BOOK REVIEW: Redneck, by Clayton Williamson
RedneckI’m surprised at me for even agreeing to reading this but I have to admit I got some laughs at how Reggie had a way of putting things:
“She rubbed my chest underneath my shirt, and my britches got all crowded”
“She unzipped my sleepin’ bag and gave into her primal ways. And I ain’t gonna go into any more detail, cause as I said earlier our lovemakin’ ain’t none of your damn business.” – but then he tells you anyway without going into detail (corny but I laughed). The author used 'acknowledge the reader' by speaking, on occasion, directly to the reader.
Ruby and Reggie, married and in love; taking a musical tour through America, playing in churches and coffee shops, out to experience the journey, on a mission to become recognized for their music as well as recognized by the people, cut their tour short because Ruby wanted to go home.
On the way home, camping out, Reggie, standing by the lake peeing, going over his life up to that point, realized he no longer believed in God, thus the internal battle begins. The situations that followed based on those two threads, Country Western music and God, moved the book forwards on an interesting path.
Be careful who you let into your life on a whim of spoken words because you may not know the mission they are actually working on. Keith was a user who would do anything to be recognized as a Country Western artist, and he claimed to be a ‘religious man’ – did his deeds show him in that light?
Don’t be surprised by the author’s use of the word ‘won’t’ – I guess that’s Redneck talk. I found a thread in this read that has the world confused as hate rises. My interpretation of the Bible does not ‘leave people out’ – the key for me is to love one another, as Jesus even dined with those who did not believe and were a little shady.
To remain steadfast in your belief in Him so as not to be influenced by man’s interpretation, is what I got from reading the Bible. The interpretation in Redneck leads to hate and non-acceptance and that to me is not the intention of the Bible. Yet, if you look around in the world, that seems to be the interpretation held by many different religious establishments.
My question becomes how one saves souls if instead they live in a world of non-acceptance of non-believers. God is about free-will, love, acceptance understanding…But then the store clerk shared my understanding and shared that understanding with Reggie as well.
I enjoyed this read, enjoyed the characters, the mission and the ending because there is always time, when you keep living.
Reviewed by: Connie Jordan
December 19, 2016
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