I was nearly done...and my favorite part was the benediction! Of course, the typical Ferrol Sams-isms of his quick wit and ability to capture the essence of a southern town are still highly at play but I was disappointed in it having been so obsessed with his early work.

But as I was so wisely advised, Ferrol Sams is old and wrote three incredibly awesome books, give him a break. So I will end here with the opinion that it was definitely not his best work but was entertaining at times. Still read it and make your own opinion but know it might take a while to get into the story.

[David Ward · Rating 3 out of 5]

Down Town: The Journal of James Aloysius Holcombe, Jr. for Ephraim Holcombe Mookinfoos by Ferrol Sams (Mercer University Press 2007) (Fiction - General). I dearly love the writings of author Ferrol Sams. His Run With the Horsemen trilogy, which is barely-disguised autobiography, is southern writing at its very best. The current offering, Down Town, is more purely fiction; it is a collection of stories about quirky small-town characters. This volume reads more like Fanny Flagg's Welcome to the World Baby Girl! series than Sams' earlier work. It's a purely entertaining story as well as a fun ride! My rating: 7/10, finished 4/2/15.

[Mitch · Rating 3 out of 5]

This rating is an average because of a surprise ending.

When I began reading this, I was pleasantly amused by some nice examples of Southern humor...but after a while things changed.

The novel is a kind of chronicle of the people in a small town in the South and as the anecdotes about them began to pile up, I realized more and more that I was reading about people who were small-minded, petty and gossipy. The author's character, who is telling the story, was also created to be sexually crude reliably often.

This went on until about page 280 where the novel more or less finished. I was plenty happy to cross over that finish line and write a review with maybe two stars.

Then the final Benediction occurred...and the whole book took a radical turn. Suddenly a new character appeared who was pretty much the opposite of the main character and all his petty neighbors...and this new person brought along some appreciated fresh air. In fact, the new character was dealing with some issues that I found reflected my own life...and how often does that happen in a fictional novel?

The final part could almost have stood on its own as a short story, though the connections to what came before are definitely there.

So four stars for the final 20 pages, and two for the 280-some that preceded it. I've got to say I haven't run into a book that turned around so completely in such a short space near the end before.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a 2007 interview Sams says that he learned to write his freshman year at Mercer College in his home state of Georgia. He was taught so well, that today, every entering freshman is required to read one of Sams’ books. Ferrol Sams, winner of the 2008 Georgia Author of the Year Award and Lifetime Achievement Award in 2012 is on of the most successful and famous graduates of the college.

Sams was trained as a physician and did not start writing until he was 58 years old. His simplicity, wit, and sense of humor are trademarks of the eight novels and books of short stories he had published. Down Town, one of his later books, seems like a compilation of yarns, character sketches, and vignettes, but they all come together in the last chapter in the most surprising and heart warming of ways.

He is surely a “Southern” writer, as his dialog, patterns of speech, and eccentric characters could not have inhabited any other universe. But his tales are peppered with references to classical myths,Bible stories, and poetry. He says what he has to say, with appreciation of the beautiful and perception of the ridiculous, which, in the hands of this master storyteller, makes for laugh out loud reading.

[Margaret Elder · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the most entertaining books I've ever read. I repeatedly laughed out loud while reading it, and I seldom do that. Buster Holcombe, the storyteller, speaks to the reader as if he is talking directly to him or her. Even when I was temporarily annoyed occasionally by a lack of chronology in the storytelling, I realized the author was emulating exactly how a person might tell the story of his town. And, as the author reminds the reader often, it's a wonderful town. Since I hail from an area of small Southern towns, I understand the memorable characters he portrays and the personality of the town he describes. Sams might never have won many writing prizes, but he sure knew how to tell a story and create a character whose dialogue and actions revealed a definitive personality. I will loan this book out but be diligent about seeing it returned because it is worth reading again!

[Lisa Yaggie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr Buster Alyouisious Holcombe - the town lawyer. What a town full of characters. The Cofield family. It literally took me 7 yrs to read this book because I am determined to always finish a book. It was recommend from Janet in my Fictional Friends club and she has great taste so I was disappointed that I wasn’t clicking with the book. I read this in little fits until I got to about page 205 / chapter 18 and I whizzed through it. I think the benediction should come first. I give it four stars for such a wonderful ending and how you realize why you just trudged through what I thought was just a history of a town outside of Atlanta that went from Deep South Civil War to present day just recounting town gossip. But the purpose is finally revealed and it all ties together. It’s a feel good book for sure.

[Albert Culbreath · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really, really, really, loved, loved, loved, really loved this novel. I can see where it would not appeal to many readers, especially those who need a clear plot that proceeds in a more linear fashion. This story is more like a front porch visit with loop upon loop of side and back stories, with considerable repetition, and some side stories that are sort of abandoned, but the book rings very true to what I know of people in small southern towns. I will not speak of the ending except to say that Dr. Sams got me.

[Wendell Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed many of the local Georgia references, but the cast of characters was so extensive that it became confusing at times. Sams’ humor shines through, and the last chapter redeems the frustration I had felt when it seemed the narrative felt endless at times. Glad to have read it to complete my Sams repertoire, but I wish that the stories had been better organized so that the characters would have been easier to keep up with.

[Bobby Jo Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think I would have enjoyed this book more if I had listened to it. Sams’ humor is dry and wry, and when I am reading, I sometimes missed the funny parts. The humor needs voice inflection, and timing is also important, both of which I lack when reading silently. This book needs to be read out loud.

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

AHHHH, surprise twist ending, which I won't give away but it just made the entire story so much more precious. What a sweet and realistic portrayal of the growth of a town through one kid who grew up to be a lawyer.

[Pam · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author is a white man, now dead, and his privilege shows. His perspective growing up a white boy in the south was interesting and significantly self indulgent. I was interested in seeing the end, and glad when it came.

[Mimi · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thought this was quite a charming book. Every character is a character and they all add to the plot. The last 3 pages take a completely different direction. I'm not sure if couldn't figure out how to finish. How to explain the purpose. Nonetheless, a most pleasant read.

[Debbie Tully Lipscomb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Ferrol Sams’ book to love

Yet another book by one of my favorite authors that has totally entertained me. The characters. The setting. The language. The laugh-out-loud effect that this delightful book had on me. Thank you, Mr. Sams.

[Bethann Johnston · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so delighted to find another book by Ferrol Sams, after having been introduced 30-some years ago to his wonderful trilogy about Porter Osborne. This book isn't as special but it is quite good in a similar charming southern manner.

[James Akins Jr · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really great insight into rural lifestyles in Georgia

[Andrew Herren · Rating 4 out of 5]

He is one of my favorites!

[Michelle (meshe) Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Synopsis

A rollicking tale of a small Southern town by the bestselling author of Run with the Horsemen

With his naturalistic and humorous storytelling style, Ferrol Sams has won fans from all walks of life, especially those drawn to Southern fiction. And while the literary landscape of the rural South is peppered with great storytellers, few are as endearing as James Aloysius "Buster" Holcombe, Jr., the observant narrator of Sams's new novel. From Reconstruction, the first World War, the Depression, and World War II , to racial integration, land speculation, and economic boom, Buster Holcombe recounts the events that have shaped our country since the mid-nineteenth century through the eyes of the wide-ranging denizens of "our town." Down Town offers a panoptic history of the American South, carefully observed and skillfully presented by a native son.
My Thoughts: This book was wonderful. Funny, sad and featuring some very eccentric characters. I love a book that shows off the wacky South. It reminds me of growing up. Ferrol Sams does it great. So does Pat Conroy. You should definitely read this book.

[Debbie Maskus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Usually, I enjoy the books chosen for this book club, Southern Voices, but I disliked this book. The writing style is similar to Mark Twain's fireside chat with the good old boys that weighed down the story. Ferrol Sams presents a picture of Atlanta from the end of the Civil War to present times. The span is too great and the characters are too many for the reader to enjoy the book. Sams tries to tie all the events and characters together, and instead presents a confusing hodgepodge. The story might have been better presented like Masters' Spoon River Anthology with each chapter dealing with one individual. Instead, Sams gives the readers an ancestry on the Cofields, and all their family branches. The characters are interesting, but I lost all sense of fun with all the multi relationship issues.

[Hollis Duncan · Rating 1 out of 5]

I was thoroughly disappointed by this book — a slog to read from beginning to end. Although there was a teaspoon of hope in the Benediction that closes Down Town even it didn't measure up to Ferrol Sams' standards. Still few authors match his wit and it's for using such jaw-dropping acronyms as "BMBP!" that's what makes Sams' fiction so fun to read.

[Alan]

Write a review...I en joyed this, but not as much as the Run with the Horseman trilogy or some of his short story collection like The Widow's Mite. He is an excellent storyteller and here tells the story of a rural Georgia town from Civil War to today as it struggles to maintain its identity as the suburbs of Atlanta come out to engulf it.

[Karlyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite Ferrol Sams yet. Down Town captures the nosy, preposterous, petty, and self-obsessed daily life of residents in one small town. Decades pass and newcomers arrive but the Cofields and their legacy still matter as much in the 1980s as they did when Major Cofield appeared in the days after Sherman's march.

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this book without expectations. I never expected it to be linked to his other books, and it isn't. The love he shows for a town, real or fictional is evident. The colloquialisms and some of the sayings are true to the area around Fayetteviile, GA. Its fun. Especially after you find out why the story is told.

[Karen Breda · Rating 4 out of 5]

This charming book chronicles the history of a southern town's growth over 100 years. The relationships built, the progress made, and the morals of its citizens are revealed in the charming, humorous voice of Aloysius (Buster) Holcombe. His quirky stories made me grin while getting a glimpse of our early history.

[Jenny · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved Sam's writing in Run With The Horsemen, the sometimes irreverent, sometimes serious look at Southern life. The was irreverence and sincerity here, too, but it didn't connect with me in the same way. I don't know if it's my age, or the story just didn't stand up to Sam's previous stories. In all, it was an enjoyable read, but it didn't affect me as I expected.

[Shirley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ferrol Sams is one of my favorite authors. I like this book, but not as much as the trilogy about Porter Osbourne. Those books are genius. Down Town contains some of the same humorous insights, but there were so many characters in his reminiscing that it was a big confusing, especially if there was a gap between your reading times. I would recommend it, though.

[Lydia · Rating 3 out of 5]

Even if you want nothing else to do with this book, read Chapter 12. Suffice it to say that there is a wedding, a CATHOLIC wedding (gasp!), and that one of the characters is called Mr. B.M. Cofield.

PS If you're not Southern, you probably won't understand why any of it is funny. I'm very sorry. Bless your heart.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Ferrol Sams and this was a hoot. However, the one fault is there are so many characters that I got confused at times. Really a laughable tale with a big heart. If you are Southern (as am I) you will enjoy this.