Dimestore by Lee Smith

Synopsis: Personal Writing Testimony

Writing Style: Poetic. Prim.

Pacing: Moderate.

Personal Highlights: Smith’s memoir, a vignette of peppy nostalgic memories, is pleasant, poetic, and photogenic. This is a book you drop in a beach bag and take on vacation to read beneath an affable zephyr, sunk in a comfy hammock. Grundy, the Dimestore, her family, children, and friends like Miss Daisy (or Lou) were easy to see. Old ways. Changing times. New days. A few favorites were Aunt Bobbi dancing… the self-owned trucks decorated by signs like “don’t laugh, it’s paid for…’ and the Southern gossip sprinkled here and there. I did have to look up ‘the hollows’ and the term ‘decoupaged’, unlike the generous soliloquy on ‘wanting to be a writer’ versus ‘learning HOW to be a writer.’ Overall, I’d describe Dimestore like tasting a three-tiered pineapple, banana hummingbird cake. Rich! Read soft-copy 2016/2017 copyright edition.