Spinning Dixie

by: Eric Dezenhall

Published by: St. Martin's Press

Reviewed by Debra Kiefat

What happens when the past knocks on the door of an irreverent and disgraced Presidential Press Secretary? You get Spinning Dixie.

Jonah Eastman resigns from the job he loves, but before he even gets a chance to reflect on how he committed career suicide, a beautiful stranger delivers an envelope containing a shadowy message from his former lover, Claudine Polk. Claudine is in the fight of her life over her ancestral home, Rattle & Snap, and desperately needs his help. Jonah's past has caught up with him, unavoidably forcing him to recount how his family's ties to the Mafia brought him and Claudine together--the most confusing and scintillating woman of his life.

Spinning Dixie is a witty and delightful book that portrays colorful Mafioso characters mixing it up with families of Tennessee whose histories date back to the civil war. This odd combination makes for an entertaining story that revealed Eric Dezenhall's ability to combine insight with clever humor. As Jonah reminisces about his past, the author beautifully describes a young man's bewilderment about love and women as he reflects sage perspective on why history did not unite Jonah and Claudine.

Since reading this book, I have been recommending it to friends who are looking for a good laugh. I am looking forward to reading more books written by Eric Dezenhall. The author tells us that he started this book in the 1980 when he was 18. All these years later, he finished it--and aren't we lucky.

FYI: Rattle & Snap is a real plantation in Mt. Pleasant, Tennessee and it is listed in the National Registry of Historical Places. It was at one time owned by the Polk family in 1800, but not the Polk's he references (his characters are purely fictional).

Armchair Interviews says: Need a good laugh? Read Spinning Dixie.

Author's Web site: http://www.dezbooks.net