Sean DietrichRezensionen

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!

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.

I love Sean Dietrich and everything he writes. When I found out that he narrates this book as well, I decided to listen to it instead of reading it. Once again, this book captured my full attention from the very beginning to the end, including the author's notes! Don't hesitate for a minute, just get this book and enjoy! Highly recommended!

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.

Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich

Small town southern Alabama is the setting, and the era was such that I could have been sister to Minnie. High school is a time in life that is remembered fondly by some who probably hit their highest point then but for others…it is a time best forgotten. I wonder I Minnie would consider it a good or bad time in her life.

This story grew on me as I read it. At first, I wasn’t sure I would enjoy it or even finish but it drew me in, made me care, and wonder how the characters I came to know and feel for would come through it all in the end. All of the characters had issues to deal with and seemed to be doing their best to get on with and get through with every day. There were issues of dysfunctional families, suicide, divorce, estrangement, alcohol addiction, bullying, unexpected pregnancy, cancer, near death, racketeers that wanted revenge, secrets, inept adults…and yet the good things included found family, acceptance, finding one’s strengths, personal growth, support, love, caring, strength, survival, music, and a feel-good ending.

The plot was engaging, the writing clean and tight, the setting easy to visualize, the characters were well developed and worthy of having their stories told, and the overall impression I came away with was that I would be willing to read another book by this author in the future even though it is not a genre I usually choose to read.

Thank you to netGalley and Harper Muse for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars½

This beautiful well written novel takes place in the 1970s in Southern Alabama. It features some quirky unforgettable characters that prove it's never too late to change and have a second chance in life.

I have read this author's blog and some of his non-fiction but this is the first fiction book that I've read by him and it definitely won't be the last! He has a way of writing that makes you laugh one minute and cry the next. He writes characters that you feel like you know (especially if you live in a small town in the South) and characters that you care about long after you've read the last page.

Nub is the town drunk. He has an ex-wife that avoids him and a daughter who tries to make him change but after 62 years, he feels like he's having too much fun to change his life. As the novel begins, he and his cousin (his drinking buddy) are drinking at the Legion hall on Thanksgiving. Nub ends up in a car accident while he police are chasing him and ends up in the hospital and is told that he needs to change his life but what reason is there for him to make a change after all these years. Then he meets Minnie who works at the Waffle House. She is a very tall 15 year old whose dad is in prison and her mom has just committed suicide. To top it off, she's pregnant! Her goal in life has been to sing at the Grand Old Opry - she has the voice to do it but how often does a poor pregnant girl from rural Alabama get a chance to sing at the place revered by country music fans. Minnie and Nub meet at the hospital and dislike each other intensely., As Nub gets to know Minnie better, he begins to feel sorry for her and wants to take care of her. Can Nub change and find redemption from his past while he helps Minnie find her path in life? It was interesting to see these characters change throughout the book -- Nub went from being the town drunk to really caring about someone else, which also changed his relationship with his daughter. Minnie went from being a pregnant teen with no one who cared about her to becoming strong through her relationship with and encouragement from Nub.


This is a book about family, love and redemption that shows that it's possible to change no matter your age or your circumstances. It's about family - not just the family you are born into but also the family each person creates with the people they love and care about. I loved this story and characters so much that I think its time to check out earlier books by this author!

t was only a few years after the starry-eyed young couple got married when scary news threatened to take the wind out of their sails. But Sean Dietrich's wife, Jamie, wouldn't let it. She dared to hope for and plan for a great big adventure, and she made him promise to do it with her. For love and the promise of biscuits along the way, Sean--who was never an athlete of any kind--undertook the bike ride of a lifetime and lived to talk about it.
In this true-life tale, master storyteller Sean Dietrich--also known as the beloved columnist and creator of the blog and podcast "Sean of the South"--shares their hilarious, touching, and sometimes terrifying story of the long bike ride to conquer The Great Allegheny Passage and the C&O Canal Towpath trail. As you laugh out loud through every hard-won mile and lose yourself in his signature poignancy, you'll experience a great adventure that, in the end, will remind you of what's most important in life, the value of keeping your promises, and the importance of connection in your most treasured relationships.½

Even though the story began on a tragic note, I kept reading since I wasn't sure where it was headed. I was hooked by the literary style of this author, which is intriguing, imaginative, insightful, and includes irresistible well timed humor.

The author examines life in the deep South during the 1970s in a profoundly moving and emotional way. Despite appearing to have nothing in common, our diverse cast of characters is connected by circumstance, trauma, and sorrow.

Nub Taylor meets a teenage girl named Minnie Bass. He offers to take care of her as she had no one else, and they form an unexpected friendship. For Nub, this is an opportunity to make up for the lost years he and his daughter Emily endured as a result of his alcohol abuse. The suicide of Minnie Bass’s mother and her father's life sentence were two of the many tragedies Minnie had to cope with. She finds solace in the lies of a high school student after losing both parents. She finds herself pregnant with a guy who has no plans to support her.

Sean is a master at creating characters that readers can identify with, enjoy, and easily sympathize with. How this story ended surprised me in a good way. I found myself cheering, my throat tightening with tears of joy for these characters and their situations. It will have you cheering. Makes for an incredible read and one your book club won’t soon forget.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I requested and received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

Nora St. Laurent
TBCN Where Book Fun Begins!
The Book Club Network blog https://psalm516.blogspot.com/

I truly needed this book... Refreshing and lovely. Thank you, Sean Dietrich!

Let me start with…I absolutely love when an author narrates their own book. It just makes it so real! And this book could not have been better! Kudos to Sean Dietrich!

Now on to the good stuff! This story is wonderful! The characters are fantastic. Nub is an old drunk but he has decided to mend his ways and take in Minnie, a young, 16 year old who has lost her family. Needless to say, it is not smooth sailing for the two of them. Minnie is pregnant and Nub realizes he has been given a second chance.

This is a story full of love, heartbreak and forgiveness and you do not want to miss it!

Need an emotional tale you will think about for days to come…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

Kinfolk by Sean Dietrich is very highly recommended Southern literary fiction that can be heartwarming, heartbreaking, and humorous. Kinfold is an excellent novel; one of the best of the year.

It is the 1970s in Park, Alabama, where Jeremiah Lewis Taylor, or “Nub,” 62, is a known town drunk and best friend of cousin Benny. An incident sends him to the hospital, where he first meets fifteen-year-old and six-foot-five Minnie, whose self-comforting singing wakes him up. He later discovers more about Minnie and decides to sober-up to foster her. At the same time Nub's daughter, Emily, learns some bad news that she is dealing with on her own and the man who is Minnie's father, Sugar Bass, has just been released from prison.

This whole cast of diverse, fully realized main characters come together with a supporting cast to create a complete picture of a specific time, place, and family. At the beginning, as the various characters are introduced, the narrative may seem a bit scattered, but everything will quickly begin to come together. The humor along with insight into the broken characters will grab your attention until the plot takes off, securely holding your rapt attention to the end.

At its heart Kinfolk is a masterful story of the family you have and the one you create. There is also a good dose of drama, threats, second chances, country music, redemption, forgiveness, love, and humor. The hilarious lines that show up throughout the story are appealing and help set the tone of the novel. Even when something bad is happening, humor can help with the pain. One of the earlier lines about the name for the special kind of person who signs up for a job at Waffle House is laugh-out-loud funny. That remark is followed rather quickly by another perfect quote, "Thanksgiving is about fulfilling family obligations and being miserable the way the good Lord intended."

I really loved Kinfolk. Filled with memorable characters in a captivating plot, it is one of the best books I've read this year.
Disclosure: My review copy was courtesy of Harper Muse via NetGalley.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2023/11/kinfolk.html

Thanks to Harper Muse and NetGalley for a digital advance reader's copy. All comments and opinions are my own. Expected publication date Nov 14, 2023.

Wow! Unputdownable! 5++ stars! I knew this would be good since I’ve read other books and columns by author Sean Dietrich, but this amazing story surpassed my expectations.

This skillfully written novel takes place in the 1970s, in a small Alabama town where everyone knows everything about everybody. One by one the characters are introduced to the reader. Some of their connections are explained from the beginning, some take a while before the connections become apparent. Everyone has grief or trauma in their life – either beyond their control or due to their own weaknesses. The more I read, the more the characters came to life, and I found myself caring about them and hoping for miracles.

Even though the novel begins with a death, the thread of hope connects each person, all of them outsiders struggling with challenges, longing for a life of stability and happiness. The development of these relationships is balanced with the powerful plot containing conflict, suspense, and danger.

Minnie, one of the main characters, shares the book’s message after the edge-of-your-seat climax: “Life was full of overlooked miracles. And miracles never happen the way you expect them to. They are softer than a baby’s breath. They are, at times, as noticeable as a ladybug. A miracle is not a big thing. A miracle is millions and millions of small things working together. But then, this didn’t matter. Not really. Because Minnie had come to believe that life was not about finding miracles, or happiness, or success, or purpose, or about avoiding disappointment. It was about finding people. People are what make life worth it. People are the buried treasure. People who understand you. People who will bleed with you. People who make your life richer. Your people. Your kinfolk.”

Themes of redemption and second chances, forgiveness, family, and hope. This is a heartwarming, feel-good story about love, country music, and kinfolk. Another one for my “favorites” list. I highly recommend!

Content warning for suicide, alcoholism, teen pregnancy, bullying, cancer.

I loved Kinfolk, an audio book narrated by the author Sean Dietrich himself. What a treat. His slow southern drawl was the perfect vehicle for this amazing story. The characters are all so flawed and yet so lovable. It’s the story of Nub, a washed up alcoholic who has had troubled relationships with his daughter, his ex wife, the law and anybody else who happens to piss him off at the time. His life has just hit a new low after an alcohol infused car crash running from the local police. But Nubs life journey is about to change after he winds up sharing a hospital room with a young girl who has just lost her mother to suicide. Nub feels a connection with this girl, Minnie as he lost his father to suicide at a young age as well. He sets out to help her and in the act of caring more for someone else than for himself he begins to heal his heart. Some of the inspiration for Kinfolk is autobiographical, but there is a lot more to this book than the authors narrative. It is action packed, very funny, very harrowing and just a whole lot of good stuff for a reader to enjoy. I could not stop listening, I loved it. Kinfolk is a triumph of the human spirit, family and extended family, also known as ‘Kinfolk'. Very Highly recommended.

Many thanks to Net Galley for a chance to listen to and review this wonderful book.

A Southern tale that will bring both laughter and tears. Sean Dietrich is indeed an amazing storyteller. The Garrison Keillor of the South.

From the tragic beginning to the triumphant end, this is one humdinger of a tall tale. Full of southern culture from the early 1970's, with unique characters that will wind themselves around your heart until you can't stop thinking about them. I loved Minnie and Nub. You can't help but root for them. Nub is the ultimate underdog hero. They both show how a small act of kindness can turn into something bigger, begin the healing of old wounds, and bring second chances. Father-daughter relationships are featured in a unique way. Alcoholism and its destructive wake are explored.

Recommend to readers who enjoy a well-written story of second chances. 4.5 stars

(An ebook was provided by the publisher via NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.)½

Excellent story. Wonderful characters. I did really enjoy this book. I look forward to reading more by Dietrich.

I recently discovered writer Sean Dietrich, and I was expecting this book to be as entertaining as his columns, novels, and other written pieces. One thing for those of you who don’t know “Sean of the South,” he is not just a humorous writer, but often shares poignant and touching stories and observations from a faith-based perspective.

So I had high hopes for this memoir about his 350-mile bike ride with his wife. I thought it was going to be funnier than it was. Even with the trekking and camping, heat, mud, bugs, snakes, broken down bikes, rain, and sore muscles, laugh-out-loud humor was promised.

In several ways it is an amusing read, but many of the anecdotes were not that funny. After a while I just didn’t want to be riding that bike with him anymore. And it’s actually a trike, not a bike. You’ll have to read to find out why.

You may like this more than I did, so I don’t want to leave you with the wrong impression. It’s an upbeat memoir worth reading. It’s a feel-good book about hope, faith, perseverance, and relationships.

But I just have to give a plug for one of Sean’s other books that I highly recommend: The Incredible Winston Browne, a warmhearted, tender novel that celebrates the power of friendship and family. Now this is where Sean’s writing really shines.

Well the author definitely has a way with words, but I think this story would have worked better as 4 short stories with they last story used to tie all the characters and events together. Just my opinion, but some of the characters Coot specifically were really hard to care about as he was not very bright ever in the book.

Sean Dietrich, also known as Sean of the South (which I didn't know when I started reading the book) is a Southern writer with an interesting sense of humor. This book is a true story about his and his wife's bicycle (and tricycle) trip on the Great Allegheny Passage trail and the C & O Towpath Trail, going from Pittsburgh to Washington, DC. The book is touching and sad in place but humorous in all the other parts. I found his YouTube channel, Facebook page, and podcast. I am enjoying listening.

Let me start off by saying this is not my typical style book to read. And I did get through it rather quickly because it was an easy read and that is not a bad thing at all. So many things caused me to think of my past, my grandma would always make my brother and I swear to the lord to see if we were lying or what not so getting to see that line in the book caused me to chuckle a bit since I swore it was just my grandma. I also have a friend who is an avid bike rider, so reading how Jamie was going about learning the trails also reminded me of my friend since she would post on facebook all sorts of things like the color of her bike, new pictures, her trails and such just encase something bad happened people had something to go on. But I must say Sean is a trooper and this journey was a great experience to read. I can only hope if I ever have some sort of scare that I can get my husband to do something big with me as well. Very beautifully written.

This is a hilarious novel of love and affection that kept me chuckling to myself the entire time. This story really is a feel-good novel, which was a much-needed reprieve from all the tumult in the world at the moment. This isn't only a funny story, but Dietrich plants life wisdom as Sean and Jamie travel along over three hundred miles of bike trails. I couldn't believe this was a true story, and I really admire Dietrich for his resilience. Jamie was a hilarious figure with a spine of steal, and I thought she is a modern warrior.

One thing I love about this novel is that it takes the dark and depressing and adds light to the situation. This takes place right after the COVID-19 pandemic, yet Sean and Jamie refuse to let that get them down.

This was such a fun read, and once I picked it up I couldn't put it down. Thank you so much for my copy! I can't wait to read it again.

This book ended as a happy surprise. As I started and got through a good chunk of this book, I thought it was a little too introspective and had too much commentary about the world. I would have liked a little more plot. I didn't think that I would have given this book 4 stars if the end of the book didn't pick up a little on the plot side of things. The writing of this book is big advantage of this book. It is humorous and witty. It also makes reading go quickly. This book didn't take much at all to get through, which was nice because you could get to one plot point to another quickly.

I also didn't realize that this book was a true story. I'm sure it was my fault, but it would have been nice to have it more clearly be known that it was about the author's journey.

I'm not sure if this book made me want to take a long journey on one of the long trails in the U.S. or if it make me think that I definitely don't want to do this.

Overall, a pretty easy, enjoyable book.

LOL Storytelling

Have you ever had a book fall into your life unexpectedly that ended up being one of the best books you've ever read? That is this book for me. I absolutely enjoyed the engaging story unfolding and laughed out loud many times. This nonfiction story about a couples' bike (and trike) journey kept me reading and not wanting to stop.

The scenery descriptions allowed me to visualize this journey and the sensory details spanned everything from scent, touch, taste, and unique and hilarious sight perspective.

I enjoyed the emotional side of this man's life journey and his marital relationship and true friendship with Jamie. His ability to laugh at himself and recognize his shortcomings as well as strong points made him feel like a true friend relating his adventures to me personally. I enjoyed his respect for others he met on the trail and how he could find the good in most everyone.

This is one of my favorite books I've ever read and I will be recommending it to everyone.

I'm a big Sean Dietrich fan! This book read by the author gives you the story of his childhood and the devastation the death of his father caused to him and his family. It also shows how he overcame this devastation and became the incredible storyteller and person he is today! Highly recommended!!!

Looking at the cover made me think that the husband was riding the bike and his wife was in a wheelchair. The opening chapter reinforced this with the threats of cancer.
Cancer also ends the book and follows Sean through their journey as they meet Sandy.

As his Math professor wife now wants "something big" in their lives - she begins to explore a bike trail journey which becomes her full scale obsession to pursue.
Eventually, they embark on a 350 mile trail from Pittsburgh to Washington D.c.

For them, it becomes a great adventure while readers may wonder at their choice of something BIG. This one involved days and nights of riding through freezing rain and dealing with rattlesnakes. (Despite threats of previous rapes and murders on the trails, they did not carry a small pistol, not did Sean bring back-up equipment to replace the broken parts of his old tricycle.)

Why a less dangerous - given poison ivy and snakes - to her husband BIG choice was not made is still a mystery. As well, the search for the start of the trailhead was pretty boring and the gratuitous mention of the hideous Rat Experiments was one to skip.

Definitely a Bike Fan Fun Book! The priest was amazing!

Really good. Heart-warming. Sad. Life-affirming.

Follow Winston Browne, a small town sheriff in rural NW Florida in the '50's. He's a WWII veteran, suffers from a broken heart, and loves baseball - especially the Brooklyn Dodgers. But most of all he is a man with an enormous heart, beloved by all.

Meet Ellie, a beautiful woman who feels she's wasted her life waiting for her boyfriend Jimmy to propose. Jessie, a young girl with a mysterious past. A fatherless teen who works to support his mother. And others in Winston's orbit.

Lovely imagery of Southern landscape combined with '50's nostalgia is a winning formula. And if you love baseball, this is a home run!