Having said all that, what I found so fascinating about this story is that it's about absolutely nothing important and none of the characters are likable. Then I discovered it was a successful novel and downloaded the audiobook. Sometimes people upload full plays, but no such luck. I don't know what piqued my interest in this movie, but I googled it and discovered that it was also a play. I saw this 1941 black and white movie by accident and couldn't figure out why I enjoyed it. The only Tobacco Road I knew was the hit song by Lou Rawls. Now I think I know and this book is as close as I ever want to get. I have often wondered what their day-to-day lives were like. My grandmother was one of 21 children - dirt poor mountain people surviving the Great Depression. Think Beverly Hillbillies! The narrator wasn’t so great - he often sounded like an android - but at least he kept a straight face. The prose is repetitive but in a way that captures the lyrical speech of country people. Whether it’s for coveted root vegetables or blowing the horn of a brand new automobile or a teenage bride’s blonde curls - these folks are hankering for something. There’s not much of a plot - the first five chapters seem to be about a family’s pursuit of turnips. As a southerner and a fan of southern gothic literature, I thought I’d listen to this (free) book to round out my education. Lord have mercy I have finally heard the call of my ancestors! I don’t think this book was written as a comedy but I cackled on more than one occasion.
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