Queen of the Turtle Derby and Other Southern Phenomena: Includes New Essays Published for the First Time

In classic Dixie storytelling fashion, with a rare blend of literary elegance and plainspoken humor, the inimitably charming, staunchly Southern Julia Reed wends her way below the Mason-Dixon line and observes many phenomena– from politics, religion, and women to weather, guns, and what she calls “drinking and other Southern pursuits.” To hear Reed tell it, the South is another country. She builds an entertaining and persuasive case, using as examples everything from its unfathomable codes of conduct to its disciplined fashion sense. And then there is Southern food, which is an entire world apart: Gumbo, grits, greens, and, of course, fried chicken make memorable appearances in Reed’s essays, which will amuse, delight, and even explain a thing or two to baffled Yankees everywhere.

JULIA REED grew up in Greenville, Mississippi. She is a contributing editor and writer at The Wall Street Journal and Elle Décor Magazine. She has also written for The New York Times Magazine, among other publications. Reed divides her time between New Orleans and New York City.