Audiobook Review: Sweet Tea And Jesus Shoes

Authors: Deborah Smith, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Debra Dixon, Donna Ball, and Nancy Knight
Narrator: Lee Ann Howlet
Program Type: Audiobook
Listening Length: 4 hours and 27 minutes
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: BelleBooks, Inc.
Audible.com Release Date: August 29, 2012
ASIN: B0098JAVN0

Description:
Come sit on the porch a spell. Let's talk about times gone by and folks we remember, about slow summer evenings and lightning bugs in a jar. Listen to the music of a creaky swing and hand-cranked ice cream and cicadas chorusing in the sultry night air. Let's talk about how things used to be in the South--and for some of us, the4 way they still are...

Welcome to the world of Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes, where award winning authors Deborah Smith, Sandra Chastain, Virginia Ellis, Debra Dixon, Donna Ball and Nancy Knight come together for the first time to create this poignant, humorous collection of nostalgic tales. Here life's lessons are handed down--liberally sprinkled with hilarity--from eccentric relatives, outrageous pets and unrepentant neighbors, and served up with a generous dollop of that most valued of all Southern commodities: good old fashioned storytelling. From Mississippi to Georgia, from Florida to Tennessee, these daughters of the South will take you on a lush tour of the times and places they know best, each voice as refreshing and inviting as a glass of cold sweet tea on a hot afternoon.

So come. Let us take you back. Let us take you home.

Review:
Sweet Tea and Jesus Shoes is a collection of short southern stories that will soothe your soul and warm your heart. These are just simple, old-fashion stories that you would hear among family or friends; the type of stories that will make you laugh or cry but will always enjoy.  I have always enjoyed the writings of southern authors and their ability to tell a good story with plenty of detail and a great deal of heartfelt honesty.  And, I wasn't the least bit disappointed with this collection.  Each story was captivating, a bit quirky, and sprinkled with southern hospitality.  One of my favorites though was the title story, Jesus Shoes, as I was swept away to an earlier time when our country was in the midst of WWII and young, southern children began the summer ritual of attending Vacation Bible School.  This particular story brought tears to my eyes and teaches one of life's most important lessons of not judging others until we have walked in their shoes...or in this case, walked without shoes.  I loved the various phrases that capture the essence of living in the South , such as "In the South, insults can be delivered without accountability as long as you preface them with, 'Bless her heart...".  The narrator for this audiobook edition, Lee Ann Howlet, was truly remarkable.  Her southern accent and charm enhanced these stories and brought each one to life. Overall, this was a wonderful audiobook experience and one that I would certainly recommend...FOUR stars.