Alma of Rag Town

by Johnette Rodriguez

320 pages, Paperback

Published June 29, 2026

Reviews

[Darlene O'Connor]

Alma of Rag Town is an impressive first novel of historical fiction that traces the life of a young girl born in Alabama who moves with her family to northwest Louisiana to follow the oil boom of the early 20th century. Alma’s story is told in beautiful, funny, and sometimes heart-by wrenching detail. She finds humor in day-to-day experiences, like her brother dressing up the rooster in his sister’s bloomers, but the family treads carefully to avoid the explosive temper of her proud alcoholic father. The characters are all well-rounded. Alma’s mother endures years of abuse and stays with her husband but also stands up to him in several dramatic moments that show her strength and authority. And even the abusive father is treated sympathetically, including descriptions of his laughter at the silly rooster scene, his enjoyment of the family’s singing together, and his remarkable gift to his wife of a piano that he gets free but still has to expend much effort to deliver on Christmas day. The story is told in Alma’s voice, and only the specifics of the dialogue are fictional. This is the tale of the author’s grandmother, captured first in notes and recordings and eventually crafted into a powerful story of strong women and girls who find creative ways to survive in a difficult time.

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[Sherri Rowe]

A remarkable true memoir of Alma as told to her grand daughter. An historical account not to be missed.