I am not sure how I could be my age and not have been exposed to the works of Rick Bragg. Friends recently introduced me to this author; I am hooked on his work and now want to read every book he has written.
THE MOST THEY EVER HAD hit me hard, perhaps because so many of my family members have given their lives to the cotton mills of the south. Several of the stories brought me to tears as the author tells of the hard-working, honest, proud people of the Appalachian foothills in Alabama who have given their lives, limbs, and lungs (quite literally) to the mills. I think it takes an insider to tell these types of stories in a way that people are given the respect and dignity they deserve. This is not a book that evokes pity. On the contrary, the reader comes away with a deep respect for the people whose stories are presented here. That's not to say that one can read the book without feeling rage, grief, and despair but the overwhelming sentiment I had at the end of the book was a sense of pride in these men and women who never wanted anything more than to provide for their loved ones.
I especially enjoyed the fact that the Audiobook was narrated by the author who speaks with the cadence and inflection of the locals. This book made me "homesick" for my mountain people.
I borrowed the Audiobook through Libby and have given this book a four-star rating on Goodreads.