God Save The Sweet Potato Queens (2001) - Plot & Excerpts
I listened to this on tape and laughed out loud. She is so irreverent and funny. I guess it's a southern thang.--hr From Publishers WeeklyGrab your Fat Mama's Knock You Naked Margarita mix, a bag of Fritos, a pan of Chocolate Stuff and turn off the phone, because Browne is back with a sassy and hilarious sequel to 1999's The Sweet Potato Queen's Book of Love, and you're not going to want any interruptions. Browne and her co-Queens (all named Tammy to protect their privacy) are back with more outrageous tales (including scathingly funny and surprisingly touching letters Browne wrote while pregnant) and artery-clogging/death-defying recipes. (Warning that "delaying gratification has always been tough for me," she begins preparation for Twinkie Pie, "Start with a crate of Twinkies.") Browne is a laugh-out-loud delight. On her perfect fianc : "He loves me beyond reason and lives 200 miles awayDshow me the flaw in this deal." On marriage: "Those dresses are some powerful juju and once you try one on, you're a goner." On buying new clothes after a little weight loss: "If that zipper closes, honeyDit fits! Doesn't matter if the pleats and pockets are all stretched out." Her final chapter (which starts: "I've written this entire book to avoid writing this chapter"), a tribute to two men she lost, is as heartbreaking as the rest of the book is hilarious. Browne succeeds at both extremes, writing a jaundiced but life-affirming book with sweetness and heart. (Jan.)
I recently read Laurell K. Hamilton's newest 'book' and this was just the remedy I needed to clear my mind of that nightmare. (I admit I only reached chapter 2 of LKH's book.) More anecdotes, more men-bashing in a friendly way, more food. Good to listen to while knitting, driving, or waiting in a doctor's office. It helped me laugh a bit while my father was in the hospital with kidney failure and I needed a laugh. I don't mind the language, like some of the reviewers. Words are just that, words. The f-word was simply a sentence filler my dad used when I was growing up. I paid it no mind. The bits about sex were funny and the likes of which many of my friends have experienced. After all, it you take a good look at sex it is hilarious and awkward by nature. JCB was simply pointing out the obvious. Sex shops make me uncomfortable but give my friends an opportunity to pull me out of my haven of prudishness. The book is a sweet and silly reminder that old age doesn't me the good times have past or that you can't have fun, be attractive, or try to reinvent yourself every now and again. Like JCB, I plan to be sarcastic, awkward, feisty, and honest until they scatter me over an ocean.
What do You think about God Save The Sweet Potato Queens (2001)?
I've read one other book by Conner Browne and obviously liked it enough to pick up this one. I don't know if it was just me (maybe I was in a better mood when I read the first one on a cruise?), but the tone of this book just grated on my nerves pretty much from page 1. There was so much about the first SPQ book, Book of Love. It was a running commentary of peoples' reactions, additional info on topics discussed, etc. Not a fan and will likely be removing any other of her books from my to-read list.
—Ashley
This was just okay for me, mildly amusing in places but never outright hysterically funny. I listened to the audio version while out on my walks and enjoyed the author's reading of it. I can't get enough of Southern stories and charm so maybe this is why I was initially drawn to this. I wish that I had known years ago that basically all you need to do well in life is a title, a tiara, and a sassy attitude. Would have saved a lot of time :)Not a complete waste but I won't be pursuing any more of the Queen's adventures.
—Joanne
Perhaps it was all the hype, or perhaps it was just because I didn't read the first one, but this book, while tickling my funny bone and warming the cockles of my heart, did not entirely stand up to my expectations. This is not to say that the book didn't accomplish its purpose. I laughed, I cried, I was filled with the mad desire to dress up in six inch heels, a conspicuous feather boa and reclaim my womanhood with a terrible southern accent. It was cute, it was charming, and most importantly, it was fun.But my life wasn't changed.The jerky narration and unrelated vignettes left me wobbling under the sensation that somehow, everything would be tied together at the end; I was disappointed in this respect, and it impacted the quality of the book for me. I suspect my second reading would be much more enjoyable. I can't say I fully understand the impact of the Sweet Potato Queens, but I did enjoy what this sequel had to offer. Taken on the merits of what it is, and no more, the Queens come through loud and clear.
—Briana
