Sean Dietrich

I received this book from Zondervan Books via Bookish First. This review is my own opinion.
There were quite a few times reading this book when I burst into laughter; many more times that I snickered and chuckled throughout. I had never heard of Sean Dietrich before winning this book (he’s also known as Sean of the South) but will definitely be picking up some of this other books to read.
You Are My Sunshine is Sean’s retelling of how he and his wife, Jamie (aka the Math Teacher), came to the decision to do “something BIG” in Jamie’s words after receiving a health scare. Sean reluctantly agreed to do the “something BIG” she wanted to do. That “something” was to ride the Great Allegheny Passage (GAP) and the C&O Canal Trail during the pandemic. By agreeing to do this, it was almost his undoing.
Told from Sean’s perspective as he rode a 3-wheeled trike that he thinks Jamie “bought from Toys R ‘Us” (because he’s afraid of bikes…and clowns…and snakes), it details their adventures and mishaps on the GAP and the C&O Trail. He talks about meeting Sandy along the way and their conversations as well as meeting the preacher and his buddy on the trail.
There were some serious sections of this book but for the most part it’s a light-hearted, funny and engaging book. Highly recommend!… (mehr)

After reading Sean Dietrich’s memoir I just had to read this novel and I wasn’t disappointed. He wove these stories of the people during the Depression into a piece of art, that left me in tears and at times laughing out loud, but always rooting for them to press on. In the beginning you are introduced to friends and migrant workers Paul, Vern, and their dog Lou who is a tracking hound. When they find a baby in the woods, and can’t find who she belongs to, they end up with a new member of their family. When they come across a destitute mother traveling with her children their family grows again. Then there is Coot a young evangelist working for a abusive con man doing tent revivals. Another wonderful character is Marigold who has lost her baby and almost her life only to be given a gift, or curse, of healing others. There are more intriguing characters each with their own stories. The book is in 3 parts, the chapters are short, so you keep turning the pages to find out more about their imperfect lives and as I said before rooting for them. I read this through my library, but I may have to buy one to share.… (mehr)

Sean Dietrich, known more commonly as "Sean of the South," gets me. And I don't think that is a compliment to him...

This guy is laugh-out-loud funny. He is a modern-day Lewis Grizzard, weaving simple life observations with unexpected humorous flavors. ("Catholics, my mother told me, have a corner market on guilt. I'm not so sure about that. Baptists don't even wave at each other in the liquor store. (103)). This book chronicles the journey he and his wife took across over 300 miles of bicycle trails because he promised her that they could "do something big." Sean is not very outdoorsy; but his love for his wife calls to him louder than his fear of snakes or bears or a life without Swiss Cake Rolls.

I seldom give 5 star ratings. So why this book? It hit me in the gizzards. I read it on a 30 year anniversary trip with my wife. I was overwhelmed by how I could have snatched such an amazing woman and convinced her not to quit on me for three decades. In this book (which I bought for my wife, but she doesn't read...), I found a kindred spirit. Sean of the South sees the world through a lens that I appreciate. He chooses to focus on the good. He cracks a lot of jokes, often at his own expense. And, most importantly, he knows (like me) what it means to steal a girl from Brewton, Alabama. We should have T-shirts printed and form a club.… (mehr)