Redneck Woman: Stories from my Life

by Gretchen Wilson, Allen Rucker | Biographies & Memoirs |
ISBN: 0446580015 Global Overview for this book
Registered by JennyC1230 of Woodstock, Georgia USA on 5/22/2014
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4 journalers for this copy...
Journal Entry 1 by JennyC1230 from Woodstock, Georgia USA on Thursday, May 22, 2014
Book Description: Raised by a single mom in rural Illinois, Gretchen Wilson's formal education concluded in the eighth grade when she traded books for tending bar at Big O's, a rough-and-tumble joint on the outskirts of Pocahontas, IL. By the time she was 15, Gretchen was managing the place with the help of a loaded 12-gauge behind the bar to keep folks in line. Though he was long gone, Wilson's father had instilled a love of music in his daughter that blossomed on stage at Big O's where she found herself fronting a cover band and eyeing a move to Nashville in search of something more.

Another town, struggling in another bar job, but again her gift for music won out. Discovered while singing with the house band at a bar in Nashville's famed Printer's Alley, Gretchen Wilson soon joined the ranks of the Muzik Mafia and the rest is history. In less than one calendar year she went from worrying about the repossession of her car to being one of the most successful recording stars in the world.

Co-written by acclaimed and New York Times bestselling author Allen Rucker, the book will cover this inspiring All-American success story while providing a fun, and insightful look in on the kind of strength, will, and humor that have allowed Wilson to reclaim the term "Redneck" and recast it as a point of pride for millions of her fans. Whether she discusses her fashion preferences (Wal-Mart over Victoria's Secret), her choice of beer over champagne, her views on family, or the artists who've helped her to carve out the path she currently walks (Tammy Wynette, Loretta Lynn, Merle Haggard, etc.), Wilson's signature knack for storytelling and connecting with her audience on that authentically real level translates seamlessly to the page and offers a new and exciting glimpse at one of America's most beloved performers.

Flossie771 sent me a big old box of books, this is one of the unregistered ones. Thank you for your generosity I've lost count of the books you have sent to me over the years!

This books is in my: Virtual Biography/Auto-Biography/Humor Bookbox.

Released 9 yrs ago (8/6/2014 UTC) at ~~~ ♥ ~~~ A Friend ~~~ ♥ ~~~, -- By post or by hand/ in person -- USA

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If you have found this book, welcome to Bookcrossing and thank you for taking the time to let us know about its journey. Feel free to enjoy the book and pass it along to a friend, neighbor, family member or co-worker, or simply leave it somewhere for another lucky reader to enjoy as you did! This book isn’t your type of read? No problem, don't feel obliged to read it, just be kind enough to help it on its journey. If you join, please use my name as your referring member: JennyC1230.

Sending to DVG from the Virtual Biography/Auto-Biography/Humor Bookbox Enjoy the books!

Journal Entry 3 by dvg at Flanders, New Jersey USA on Tuesday, August 12, 2014
Arrived safely in NJ! I love her music and am looking forward to reading about the person. Thank you for sharing with me!

Journal Entry 4 by dvg at Flanders, New Jersey USA on Friday, August 15, 2014
I enjoy Wilson's music and was curious about her life, how she got to where she is today. It was a enjoyable read. It revealed her childhood struggle growing up in an abusive home, their many moves, strong bonds to many family members. A good read. Not on wishlists, deciding whether or not to wild release.

Journal Entry 5 by dvg at Surprise, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases on Monday, August 25, 2014

Released 9 yrs ago (8/25/2014 UTC) at Surprise, A RABCK -- Controlled Releases

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Yikes! Just spotted this listed on my bookshelf when I read it so quickly and snuck it in with another book I sent out to Bkind2books. Loved reading about Gretchen Wilson's life and her career beginnings. Well written and a good read.
Happy Reading and Happy BookCrossing!

Journal Entry 6 by wingBkind2bookswing at Clarksville, Tennessee USA on Wednesday, September 3, 2014
Thanks for the bonus RABCK. I don't know much about Gretchen Wilson, although I do like her music. I will read this and probably place it back it the VBB. Thanks, dvg!

Journal Entry 7 by wingBkind2bookswing at Clarksville, Tennessee USA on Sunday, May 22, 2022
This is a hard one to review.

It is a good story of a country music singer's rise from rural Illinois to Nashville fame. Wilson does not pull any punches - this covers difficult topics like domestic abuse and alcoholism. She quit school after the 8th grade. She drank herself into blackouts. The author could have gone down the rabbit hole of so many others. But instead, through a combination of good friends and family members and her own integral grit, she overcame these handicaps to become a CMA award winning artist and songwriter. So there's that.

However, the book suffered from *so many* deficiencies. She had a co-writer / ghost writer to assist and the book was written on such a basic level that I'm left to wonder just exactly what parts he assisted with and/or how bad his *other* books (and he has several) are. Was he a friend getting a job from the author? How did this guy get this assignment? There are numerous grammar and spelling issues within the book. Where is the editor? And the proofreader? Were they off the day this passed through the publisher? I also objected to the terrible generalizations that the author makes. She concludes time after time that because *she* did something, everyone did. Perhaps everyone she knew did, but her experiences are by no means universal. For example, she states (about underage drinking):

The drinking age in Illinois was twenty-one, but back then no kids there, like no kids anywhere, waited until their twenty-first birthday to knock back a Bud, or a dozen Buds, in the same way they didn't wait until sixteen to learn to drive a truck."

It was a great story - as she states "a long, strange journey from a Patsy Cline song playing on my grandma's record player back in Greenville, Illinois, to a Patsy Cline song on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry". It's great to see someone succeed. As she summarizes, "she's doing the best she can with what life has given her" - true for all those from humble beginnings. But in the end, the deficiencies detracted from the great story

Journal Entry 8 by wingBkind2bookswing at Clarksville, Tennessee USA on Monday, May 30, 2022

Released 1 yr ago (5/31/2022 UTC) at Clarksville, Tennessee USA

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RABCK - enjoy!

Journal Entry 9 by book_drunkard at Osgood, Indiana USA on Thursday, June 2, 2022
Thank you very much for sending this wishlist book my way.
I'm looking forward to reading it.

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