It's A Time in the Land: The Best of The Soap Box

There is a lot of humor in everyday life if you can embrace and look for it. That’s what Michael K. Brantley has tried to for nearly a quarter century in his award-winning newspaper column in The Nashville Graphic that he says “is supposed to be funny, mostly.” The influences of columnists Dennis Rogers, Dave Barry, Lewis Grizzard, and A.C. Snow are evident throughout.

The topics range from the absurd to the realities of parenthood and include thoughts on picking the right checkout line at the grocery store, crab fights at the state aquarium, and the time his pre-teens got hooked on a reality show about moonshiners. It is a fast and entertaining read.

With titles like “It’s Not the Heat, It’s the Stupidity,” “We Should Use Quarantines for More Things Besides COVID,” "What I Learned from Crab Fights," "Messing with NC Barbecue is Like Slapping Our Mamas," and “The Pioneers Would Think We’re Idiots,” Brantley offers a different take on the world. These columns will connect with readers from towns large and small across the country.