Table of Contents

IN

About the Author

Florence King is the author of Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady, With Charity Toward None, and other books. Though she still lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia, Washington-fed yuppies may yet drive her father into the hills.

Reviews

King expresses her opinions with the subtletyand effectivenessof a flamethrower in her savagely funny look at American life. Whether taking aim at an institution (marriage), a movement (``Helpism'') or an individual (John Updike), she is seldom off-target and never conciliatory: ``I'd rather be a human mine sweeper in the Strait of Hormuz than read John Updike'' leaves little room for backpedaling. Even if King ( Confessions of a Failed Southern Lady ) were not funny herself, her ability to spot the ludicrous statements of others (a flight attendant after a hijacking attempt: ``He was very cooperative, he's almost a model hijacker'') would make her a top-of-the-line satirist. King's wit and intelligence complement a refreshing angle of attack that allows her to strike at Phyllis Schlafly and Betty Friedan with equal vigor. While readers will be alternately offended and delighted by her barbs, they will not be bored. (Apr.)

"One of the most exhilarating essayists alive: occasionally raunchy but always full of high humor, casually erudite, animated by an original and constantly surprising turn of mind." --Andrew Ferguson," The American Spectator"
"Not many [authors] are worth dropping everything you're doing to read his or her new book. One of the few who makes it worthwhile is Florence King...Her essays might make you angry, but they'll also make you laugh." --Jay Strafford," Richmond News-Leader"
"King is exactly on target...One of the few contemporary American essayists of sufficient pungency and wit as to be almost always worth reading." --Jonathan Yardley," Washington Post Book World"
"To say that Florence King doesn't suffer fools gladly is an understatement akin to suggesting that Fred Astaire could maneuver quite nicely on the dance floor." --Joanne Kaufman," People"

One of the most exhilarating essayists alive: occasionally raunchy but always full of high humor, casually erudite, animated by an original and constantly surprising turn of mind. "Andrew Ferguson, The American Spectator" Not many [authors] are worth dropping everything you're doing to read his or her new book. One of the few who makes it worthwhile is Florence King...Her essays might make you angry, but they'll also make you laugh. "Jay Strafford, Richmond News-Leader" King is exactly on target...One of the few contemporary American essayists of sufficient pungency and wit as to be almost always worth reading. "Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World" To say that Florence King doesn't suffer fools gladly is an understatement akin to suggesting that Fred Astaire could maneuver quite nicely on the dance floor. "Joanne Kaufman, People""

-One of the most exhilarating essayists alive: occasionally raunchy but always full of high humor, casually erudite, animated by an original and constantly surprising turn of mind.- --Andrew Ferguson, The American Spectator-Not many [authors] are worth dropping everything you're doing to read his or her new book. One of the few who makes it worthwhile is Florence King...Her essays might make you angry, but they'll also make you laugh.- --Jay Strafford, Richmond News-Leader-King is exactly on target...One of the few contemporary American essayists of sufficient pungency and wit as to be almost always worth reading.- --Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World-To say that Florence King doesn't suffer fools gladly is an understatement akin to suggesting that Fred Astaire could maneuver quite nicely on the dance floor.- --Joanne Kaufman, People

"One of the most exhilarating essayists alive: occasionally raunchy but always full of high humor, casually erudite, animated by an original and constantly surprising turn of mind." --Andrew Ferguson, The American Spectator"Not many [authors] are worth dropping everything you're doing to read his or her new book. One of the few who makes it worthwhile is Florence King...Her essays might make you angry, but they'll also make you laugh." --Jay Strafford, Richmond News-Leader"King is exactly on target...One of the few contemporary American essayists of sufficient pungency and wit as to be almost always worth reading." --Jonathan Yardley, Washington Post Book World"To say that Florence King doesn't suffer fools gladly is an understatement akin to suggesting that Fred Astaire could maneuver quite nicely on the dance floor." --Joanne Kaufman, People

To say that King is just a mite critical of the American way of life would be putting it mildly indeed. As she writes in her first chapter, ``. . . life in America has the same effect on me as The Morton Downey, Jr., Show .'' Her zingers are memorable: ``If we want to regain the respect of the world,'' she writes, ``we should begin by announcing that children have no business expressing opinions on anything except `Do you have enough room in the toes?''' King weaves her Southern upbringing throughout her narrative, often through reminiscences of her family and life in the South. Blount also tackles the social fabric of America--and himself--from the point of view of a Southerner. He talks about the New South, giving up dirt eating in the South, Southern politicians, and how to walk in New York (as opposed to other regional pedestrian styles, such as lolly-gagging, traipsing, gallivanting, and slow-loping). Wonder where he gets his ideas? Just lucky, he says: ``It was not my idea, in the first place, to be the kind of person to whom ideas come. Some people get eczema, I get ideas.'' Blount's humor elicits more grins and snickers than does King's, which is more cynical (well, she warned us in her title, didn't she?). Both offer a look at modern-day America through uniquely Southern eyes, one from the male, the other the female perspective. They are both worth reading and deserve places on the shelves of public libraries. You may even find yourself agreeing with what they have written . . . even if you're not a Southerner yourself.-- Carol Spielman Lezak, General Learning Corp., Northbrook, Ill.