The truth is this: Things happened to my family, extraordinary things. I know families who live out their entire destinies without a single thing of interest happening to them. I have always envied those families. The Wingos were a family that fate tested a thousand times and left defenseless, humiliated, and dishonored. But my family also carried some strengths into the fray, and these strengths let almost all of us survive the descent of the Furies. Unless you believe Savannah; it is her claim that no Wingo survived.
I will tell you my story.
Nothing is missing.
I promise you.
--Pat Conroy,
The Prince of TidesHappy birthday to the son of the Great Santini and a mother who rightfully taught her children that all Southern lit can be summed up thusly:
On the night the hogs ate Willie, Mama died when she heard what Daddy did to Sister.**of course, the mules are all a priori dead by the time the hogs enter the story.
Long may the controversies keep your books in print and in the hands of those who need to read them.
This laugh-out-loud quote about Willie and the hogs and the rest of the family even surpasses the country western send-up, "I was drunk the night my mama got out of prison."
ReplyDeleteOh, my word. Someone elsewhere just referenced this David Allan Coe song after I posted this quote.
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Oh, you don't haf to call me darlin', Darlin'. . .
Dang if I didn't run into another dead mule in southern literature just last week. I meant to quote it but forgot and now I swear I don't remember the book! :D
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