A cheap knock off of her sister (the sweet potato queen) but a quick, entertaining read. She had a very interesting relationship with her ex husband that did provide some food for thought. ( )

Henricksen's first rule of writing a memoir is that you ought to be clear in your mind about why total strangers, not just Mom, should read your little book. Too many people are writing memoirs. There's memoir glut. If you haven't invented the doomsday machine or a cure for death, write letters to your friends. Don't write a memoir.

But there are exceptions. Judy Connor wrote a wonderful memoir called Southern Fried Divorce. I picked up her book having heard that people in Louisiana were enjoying it.
What makes Judy's memoir special?

First, it's only incidentally about her. Mainly, it's about her utterly original and often notorious ex-husband, called in the book "that ex." His exploits, bawdy and hilarious (often accompanied by the couple's brown dog) ,are enough to carry the narrative from one comedy to the next, and in the process Judy paints a loving portrait both of him and of the carefree city they lived in during the seventies and eighties.

What else makes her book special? There's no self pity, although that ex would have stirred up torrents of it in a weaker person. But Judy doesn't douse us with a bucket of regrets. Why? Because she doesn't have any. Instead, she slowly unearths the love that she and her ex shared even beyond the divorce. Her wonderful story rests firmly on a foundation of love and humor.

My advice? Don't you dare write a memoir with the intent of making people feel sorry for you. If you do, I'll get Judy after you. People are way too busy feeling sorry for themselves. It isn't attractive.

And finally, Judy can write. The narrative voice is racy and Southern, a style to fit the content. You won't be reading newspaper prose if you settle down with Judy's book. You'll be immersed in the language of the city and the streets.

The last I heard, Judy was working on a sequel to be called Southern Fried Secrets. I don't know how that project is developing, but if the train ever comes in I'll hop aboard for another great ride. ( )

Sheer fun with a great love story at its centre. Loved the brown dog. ( )