Eat, Drink, and Be from Mississippi

This charming novel doesn't break any new ground, but its affirmation that opening one's heart to another person is the surest way to open our owns was lovely. Long a fan of Nanci Kincaid's novels, most notably Balls and Verbena, I was surprised and delighted to find another fresh voice from her. Some novelists -- even the great ones -- have a recognizable style and pattern that becomes predictable over time, but not Nanci. What a treat!

Nanci Kincaid has created a beautiful, delightful, sweet story in Eat, Drink and Be From Mississippi. The title alone told me that I would be in for a wonderful reading experience from a Southern writer.

This is the story of Truely Noonan and his older sister Courtney. They were born and raised in Mississippi by caring parents, but both left early in life and sought their fortunes in California. Now both are successful, have more money than they know what to do with and live in fine homes. Unfortunately, both have marriages that have crumbled or are crumbling. Into this picture comes Arnold, a young African American male, who is one of the most engaging characters I’ve read about in a long time. I couldn’t help but smile almost show more every time Arnold spoke.

This is a story of family, perhaps not the traditional family of mom, dad and some children, but family nonetheless. Truely and Courtney are both genuinely good people who take Arnold in and offer him a life he could never hope to achieve on his own.
This is an excellent story told with true Southern charm. It’s the kind of story you hate to see end and the characters stay with you long after you read the last page. I highly recommend this book to those who love Southern literature or just a kind, sweet story. show less

Eat, Drink, and Be From Mississippi is a slow moving and beautifully written Southern novel. It is an extremely rich story about the meaning of family - those you are related to by blood, as well as those as you adopt as your own. I first heard about it from an Entertainment Weekly book review, in which the reviewer says that the novel isn't believable (and then goes on to give it an A-). And, upon reflecting, its true - stripped down to the bare bones plot, the novel doesn't have a very believable storyline. But the triumph of Eat, Drink, and Be From Mississippi is that it doesn't matter. It doesn't have to be believable to be utterly charming and completely readable.

Though I said that Eat, Drink, and Be From Mississippi is a slow show more moving novel, that doesn't mean it's slow. There's a careful distinction there. Though the novel moves at a lazy pace at times, it is always gripping. It never loses its forward momentum or the interest of the reader. Instead, the novel takes its time, meandering through Truely's life. Kincaid makes sure to firmly establish Truely's character before really beginning his story. Even if the book weren't about a Southern boy from Mississippi, Eat, Drink, and Be From Mississippi would remind me of the South because of its lazy playfulness. If you like Southern novels, you'll adore this book as much as I did.

Kincaid's writing is part of what makes the novel such a gem. It's beautifully whimsical - she doesn't take herself or the characters too seriously. I'm honestly not sure what it is about the writing, but it completely sucks you into the novel. I think the writing is what makes the difference for this novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed Eat, Drink, and Be From Mississippi; I think it was an exceptionally well-written novel that kept me hooked from beginning to end. It's a great read for a lazy day; you won't be disappointed!

From S. Krishna's Books show less

I was expecting this to be a quirky Southern novel, which would have been fun. But it was actually a compelling (but in no ways didactic) exploration of what happens when Southerners leave the South as well as an exploration of race and class. Great characters, smooth writing.

The story follows a brother and sister who've relocated out of the South and yet spend the rest of their life dealing with that disconnection. Kincaid does her best to coax you into believing this Souther malaise; however, it made me severely disconnected from the characters and the story as a whole. I wanted to scream at them go back to the South, which they never do. It had a great start, but somewhere before the middle turned into Faulkner meets SNL's the whiners.

Truely and Courtney Noonan are wonderfully drawn sympathetic but flawed characters. Although they are from Mississippi, this is not what I would call a southern novel. They are transplants to California, Courtney first and Truely follows, much to the dismay of their parents. They each seem to have found their ideal mates and for a while, they have. These losses actually bring the siblings back together and the bond they share is a lot soul, a teenage black boy named Arthur. Kincaid creates wonderful characters and shows how we can create our own families.

Truely Noonan and his older sister, Courtney, were born and raised in Hinds County, Mississippi. They both ended up going to college and settling in California. Courtney marries a very successful real estate developer and Truely marries a teacher who is out to save the world. They are both happy, and while they maintain a relationship, they’re not what you would consider close.

Several years pass, their parents pass away and both of their marriages disintegrate. Courtney turns to plastic surgery and Truely maintains a relationship of convenience with Shauna. Shauna’s brother is injured in Iraq and Truely realizes that she means more to him than he thought. He rushes to be with her, but he’s too late - her old boyfriend is there to show more be supportive.

Through his contact with Shauna’s family, a young, street-wise black boy named Arnold is thrust upon Truely. Courtney starts coming to help Truely with Arnold and the three of them become a family. They all discover that they must let go of some secrets in their past and move on to the future.

I found Eat, Drink, and Be from Mississippi by Nanci Kincaid to be thoroughly enchanting. Nanci Kincaid does a marvelous job of creating flawed, but lovable characters. This is a book that will stay with you long after you’ve finished reading it. show less