BOOK TITLE: The Liberal Redneck Manifesto: Draggin’ Dixie Outta the Dark
AUTHORS: Trae Crowder, Corey Ryan Forrester, and Drew Morgan
YEAR: 2016
GENRE: Nonfiction
SUBGENRE: Political Comedy
GRADE: Extra Credit
To an outsider, the American deep south represents
everything wrong with the country today whether it’s bigotry, ignorance, or
lewd behavior. After reading this book, you’ll find out firsthand that it’s far
from the truth. Even I had negative feelings toward the south once upon a time.
And then this book came along and gave me a lifelong education worth more than
college tuition that no millennial can afford. The problems in the south are
nuanced and complex whether it’s poverty, drug addiction, religious zeal, or
anything else that rightwing politicians and pundits have purposefully imposed
upon it. Nobody wants the south to be in that much trouble, least of all the
citizens themselves. For all the negative things I’ve said about that region, I
humbly apologize. That’s what this book means to me and that’s part of the
reason why I’m giving it a five star review. I always appreciate having my eyes
forced wide open…even if the tough love is tougher than a two dollar steak.
Even though this book is categorized as humor, it does have
one chapter that almost brought me to tears: Pillbillies. It describes how
Purdue Pharmaceuticals aggressively advertised heroin-like pain pills to the
south and now addiction has become a national epidemic. The part where Trae
Crowder talks passionately about his mother being a pillhead who ruined the
family’s life is what hit me the hardest. She would lie, steal, and end up in
prison many times before she got clean and sober and even then she was still on
thin ice with her son. I used to know somebody who was addicted to drugs and
was probably just as dishonest as Trae’s mother. The two of us haven’t spoken
to each other for years and that’s how I’d like for it to be. But then Trae has
a moment of warmth where he’s more forgiving of addicts because the
circumstances that got them addicted were beyond their control. Will I ever
forgive my former friend? Only time will tell, but Trae’s story along with his
political analysis gave me lots to think about. I like being able to think
critically, in case you couldn’t tell.
For all of the dark stuff the south is unfairly stereotyped
for, there are times in this book where it feels like a fun place to live.
Partying hard to passionate music, shooting guns (responsibly), and best of
all, eating the best-tasting food on the planet. Barbecued ribs, salty steak,
sweet potato pie, mmm-mmm-mmm! Of course, eating all of that delicious food
uncontrollably will lead to diabetes and other health problems, as Trae Crowder
will point out with his own experiences as a fat kid. But that’s the redneck way
of life: they don’t do anything halfway. They don’t hold back. They don’t live
life at anything other than a hundred percent. I’d be lying if I was saying I
wasn’t a little bit envious of all of that fun. But then I remember that the
south, much like any other place on earth, has its own set of awful problems
and trading one life for another isn’t a healthy approach to personal
reflection. I’m fine living vicariously through the three authors. With their
sense of humor, who wouldn’t want to?
If you learn nothing else from this book, then at least
learn to take care of each other and always be kind. That’s what liberalism is
supposed to be about, right? Don’t judge strangers too harshly and don’t blame
your problems on the wrong people. Be humble, but not so humble that it
completely ruins your emotional wellbeing. Thank you, Trae, Drew, and Corey,
for all of the tough love and fun times. Reading this book was a welcome
experience and I look forward to many more of them. Fun fact: I gave this book
to my mom one year for Mother’s Day and she loved it just as much as I did. Like
I said earlier, five out of five stars is what this book will get.
Congratulations on knocking it out of the park, guys!
No comments:
Post a Comment