Long Time Leaving

There are few audiobooks that should be sold with a bib. Georgia-born and raised humorist Roy Blount, Jr.'s, delicious descriptions of Southern cooking would make anyone's mouth water. But he doesn't stop there. Don't try to drink anything (you'll spit or choke) while Blount talks about everything from boiled peanuts to fancy dinner parties to summer vacations and more. There are plenty of laugh-out-loud observations like why he doesn't like being called a "sophisticated redneck" and how Southerners sometimes make animal noises when they eat from the man best known for appearances on public radio programs like "A Prairie Home Companion" and "Wait, Wait . . . Don't Tell Me!" LONG TIME LEAVING is one audiobook that will have you wishing you had more time to stay. R.O. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award (c) AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine

June 25, 2007
More than anything else, Blount provides an insightful and distinctive critique of Southern cultural disposition. He addresses the elitism of overall American (and in particular, Northern) culture to dispossess the South of legitimate and unstigmatized cultural existence. While recognizing the contradictions and misunderstandings about the South, Blount encourages listeners to be critical of all aspects of American culture, not just Southern culture. While a tenuous thread connects his essays, this rambunctious rambling ranges from outsider folk art and songs about food to sports. With a gruff voice and hints of a Southern accent, Blount offers an impressive performance. While reading lists on audio can often bore listeners, Blount uses emphasis and a quickened cadence to successfully compensate for his sometimes extensive lists. His harmonic voice proves especially enjoyable during his discussions of limericks and music. One puzzling aspect of this audiobook is occasional random voices injecting quotes. These quotes read by others are superfluous or hint at production problems since Blount reads most other quotes. Simultaneous release with the Knopf hardcover.