66 pages • 2 hours read
Rick BraggAll Over but the Shoutin'
Nonfiction | Autobiography / Memoir | Adult | Published in 1997A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more. For select classroom titles, we also provide Teaching Guides with discussion and quiz questions to prompt student engagement.
Before You Read
Super Short Summary
All Over but the Shoutin' is a memoir by Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter Rick Bragg, detailing his upbringing in rural Alabama as one of three brothers raised by a nearly always single mother in extreme poverty. His father, a Korean War veteran and alcoholic, was often absent. The book highlights Bragg's journey from poverty to a successful journalism career and his ultimate goal of buying his mother a house. The memoir includes depictions of violence, alcoholism, and poverty.
Reviews & Readership
Review Roundup
Rick Bragg's All Over but the Shoutin' is a compelling memoir noted for its evocative storytelling and vivid portrayal of Southern life. Praise centers on Bragg's lyrical prose and emotional honesty. Critics note some repetition and a sense of self-indulgence at times, which may detract for some readers. Overall, it's a poignant and powerful narrative of resilience and family.
Who Should Read All Over but the Shoutin'?
A reader who would enjoy All Over but the Shoutin' by Rick Bragg appreciates heartfelt memoirs, Southern culture, and tales of personal resilience. Similar to fans of Jeannette Walls's The Glass Castle and Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, they seek evocative storytelling that portrays overcoming adversity with poignant, vivid prose.
RecommendedReading Age
18+yearsLexile Level
1160L