Nonfiction

“Whether recalling the assassination of Medgar Evers (whom he knew personally), the dynamism of an African American church service, or the joys of reconnecting with old friends at a biennial class reunion, Hodges writes with a rare combination of humor, compassion, and—when describing the injustices that were all too frequently inflicted on him andhis contemporaries—righteous anger. But his ultimate goal, he contends, is not to close doors but to open them: to inspire dialogue, to start a conversation, ‘to be provocative without being insistent or definitive.’”

“Sure, there are major milestones that demand the fine china and fresh flowers. But in the South no special occasion is needed to throw open the front door, set up a buffet line down the kitchen counter, and welcome your nearest and dearest over for the sort of meal they won’t soon forget. Join Patsy Caldwell and Amy Lyles Wilson as they once again take us to Luckettville to meet the talented downhome hostesses who’ve said, ‘Y’all come over’ a time or two in their day.”