The Prince of Frogtown

By: Rick Bragg

Narrated by: Rick Bragg

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

Publisher's Summary

In this final volume of the beloved American saga that began with All Over but the Shoutin' and continued with Ava's Man, Rick Bragg closes his circle of family stories with an unforgettable tale about fathers and sons inspired by his own relationship with his 10-year-old stepson.

He learns, right from the start, that a man who chases a woman with a child is like a dog who chases a car and wins. He discovers that he is unsuited to fatherhood, unsuited to fathering this boy in particular, a boy who does not know how to throw a punch and doesn't need to; a boy accustomed to love and affection rather than violence and neglect; in short, a boy wholly unlike the child Rick once was, and who longs for a relationship with Rick that Rick hasn't the first inkling of how to embark on. With the weight of this new boy tugging at his clothes, Rick sets out to understand his father, his son, and himself.

The Prince of Frogtown documents a mesmerizing journey back in time to the lush Alabama landscape of Rick's youth, to Jacksonville's 100-year-old mill, the town's blight and salvation; and to a troubled, charismatic hustler coming of age in its shadow, Rick's father, a man bound to bring harm even to those he truly loves. And the book documents the unexpected corollary to it, the marvelous journey of Rick's later life: a journey into fatherhood, and toward a child for whom he comes to feel a devotion that staggers him.

With candor, insight, tremendous humor, and the remarkable gift for descriptive storytelling on which he made his name, Rick Bragg delivers a brilliant and moving rumination on the lives of boys and men, a poignant reflection on what it means to be a father and a son.

©2008 Rick Bragg (P)2008 Random House, Inc.

one of my very favorite authors

Rick Bragg grabs my heart and he won't let go. I am truly in love with his writing. He makes me cry, a lot, and there is the humor, all those messy emotions mushed together. Oh and the grace of his southern storytelling,in his voice.... and man, I can't get enough.
I am a southern momma; Mr Bragg knows and embraces our souls, us fragile and oh so strong mommas.
Another book please sir, soon?

Rick Bragg is the epitome of 1962

Everyone who grew up in the sixties has to know that Rick Bragg must've been living under our beds and watching us from behind trees. I love his ability to catch the true personality of life, thoughts, and actions of the easy yet hard days before VietNam, Nixon, and adulthood.

Worth a listen if you're a Bragg fan.

Would you try another book from Rick Bragg and/or Rick Bragg?

I would, but not based on this book. Because I have read other Bragg books, and loved them, I was excited to listen to this one. While I did enjoy it, I found too much negativity coming through. Found my "so what" meter slamming into the red a few times. Not Bragg's best work.

What was most disappointing about Rick Bragg’s story?

The interjections about his step son. I think that I'd like to hear his version.

Was The Prince of Frogtown worth the listening time?

Yes, but only after his other books.

This guy can write.

Pulitzer Prize winning author Rick Bragg is a wizard with words. The Prince of Frogtown is one of several books he wrote about his family and life growing up dirt poor in the rural south in the 50's and 60's. Author narrated, I was mesmerized by his voice. The slow southern drawl and apt description of life in a mill town was hypnotic. Totally creditworthy.

Bragg is our greatest living writer

Some writers you want to imitate. Others you want to emulate. Bragg makes me want to surrender and savor. I've written 21 New York Times bestsellers and have sold more than 70 million copies. I teach writing online and tell my students, read Bragg to enjoy, to learn, to be in awe.

Southerner Must read

This book could help dispel many prejudices against Southerners. It shows that many Southerners who grew up poor were able to face life with some character. And those that faced hardships were able to overcome with dignity. Rick Bragg is a true Southerner, you can tell it in his writing and his descriptions of Southern life. This is a must-read for anyone who wants to better understand the southern way of life.

good read all men and those becoming them.

its an eye opener to those who think they have it all figured out. gives you a glimpse into the mind of "men".

Great story. Great narration.

This book was a perfect choice for a cross country road trip. Rick Bragg's family stories are wonderful.

Rick Bragg does it again

If you could sum up The Prince of Frogtown in three words, what would they be?

reflective, writes in a believable manner, love that Rick read this one

Any additional comments?

Following his other books which were stories about his mother and his grandfather, this book is about his father and how he grew up and became the man that he was and he wasn't a good man all the time. It is reflective and cathartic as Rick tries to understand why his father did what he did, the drinking, the separations, the abuse. All of us can find something to honor in this book. Another prize from Rick Bragg.

Another really good Bragg Book.

I've always liked Rick Bragg's work and this one doesn't disappoint. So he was a little late in growing up -- at least he's one of the few who do! Loved it (though Ava's Man will ALWAYS be my favorite).

Can't wait for another one.