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Ava's Man (Abridged) Audiobook
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(4.01) - 2,653 listener ratings
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Publisher Description
With the same emotional generosity and effortlessly compelling storytelling that made All Over But the Shoutin’ a national bestseller, Rick Bragg continues his personal history of the Deep South. This time he’s writing about his grandfather Charlie Bundrum, a man who died before Bragg was born but left an indelible imprint on the people who loved him. Drawing on their memories, Bragg reconstructs the life of an unlettered roofer who kept food on his family’s table through the worst of the Great Depression; a moonshiner who drank exactly one pint for every gallon he sold; an unregenerate brawler, who could sit for hours with a baby in the crook of his arm. In telling Charlie’s story, Bragg conjures up the backwoods hamlets of Georgia and Alabama in the years when the roads were still dirt and real men never cussed in front of ladies. A masterly family chronicle and a human portrait so vivid you can smell the cornbread and whiskey, Ava’s Man is unforgettable.
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"I love the way Bragg writes. My adoration of this book comes in part from my heritage. I grew up near where much of the book takes place. Bragg writes about poor or lower middle class southerners in a way that rarely works. His character are regal and what some would call "white trash" at the same time."
— Kendal (5 out of 5 stars)
Awards
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One of the 2001 New York Times Book Review 100 Notable Books for Nonfiction
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Winner of Audie Awards, 2002
Ava's Man Listener Reviews
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Wanda, 2/5/2017
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" I love these back-woods, southern reads...something about the culture that I really enjoy reading about. "
— Christa, 2/8/2014 -
" I absolutely LOVED this book. Bragg did a great job in this memoir about his grandparents. "
— Caroline, 1/24/2014 -
" A great read & testimony of a son's love "
— Kay, 1/15/2014 -
" The beauty of the language in this book knocked me over. It is a stellar piece of writing. "
— Laurel, 1/1/2014 -
" Ava's Man has the most vivid imagery of any book I've ever read. Period. If you don't believe me, find the about Charlie Bundrum, his grandfather and the hero of this book, shooting a woman clean through her breasts. "
— Grace, 12/18/2013 -
" Profound resonance. "
— Laura, 11/24/2013 -
" One of my most favorite books I've ever read! "
— Jeanne, 11/23/2013 -
" See review of The Prince of Frogtown. I love these books. And that's a handsome devil on the cover, don't you think? Emphasis on devil. "
— Pamela, 10/25/2013 -
" Could not put it down, love historical fiction "
— Shannon, 10/16/2013 -
" I was challenged by this sensitive portrait of a time and place, hung on the character of Bragg's grandfather. There was nothing one dimensional about it, beautifully drawn, highly complex. "
— Sandra, 10/11/2013 -
" I like books written about the south. The characters were salty, earthy and the history of the 40's and 50's fascinating. "
— Terry, 10/1/2013 -
" Not as good as The Prince of Frogtown, but I did enjoy it. "
— Marsha, 9/7/2013 -
" Love this biography of the grandfather Rick Bragg never knew. Reading the prologue makes me weep a little everytime. I finally bought myself a copy. Beautiful language. "
— Bayneeta, 8/6/2013 -
" An uplifting memoir about the family of Charlie Bundrum, who worked, fought, and drank his way through the Great Depression in the deep south. "
— Joel, 6/27/2013 -
" even though I knew the grandfather dies,(not giving anything away) I bawled like a baby - I'm from the south and could relate to so many of the customs of his family. "
— Theresa, 5/30/2013 -
" Rick Bragg is one of the best living writers today. He sings the South alive with every beautiful word he writes. "
— Catherine, 4/21/2013 -
" Listened to the audiobook. Loved it. My husband first read this and told me I should share with my mom as she is from Gadsden, North Alabama, where much of the book takes place. In fact, her family name is mentioned in the book as one of the founding families of north Ala. "
— Susan, 4/17/2013 -
" Rick Bragg has an unbelievable talent for describing the rural South. "
— Mom, 10/9/2012 -
" A birthday gift... The author writes about his grandfather he never knew. Life in the deep south during the depression years. I liked it. "
— Danielle, 8/10/2012 -
" Another great book by Bragg. "
— Denise, 7/11/2012 -
" This is another of my favorites. Not only is it a lovely tribute his grandfather but to all the unknown, unremembered men of his era who worked hard to take care of his family. "
— Rhona, 6/9/2012 -
" Almost a 5 star "
— Cheryl, 3/21/2012 -
" Perhaps one of the best books I have EVER read! "
— Catherine, 2/7/2012 -
" I loved this book, the author's biography of a grandfather whom he never knew. Heartens back to a simpler time but documents the difficulties of raising a large family in the depression-era South. As the author notes throughout the book, they don't make men like Charlie Bundrum any more. "
— Lamandra, 2/6/2012 -
" I wanted it to be better than it was. The storyline is very interesting but overwritten at times. He should have stayed truer to his roots and kept it simple. "
— Roi, 9/21/2011 -
" loving this book! Rick Bragg is magical storyteller, and anyone from the South can see their family... "
— Sara, 5/22/2011 -
" I was challenged by this sensitive portrait of a time and place, hung on the character of Bragg's grandfather. There was nothing one dimensional about it, beautifully drawn, highly complex. "
— Sandra, 5/12/2011 -
" Rick Bragg is a wonderful storyteller! I felt like I could have been reading about my own grandfather, or at least someone who might have known him. Even if you do not have Appalachian roots like me, this book will pull you in like a campfire story. "
— Krista, 4/18/2011 -
" This was a very interesting look into the laborous south of the 1900's. I wish I could have met Charlie and listened to his stories on his front lawn!!! But Rick did a fabulous job of portraying him and his extended family. "
— Stephanie, 4/5/2011 -
" This is read by the author. I love it when that happens. <br/><br/>Mmmmmm... that Rick Bragg sure can tell a story. This was definitely worth reading. I loved the richness of story, the strong sense of place and a vanished time. This is a powerful book. "
— Relyn, 4/4/2011 -
" See review of The Prince of Frogtown. I love these books. And that's a handsome devil on the cover, don't you think? Emphasis on devil. "
— Pamela, 3/31/2011 -
" I don't award five stars to many books, but Charlie's story is a real treasure and I savored every word of the author's almost poetic writing style. Thank you Rick Bragg for bringing the grandfather you never met to life. I don't think I will soon forget him. "
— Toni, 3/18/2011 -
" Holy crap, this was an awesome story. The character development was amazing. Rick Bragg made me wish I’d had the chance to meet Charlie. This book was interesting, heart-warming and just plain well written.<br/><br/>I definitely recommend this book!<br/> "
— Gabrielle, 3/8/2011 -
" It's a very nostalgic book of the poor South and a man's legacy to his family. Great details and descriptions of the stories of his grandfather and his relationship with his family and others. "
— Amy, 1/25/2011 -
" I don't know if I've ever read a book that was "amazing", but this was pretty close. Bragg's ability to paint a picture with words is incredible. He captures the spirit of his grandfather, the time period, and the geography in a way that few writers can. "
— Andi, 1/24/2011 -
" Love this biography of the grandfather Rick Bragg never knew. Reading the prologue makes me weep a little everytime. I finally bought myself a copy. Beautiful language. "
— Bayneeta, 1/23/2011
About Rick Bragg
Rick Bragg is the author of ten books, including New York Times bestsellers. He is also a regular contributor to Southern Living and Garden & Gun. As a feature writer for the New York Times, he won a Pulitzer Prize in 1996 for his “elegantly written stories about contemporary America.”