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The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi

Richard Grant

4.13 · Rating details · 719 ratings · 163 reviews

Bestselling travel writer Richard Grant offers an entertaining and profound look at a city like no other.

Natchez, Mississippi, once had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America, and its wealth was built on slavery and cotton. Today it has the greatest concentration of antebellum mansions in the South, and a culture full of unexpected contradictions. Prom ...more

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Hardcover, 288 pages

Published September 1st 2020 by Simon Schuster

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Jun 28, 2020 Faith rated it it was amazing

Shelves: netgalley, edelweiss, reviewed

“The soaring white columns, the manacles, the dingy apartment buildings at the Forks of the Road, the tendrils of Spanish moss hanging from the gnarled old trees, the humid fragrant air itself: everything seem charged with the lingering presence of slavery, in a way that I’d never experienced anywhere else.”

The author of this book is an English travel writer who immersed himself in the culture of Natchez, Mississippi. I was expecting something similar to “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” “The soaring white columns, the manacles, the dingy apartment buildings at the Forks of the Road, the tendrils of Spanish moss hanging from the gnarled old trees, the humid fragrant air itself: everything seem charged with the lingering presence of slavery, in a way that I’d never experienced anywhere else.”

The author of this book is an English travel writer who immersed himself in the culture of Natchez, Mississippi. I was expecting something similar to “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” with its charming eccentrics. There was some of that here, although the citizens of Natchez didn’t seem all that eccentric or charming to me. The town, however felt like it has been sealed up in a bubble, with very little exchange of air with the larger world. Tourists come to see the beautiful antebellum mansions. Recently, a small memorial was added acknowledging that this town was the site of the second largest slave market in the Deep South. The book was a very interesting combination of contemporary Natchez (presided over by a bunch of elderly, white women and their dueling garden clubs) and historical Natchez. “In most of the country, especially if you’re white, it’s fairly easy to believe that slavery happened a long time ago and has nothing to do with the current racial situation in America. To sustain that belief in Natchez, however, requires strenuous denial and extra-large blinders because visual reminders of slavery are all over this racially divided town, is marketing slogan until the 1990s was ‘Where the Old South Still Lives’.”

I was intrigued by the delicate dance they perform in Natchez - two tiny steps forward, then three steps back in a retreat to their hoopskirts and Confederate uniforms. “Asked to describe [Natchez], she said, ‘we are house-crazy. We adore old homes, antiques, throwing parties, making it fabulous. Gay men love it here. Natchez is very liberal and tolerant in some ways, and very conservative and racist in other ways, although I will say that our racists aren’t generally hateful or mean. Nor do they think they’re racists.’”

One of the fascinating parts of the book was the story of the muslim, African prince, Abd al-Rahman Ibrahima, who was captured after a battle and sold into slavery. In 1788 he was sold to a planter in Natchez. Despite the fact that he was royal, wealthy, sophisticated and educated in law, geography, astronomy, mathematics, and the Koran, he remained a slave for about 40 years, until he was freed after the intervention of President John Quincy Adams. The story of his life and what ultimately became of him was very compelling.

No sources were given for any of the historical details in this book. I don’t know whether that was because I was reading an ARC or because the author is not an historian and was just not that interested in documenting his facts. He is also prone to hyperbole: “Mississippi has produced more great writers and musicians per capita than any other state in America”. Really? I demand proof. Another habit of his that got on my nerves was his irrelevantly pointing out which of the contemporary men is gay (including one famous actor who I had never seen identified as gay before). Notwithstanding my quibbles, I really enjoyed the book. 4.5 stars

I received a free copy of this book from the publisher. ...more

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Jul 17, 2020 Raymond rated it really liked it · review of another edition

My review was first published on my blog Ballasts for the Mind: https://medium.com/ballasts-for-the-m...

Natchez, Mississippi is a very eccentric and quirky city in the southwest portion of the state. It has been described as being a little version of New Orleans, Louisiana and less like the rest of Mississippi. It has an interesting history, one in which it was Pro-Union during the Civil War even when Mississippi seceded but still promoted the institution of slavery. The citizens of Natchez cons My review was first published on my blog Ballasts for the Mind: https://medium.com/ballasts-for-the-m...

Natchez, Mississippi is a very eccentric and quirky city in the southwest portion of the state. It has been described as being a little version of New Orleans, Louisiana and less like the rest of Mississippi. It has an interesting history, one in which it was Pro-Union during the Civil War even when Mississippi seceded but still promoted the institution of slavery. The citizens of Natchez consist of liberals and conservatives and their current mayor is a Black gay man who received 91% of the vote. This all may seem like progress to the naked eye but Natchez continues to promote a view of the past that they just can’t seem to let go and it mostly revolves around their romanticized view of the old antebellum South. Richard Grant’s forthcoming book The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi covers the complicated history and recent events of this Mississippi town.

Grant’s book alternates between current day Natchez and a story about an African prince named Abdulrahman Ibrahima, who was enslaved in the town. The modern accounts focus on the mostly white traditions that venerate the Old South through its garden clubs, banquets, historical tours, and the Tableaux play. All of these festivities promoted a Lost Cause/Pro-Confederate view of the South which seldom mentioned slavery and when it did it promoted the false narrative that slaves were happy and slavery wasn’t so bad. The story of Ibrahima, on the other hand, is a fascinating biography of a prince and his never ending fight for freedom.

Grant introduces the reader to unforgettable characters such as Ser Boxley (pictured on the left of the book cover), a Black activist who advocates for the true history of slavery to be told in Natchez and Greg Iles, the white bestselling author who consults with Natchez elites to put more slavery stories into the plays and other festivities. Both individuals face resistance from older white Natchez citizens as well as tourists, who don’t want to hear anything about slavery because it makes them upset, they just want to see the nice old houses. These same resistors vent against what they see as political correctness run amok. This part of the book reminded me so much of our current debate on Confederate statutes and how supporters say its erasing history, albeit a false one.

Grant is an amazing storyteller. He writes about Nellie Jackson, a Black woman who owned a brothel for 60 years in Natchez. Everyone in town including law enforcement knew about it and was ok with it. However, it was her more activist role in the civil rights movement that fascinated me. Grant also chronicles the open interracial relationships that occurred in the 19th Century and the current day white and black descendants of those relationships who acknowledge each other as family. The more I read this book the more I came away with how strange this town was and is. I could not get enough of it.

The book ends with Natchez remaining a very complicated city. Small progress has been made on some fronts while other efforts on progress are rolled back, as is life. Overall, The Deepest South of All is an amazing book that has led me on a path to learning more about Natchez especially its Black history. It has introduced me to several films, such as Prince Among Slaves, Mississippi Madam: The Life of Nellie Jackson, and Black Natchez, that I will be checking out in the near future. If you love learning about the South and its history then you will enjoy reading about this unusual city.

Thanks to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Richard Grant for a free ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. The Deepest South of All will be released on September 1, 2020. ...more

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Sep 15, 2020 Michelle rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: net-galley, 2020, non-fiction, september-2020

The Deepest South of All is a collection of essays surrounding Natchez, Mississippi. Called the "Little Easy" it is very unique in that you have the past juxtaposed against the present. The town's tourist attractions glamourize the antebellum years, yet it is perhaps one of the more progressive cities in the South. Natchez is a mix of Southern gentility and charm sprinkled with a host of eccentric characters. This unique history provides for many captivating stories.

One of the figures whose sto The Deepest South of All is a collection of essays surrounding Natchez, Mississippi. Called the "Little Easy" it is very unique in that you have the past juxtaposed against the present. The town's tourist attractions glamourize the antebellum years, yet it is perhaps one of the more progressive cities in the South. Natchez is a mix of Southern gentility and charm sprinkled with a host of eccentric characters. This unique history provides for many captivating stories.

One of the figures whose story is revisited time and again throughout the book is Prince Ibrahima. He was an enslaved prince that won his freedom in a rather unusual way. We also learn of Nellie Jackson who ran a brothel for over 60 years in Natchez. What was most unusual about this arrangement was that she was a Black woman running this illicit business on the White side of town and the law just turned a blind eye. Unbeknownst to everyone was that Nellie was an FBI informant who traded information about the activities of her clients in the Ku Klux Klan. Then there's Captain Russell who went to reclaim the money lost by one of his men after they got swindled at a bar. Of course he was laughed out of the place, but he exacted his revenge by hooking the establishment to his boat and pulling it into the water. And let's not forget Buzz Harper the self- proclaimed "Gayest Man in Natchez", towering over six feet tall, decked out in his mink coats and his man toys.

Another recurring theme throughout The Deepest South of All was the garden clubs and the women who run them. Grant paid particular attention to the somewhat hostile competition between the two most prestigious clubs. Their yearly galas are a tradition amongst the people of Natchez and the crux of the tourism trade. Status is conferred by the family members' positions in the production. For the most part, the children that get to take on the leading roles in the show are determined by the women who are most engaged with fundraising activities and community service. These productions memorialize the antebellum homes. Descendants of slave owners get to bask in the glory and grandeur of what their ancestors were able to achieve on the backs of slaves. But at the same time they do not want to have their good nights, their drunken bawdy times spoiled by the mention of slavery. So as you can guess these affairs are controversial especially among the descendants of slaves who still live in Natchez.

Travel writer Richard Grant found these contradictions intriguing along with other interesting facts from the town's history that attest to its progressive nature. Interracial marriages in Natchez date back through slavery. Unlike most cities in the South, White men openly married their slaves and servants. Present day citizens proudly acknowledge both sides of their family tree. In 1965 Natchez's Liberty Park was the site of the largest KKK rally in Mississippi history. Fifty years later 91% of its populous would vote for the election of Darryl Grenell, the city's first gay black mayor.

In The Deepest South of All Grant shows us that Natchez is a city that is evolving. Steeped in tradition, there is evidence of progress. Its citizens are colorful and quirky. Full of personal stories, this book was an easy read even when it dealt with some tough topics.

To give you a feel for the sentiment of Natchez I will leave you with this quote by one of their retired librarians:
"We don't put our crazy relatives in the nuthouse, like they do up North . . . We put them in the front parlor and give them a cocktail." ...more

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Feb 21, 2021 Jenny rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Richard Grant spent months observing the customs, traditions, interactions and lifestyle of the citizens of Natchez, Mississippi. In his travelogue he recounts his experiences in detail.
Prominent mention is made of two facts: Natchez was pro union during the Civil War and number two is the current mayor of Natchez is a gay black man. These two statements would lead one to believe that Natchez is a progressive modern city. Actually if you read the book you will find that Natchez is a racially div ...more

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Sep 11, 2020 Angelyn rated it it was ok · review of another edition

Shelves: historical, nonfiction, the-south

A pity really! While I enjoyed Crazy River and Dispatches from Pluto, this was mostly a waste of time. I gave it two stars instead of one because I loved learning the history of slavery in Natchez...something I didn’t know! The story of the prince slave was great....but all the present “gossip” about the the 2 garden clubs was boring. And it was written as if it were all true and not 1 or 2 people’s opinions. Mr. Grant is a much better writer and researcher than this book.

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Jul 04, 2020 Katie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Not exactly what I thought it would be, but still a stark look into the particular kind of racial divide you get when you go to the South. Richard Grant travels to Natchez, Mississippi where he compares the long-standing tradition of wealthy White Southerners to perform the Tableaux, a depiction of “the way of life for Natchezians in a pre-Civil War era.” Over several decades, the Tableaux conveniently left the lives of Black Natchezians out--a few halfhearted attempts were made to address slave Not exactly what I thought it would be, but still a stark look into the particular kind of racial divide you get when you go to the South. Richard Grant travels to Natchez, Mississippi where he compares the long-standing tradition of wealthy White Southerners to perform the Tableaux, a depiction of “the way of life for Natchezians in a pre-Civil War era.” Over several decades, the Tableaux conveniently left the lives of Black Natchezians out--a few halfhearted attempts were made to address slavery, but were eventually scrapped. This gaudy pageant is compared against the small monument at The Forks in the Road, the site of a former slave market where thousands of Black people’s lives changed forever.

What I think Grant does well is also compare the monotony of the Tableaux against the much more interesting story of Abd al Rahman Ibrahima, also known as Prince (as he was an enslaved prince from Futa Jalon, located in modern day Guinea). I don’t want to give away too much of his story, but Ibrahima of course suffers terribly as a slave for much of his life, finding some joy in starting a family. Toward the end of his life, he seems to experience a reversal of fortune, and as a reader I hoped that he would get some measure of justice. I think ultimately this revealed my ignorance as a White American woman to have any expectation that this man would finally achieve some lasting happiness.

Some other interesting aspects of this book included Nellie Jackson, the infamous brothel owner who was later burned alive. I’d watched a documentary on this before so none of the information presented was new, but it’s still a shocking story. Grant also includes some anecdotes about education in present-day Natchez, and the racial divide between Black Americans feeling their children deserve a facility that isn’t crumbling, and White Americans feeling that they shouldn’t have to pay taxes for a school their children don’t go to.

This is a story about greed, ignorance, corruption, entitlement, and everything else that comes with discussing race in America, particularly race in the South. It’s not an enjoyable read, but hopefully for many it will illustrate how far we have to go to acknowledge and unravel the oppressive system we put in place hundreds of years ago.

Thank you Netgalley for sending me an ARC.

See more of my reviews: Blog // Instagram ...more

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Aug 08, 2020 Jennie Rosenblum rated it really liked it · review of another edition

A ramble through the old and new South. Living in the city that’s motto is “Keep Austin Weird” even I was not prepared for the eccentric airs of Natchez. Most of the people described have personality with a capital P. A juxtapose of history is presented with a clear path for the reader to follow. The harsher real history is made more palatable and understandable with the flair of current day events.
This is a thought-provoking book that should appeal to most history buffs as well as those of us w ...more

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Nov 20, 2020 Mbgirl rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: race-id

I truly truly love books like this one. History is presented in such an interesting way, and that history (second largest slave market @Forks in the Road) is juxtaposed against current day Natchez.

The Silver Dollar Group was introduced to me by way of Greg Iles’ tome trilogy— but having it covered again— to think, the group was formed because the KKK
WAS DEEMED UNDERAGRESSIVE!?

thank goodness it lasted for only 2 years, and the bevy of FBI informants was ratting on Red Glover.

Learning about “the I truly truly love books like this one. History is presented in such an interesting way, and that history (second largest slave market @Forks in the Road) is juxtaposed against current day Natchez.

The Silver Dollar Group was introduced to me by way of Greg Iles’ tome trilogy— but having it covered again— to think, the group was formed because the KKK
WAS DEEMED UNDERAGRESSIVE!?

thank goodness it lasted for only 2 years, and the bevy of FBI informants was ratting on Red Glover.

Learning about “the little Easy”’was so amazingly unique— an absolute different kind of town unlike any other in MS. Nelly Jackson having a brothel the way that she did and also serving as a KKK informant—- right there on the corner, with cops and all as patrons—- SMH. She was Black and she was savvy, and she had so much information that was enough to blackmail or bribe anyone in town. The documentary was as astounding as this book.

A large focus is on the traditional pilgrimage and annual pageant Tableaux, a replay of Antebellum glory pre- Civil War. Within these details a lot is being spoken, nuanced.

But it’s sad... about racism, that is. About Prince/ Ibrahima, about his master Thompson, and the awful Parchman incident. To imagine myself walking down a sidewalk in peaceful protest, and then having to face fire hoses, no clothes and stench everywhere, having to smash myself against another, like sardines, for days on end? It’s beyond words.

I’m definitely going to be walking along those bluffs one day, perhaps staying a night or two at the Concord Quarters, or Twin Oaks.

Fascinating history gems in this book. And I think I may have enjoyed it even more than Pluto, even though Grant sold in 2015 and moved to Fondren District. Those darn schools do matter.

And oh! Someone should prosecute all of those crooked, corrupt school employees in Natchez. It’s unacceptable to be paid $65-85K/ year for doing nothing, as there are no kids. Look at MS—- it’s abysmal looking at the state as a whole, unable to recruit good teachers bc no money. Then you have Natchez— the more affluent able to send all of their non-Black children to private education. What about considering what is best for the community?!?

I’m done kvetching now.
PS Natchez’s Bettye Jenkins of Hawthorne is on the cover— who is the gent? ...more

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Jun 24, 2020 Bonnye Reed rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: all-netgalley, southern-modern, read-2020, historical-southern, kindle-or-pdf, short-stories

I received a free ARC of this guide/memoir from Netgalley, Richard Grant, and Simon & Schuster. Thank you all for sharing your hard work with me. I have read The Deepest South of All of my own volition, and this review reflects my honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to add Richard Grant to my list of authors to follow. This book was remarkable in its ability to put you in place, heart, and soul. Natchez has always been on my list of places to revisit. This book makes that imperative as soo ...more

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Jan 05, 2021 Sean Courtney rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: mississippians-mississippi, favorite-non-fiction, favorite-2020-books, southern-musts

I loved this book. That's as simply as I know how to say it. It's the second time I have read a book, written by Richard Grant, wherein he examines the good, the bad, and the ugly, of a small pocket of my home state, and the second time that I've wanted nothing more than to immerse myself in that small pocket. I read Grant's DISPATCHES FROM PLUTO a few years ago, and was already much more familiar with the subject matter (the Mississippi Delta) than I was with Natchez when I decided to read his ...more

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Sep 29, 2020 Luanne Ollivier rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I love fiction, but honestly, the non fiction titles are the ones that stay with me the longest. I've enjoyed previous works from Richard Grant and was quite excited to listen to his latest - The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi.

Grant has been described as a travel writer, but I think I think his writing encompasses more than just the physical. His locales are explored through the inhabitants - their history and stories. More of a sociological feel if you will. A tra I love fiction, but honestly, the non fiction titles are the ones that stay with me the longest. I've enjoyed previous works from Richard Grant and was quite excited to listen to his latest - The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi.

Grant has been described as a travel writer, but I think I think his writing encompasses more than just the physical. His locales are explored through the inhabitants - their history and stories. More of a sociological feel if you will. A transplanted Londoner, Grant makes his home now in Mississippi.

"Natchez, Mississippi, once had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America, and its wealth was built on slavery and cotton. Today it has the greatest concentration of antebellum mansions in the South, and a culture full of unexpected contradictions."

Grant introduces us to many of the citizens he meets at a party in the first few chapters. Eccentric is a descriptor that can be used many times in this book. Many of the residents seem so quirky as to be fictional - but they're not. Much of the modern day Natchez is told through the 'war' of the two garden clubs - and their yearly ritual celebration of Natchez history. It's an over the top historical presentation that glosses over the fact that Natchez was the second-largest slave market in the US, second only to New Orleans. The antebellum mansions play a large part in depicting the selective history. Author Greg Iles is referenced as trying to make changes in this long held tradition. And the contradictions mentioned are definitely there - Natchez's mayor is a gay black man who garnered ninety one percent of the vote to take office. Yet, there isn't a black member in either garden club and black history is not presented in the 'Tableaux'. Grant meets and interviews both black and white inhabitants of Natchez and gives the listener a broader picture of this complicated city through their thoughts and history.

Told in alternating chapters with the current time, is the story of one slave - Abd al Rahman Ibrahima, a West African prince sold into slavery in the late 1700's. His story is heartbreaking, but fascinating. And his story is just one of millions.

The Deepest South of All juxtaposes the history and current day climate of Natchez, providing a look inside this enigmatic and yes, insular city.

Grant's writing is always a treat to read. But, I did choose to listen to this latest. The reader was Matthew Lloyd Davies. His performance was excellent and he interpreted Grant's work really well. He has a British accent (remember, Grant is British) that is charming and easy to understand. His voice is quite versatile - he presented many characters and each was a different and believable voice. His reading has movement and he captured the emotions and tenor of the book.

Curious, quirky, fascinating and most definitely thought provoking. The Deepest South of All makes for timely reading and listening. ...more

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Jun 24, 2020 Elizabeth Plunkett rated it it was amazing

Shelves: arcs-2020

I have never given much thought to Natchez, Mississippi before reading The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant. In this thoroughly researched book Grant describes the pristine antebellum homes, records interviews and gives a local history. This book alternates between present day Natchez and the story of an enslaved African Prince, Abd al Rahman Ibrahima. The history was very interesting, I constantly found myself looking up the homes Grant mentions that he visited or stayed in to see what the ...more

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Oct 03, 2020 Barbaraleah rated it liked it · review of another edition

I read that this was similar to "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil" so I was all about it. Meh. It was fairly interesting but not nearly as dramatic or spellbinding. I felt that the inherent racism in these stories of Natchez, Mississippi was "excused" or "tolerated" (not that it is the author's place to tolerate racism). I mean, at the end of the book we discover that Grant and his wife considered moving to Natchez.
...more

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Dec 12, 2020 Katharine Boggess rated it it was ok · review of another edition

I'm not objective about this one. It's unflattering to everyone interviewed and quoted, IMO, and I count them all among my friends and community. ...more

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Jan 27, 2021 Jessica rated it liked it

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really enjoyed the overall storytelling in this book. It did make Natchez come to life and I think the author really tried to intersperse Black history as much as possible, despite the lack of information kept during that time. I think Grant did a good job of highlighting how Southern history is taught differently in Black and white communities in Mississippi. The book also succeeds at showing a wide range of white Southern attitudes and how they all contribute to the same problem. From the wh I really enjoyed the overall storytelling in this book. It did make Natchez come to life and I think the author really tried to intersperse Black history as much as possible, despite the lack of information kept during that time. I think Grant did a good job of highlighting how Southern history is taught differently in Black and white communities in Mississippi. The book also succeeds at showing a wide range of white Southern attitudes and how they all contribute to the same problem. From the white couple who proudly displayed a bust of Nathan Bedford Forrest (while giggling that they didn't tell the Black tourists who he was) to the well educated and seemingly empathetic socialite who recognizes the racism but "wants to be invited back to the cocktail parties" and everyone in between.

The person who probably comes off worst in this whole book (at least the present day portion) is Greg Isles, who makes a huge deal about rewriting the Tableaux to include honest depictions of slavery, chides his fellow white liberals on not supporting public schools and then admits fully that not only does he refuse to put his own white children in public school, but his own parents also pulled him out of public school due to the quality of the school being low after desegregation. The hypocrisy is never mentioned and after finishing the book I realized why Grant took it so easy on him.

So, the reason I took off two stars is because I feel that the author was not clear about how involved he was in the white Natchez community. He billed himself an outsider, but then reveals at the very end that his family is so enmeshed with the community that his daughter was given a hoopskirt and knew the names of some of the white Natchez elites as her first words. To me, that changed everything. It also answered the questions I had about why he didn't spend as much time interviewing the Black citizens of Natchez and instead interacted with them through scheduled tours with brief conversations on the side. I was also wondering why he was so focused on the Garden Clubs, and that answers that question too. Finally, the author reveals that one of the reasons he'd never live in Natchez? He wouldn't want put his kids in the public school system.

All in all I do think it's worth reading, because there's a lot of history and seeing the different perspectives helps to understand the mentality of the Deep South. But I am going to try and find some literature from a black author on the same subject. ...more

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Oct 30, 2020 Morgan Hedglin rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I went to Natchez for the first time ever last month (crazy because I’ve lived in the Jackson metro my whole life) and it was mesmerizing. This book highlights the wonders and craziness of Natchez while also shedding light on the atrocities that happened (and in some cases still happen) there. I can’t wait to visit again after reading this and seeing more of the places mentioned.

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Jan 31, 2021 Mary Tyler March rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Composed beautifully and a really interesting comparison of past and present in a corner of the South I was wholly unfamiliar with. I had a hard time putting it down, it was so captivating.

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May 20, 2020 Anneke rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-read

Book Review: The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi
Author: Richard Grant
Publisher: Simon & Schuster
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Review Date: May 20, 2020

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

From the blurb:
“Bestselling travel writer Richard Grant offers an entertaining and profound look at a city like no other.

Natchez, Mississippi, once had more millionaires per capita than anywhere else in America, and its wealth wa ...more

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Oct 09, 2020 Lyndy Berryhill rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

This was a really great and informative read about a place I’ve lived and thought I knew kore about. The descriptions and spirit of Natchez are spot on. I love the way Grant captures the gossip train of locals and the actively churning rumor mill. It was brilliant to pair the story of the prince alongside the faux aristocracy’s rise in town, a very telling story of racism and white privilege and how it played our over time.

Reading it, I realized I was actually present in Natchez when grant was ...more

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Oct 06, 2020 Ali rated it liked it · review of another edition

Let’s be honest here... this is pretty tone deaf. However, I was amazed at how quickly it grabbed me in terms of the personal stories of the people of Natchez, Mississippi, as well as the mesmerizing tale of Prince Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori (had to look that spelling up!). I was shocked at never hearing about that insane piece of American history before now.

Also, I listened to the audiobook so maybe I missed it. Who are the people on the cover?! I’d love to match some faces to names.

Entertain ...more

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Sep 04, 2020 Susan Obryan rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

When award-winning author Richard Grant receives an invitation to visit Natchez, once the shiniest jewel on the Mississippi River, he gladly accepts. He had heard stories about the riverfront town and was eager to see if they were true.

From that visit comes “The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi,” a compelling look at a town filled with contradictions and colorful characters.

No, it’s not a story like “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” or the fiction novel “The When award-winning author Richard Grant receives an invitation to visit Natchez, once the shiniest jewel on the Mississippi River, he gladly accepts. He had heard stories about the riverfront town and was eager to see if they were true.

From that visit comes “The Deepest South of All: True Stories from Natchez, Mississippi,” a compelling look at a town filled with contradictions and colorful characters.

No, it’s not a story like “Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil” or the fiction novel “The Help.” At its core, this book, part history and travelogue, is a poignant inspection of how black and white communities exist separately, yet together, in a town that relies on its past to bring present-day tourists. The result is a dive into the culture of Natchez, not long ago touted as “Where the Old South Still Lives,” and its struggle to get past racial divides rooted in slavery.

Grant is a British author who transplanted from New York to the Mississippi Delta. That move led to his fascination with the South both past and present. It also led to his award-winning and best-selling 2015 “Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta.”

Just as with “Dispatches from Pluto,” Grant introduces readers to some of the town’s unique residents. He names names, but the folks have plenty to say for themselves. There’s Regina, a celebrity chef and King’s Tavern owner; Ginger, an older woman with a young husband and a passion for Christmas trees, costume jewelry and antique eyewash cups; and Buzz, an antiques dealer who wears a mink coat despite the heat; and Mimi, “a living encyclopedia of Natchez history,” according to Grant. There’s Ser Boxley, a black activist who advocates for the truth about Natchez slavery; the late Nellie Jackson, known for her brothel and business sense; and Darrell Grennell, a one-term mayor who crochets beanies for cancer victims.

With an outsider’s point of view, the author shares in cocktails at the cemetery and pilgrimages and pageants at Antebellum homes. He learns about the power and rivalry of garden clubs and their power-playing female members, and the conflicting opinions about segregation and equality.
Grant also pays tribute to its past residents. The life of Abd al Rahman Ibrahim, a West African prince sold into slavery in the late 1700s, illustrates the struggle for freedom and the toll it took on families. Today, a town marker notes that Natchez was the site of the second largest slave market in the Deep South.

It’s that dark past that divides Natchez today. The town has a black majority population, but most feel held back, unable to overcome poverty, discrimination and civil unrest that continues to simmer even now. While Natchez has a black mayor (at the time of writing), Grant finds much of the town still feels powerless.

“The Deepest South of All” is an honest look at Natchez and its residents. With humor and insight, Grant honors the jewel of the South for its luster, blemishes and all.

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my opinion. ...more

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Nov 08, 2020 Patsye rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Having previously read Dispatches from Pluto, I couldn’t wait to read Grant’s observations of Natchez. Growing up in south Arkansas, and now living in Baton Rouge, I have had an observer’s perspective, but Natchez has always been that fascinating old Southern Belle who can’t quite reconcile the modern world with the past. Grant has an outsider’s view but a sympathetic eye for the south, and in this book as well as the last he lays bare the conflicting views of the old line Mississippi society an Having previously read Dispatches from Pluto, I couldn’t wait to read Grant’s observations of Natchez. Growing up in south Arkansas, and now living in Baton Rouge, I have had an observer’s perspective, but Natchez has always been that fascinating old Southern Belle who can’t quite reconcile the modern world with the past. Grant has an outsider’s view but a sympathetic eye for the south, and in this book as well as the last he lays bare the conflicting views of the old line Mississippi society and the current state of race relations. However he has a gentle touch with that, and both black and white Natchez residents share their views of the place and its history with him.
The ‘Grand Dames’ of the Natchez Garden Club and the Pilgrimage Garden Club run the Pilgrimage every year and until recently it was all about the plantation owners living their best lives with no mention of the slave labor that supported them. Some more modern thinkers, including local resident author Greg Iles, attempted to revise the tableaux to include a more accurate view of things, but it has met a lot of resistance from some. On the other hand, the mayor of Natchez is a gay black man, so in some ways they are rather progressive. There is a lot of examination of the present state of race relations, but I am not sure his portrayal of that is completely accurate. It seems a little oversimplified, but the explanation of how the school system has stratified the community is totally accurate and representative of many small cities in the south. He does examine the ugly history of KKK in the area and how even after the war, things were full of racial violence for many years.
To bring in a story from the past, there is another vein in the book about an actual African Prince, Ab al Rahman Ibrahima, who was captured and enslaved and ended up in Natchez. Contrasting Ibrahima’s life with that of the white planter class provides some context, I guess, but I found the interspersing of that story with the modern one less successful, as I would have preferred to follow that thread to conclusion in one stream.
All in all, a fascinating read and a fun introduction to Natchez society!

Thanks to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for an ARC of the book in exchange for a fair review ...more

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Jul 17, 2020 Lori White rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Man, I loved this book!

The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant reminded me a lot of one of my very favorite books and authors, Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horowitz. It's got that same kind of sharp curiosity and insight, and shares the stories of Natchez, Mississippi in a way that says as much about the storytellers as the town.

English by birth, the author explores the quirks and secrets of Natchez from the POV as an outsider, and is able to ask questions and get the truth out of locals Man, I loved this book!

The Deepest South of All by Richard Grant reminded me a lot of one of my very favorite books and authors, Confederates in the Attic by Tony Horowitz. It's got that same kind of sharp curiosity and insight, and shares the stories of Natchez, Mississippi in a way that says as much about the storytellers as the town.

English by birth, the author explores the quirks and secrets of Natchez from the POV as an outsider, and is able to ask questions and get the truth out of locals in a way that would seem almost impossible otherwise. He dishes with the Grand Dames of the social clubs, the black activists, and local officials in a manner and tone that is both objective and engaging.

Interwoven among the local color commentary is the story of Abd al Rahman Ibrahima, the prince of the west African country of Futa Jalon who was sold into slavery by a rival warlord and eventually sold to Thomas Foster, a plantation owner in Natchez. At the time of his capture and enslavement, Ibrahima spoke six languages and was in every way a member of the royal ruling class - a fact which makes his enslavement all the more difficult and confusing. Ibrahima's story. The author does a great job of using Ibrahima's story to push forward various storylines related to modern-day Natchez. (FYI a 2007 documentary titled Prince Among Slaves tells a more complete story of Ibrahima's life, and is available on Amazon Prime)

There's a lot of meat in this book - more than I expected from what's billed primarily as a travel book. The issues of race are very much in-your-face in Natchez, a place that still celebrates the Confederacy and is still deeply racially divided when it comes to everything from neighborhoods and housing to social activities. More than one of the people interviewed in the book speaks to the local belief that the past is alive in Natchez, and having visited the city on a number of occasions, I'd have to say I agree.

I know I won't look at Natchez the same way again after reading this book - and that's a good thing. There's much more to the place than just well=-preserved Antebellum homes and beautiful gardens, and the author does a great job of bringing that reality to the reader.

This review is based on an advance copy read. ...more

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Sep 07, 2020 Carol Mowen rated it really liked it · review of another edition

As a Natchezian by birth, when I saw this book on a friend's list to recommend last week, I ordered it immediately. It arrived via Amazon on Saturday, and I have just finished it. I laughed out loud many times at how right Grant pegs many of the aspects of my hometown. My mother and grandmother, after all, were members of the the "original" garden club - the Natchez Garden Club - and when I lived in Natchez after I first married, I, too, was a member. Growing up, I was part of "the Pageant" from As a Natchezian by birth, when I saw this book on a friend's list to recommend last week, I ordered it immediately. It arrived via Amazon on Saturday, and I have just finished it. I laughed out loud many times at how right Grant pegs many of the aspects of my hometown. My mother and grandmother, after all, were members of the the "original" garden club - the Natchez Garden Club - and when I lived in Natchez after I first married, I, too, was a member. Growing up, I was part of "the Pageant" from the Little Maypole to the Court, and I remember the Santa parade as the annual Christmas Eve tradition that provided me with free candy as the parade of men, my father included, would make their way through our little city.

Grant writes with insight and sensitivity about the topics and issues of my hometown that are also the topics and issues that we as a nation still need to address. We must do a better job at understanding (and teaching) the history of our country, including the legacies of slavery and white supremacy, the systemic racism that still exists, and the fact that racists don't just live in the South. In fact, when I moved to Pennsylvania in 1996, I was shocked to find the KKK still in existence, with activity in nearby Maryland. Even just a few years ago, the Klan put fliers out in Waynesboro, PA, to drum up members and keep the hate alive.

But I digress. I highly recommend this book, but with a caveat in that Grant tells the story mostly from the PGC (Pilgimage Garden Club) side! To his credit, however, the interweaving of narratives that explore African American histories, particularly the "Moorish" Prince Ibrahim and his wife Isabella, and the Deacons of Defense provide perspective.

I will always love Natchez, and still miss Mississippi. Falling through the pages of this book was a welcome "soiree" through my own memories of growing up in a place that I always said was like no other place I have ever encountered. (I didn't realize how different it was until I went to college.) I recommend this book to my non-Natchez friends, the ones who are still in Mississippi and the ones I have across the United States, as a way to say - "See, I was telling you the truth. It's just unbelievable." And, to my Natchez friends, I am curious. What do YOU think of the book??? ...more

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Sep 11, 2020 Cat rated it really liked it

This is my first read by Richard Grant, but it definitely will not be my last. Richard takes us to Natchez Mississippi, and opens the doors to the antebellum homes, the fun and friendly dinners, the odd couples, and sadly, the dark history of slavery in the area. The homes were all built by slaves with money made by working slaves, so the subject is delicate. Richard respects this and walks the fine line between appreciating the architecture and charm while acknowledging the despicable road that ...more

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Sep 05, 2020 Ann Marie rated it really liked it · review of another edition

As Southerners say, we don’t hide our eccentrics, we sit them on the front porch in a rocking chair.

This book focuses on the Deep South town of Natchez, Mississippi. It’s just a hop, skip, and a jump up from New Orleans and adopts its lassiez faire attitude from the city. Natchez is a cultural center still filled with beautiful pre-Civil War mansions, yet also has a terribly ugly past of hosting one of the largest slave trading centers in the South.

When I saw this author was British, my left eye ...more

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Feb 05, 2021 Jayne rated it it was amazing

February for me means reading books by black authors in celebration of Black History month. I’ve found some wonderful favorites in years past (Zora Neale Hurston leaps to mind). This year, I added some books on race relations, and started with “The Deepest South of All,” by Richard Grant (not a black author). I discovered this book at one of my favorite independent booksellers, Lemuria Books, and purchased a first edition signed copy.

If, like me, you love history in general, and Mississippi his ...more

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Jun 24, 2020 Erin Loranger rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and offer an honest review of this book.

Richard Grant 's compelling storytelling and expert technique of weaving together the past and present of Natchez, Mississippi made for an unforgettable study of the cultural anthropology of the riverside town. The present-day people whom he profiles are a mix of eccentrics, town leaders and notables, and people trying to heal the wounds of the past all while firmly (and often unapologetically) clinging to th ...more

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Aug 23, 2020 Tom Schulte rated it really liked it · review of another edition

This is a fascinating history of Natchez, Mississippi from its beginnings to its state today including landmarks I have visited, such as King's Tavern and the storied Under-The-Hill. Key to the town's complex nature the apotheosis as Gone With the Wind theme park and municipal curator of “Lost Cause” racist ideology preserved in rather bizarre pageants reaching back to the 1930s. The Lost Cause view reached tens of millions of Americans in the best-selling 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell and This is a fascinating history of Natchez, Mississippi from its beginnings to its state today including landmarks I have visited, such as King's Tavern and the storied Under-The-Hill. Key to the town's complex nature the apotheosis as Gone With the Wind theme park and municipal curator of “Lost Cause” racist ideology preserved in rather bizarre pageants reaching back to the 1930s. The Lost Cause view reached tens of millions of Americans in the best-selling 1936 novel by Margaret Mitchell and the Oscar-winning 1939 film. Helen Taylor wrote:

Gone with the Wind has almost certainly done its ideological work. It has sealed in popular imaginations a fascinated nostalgia for the glamorous southern plantation house and ordered hierarchical society in which slaves are 'family,' and there is a mystical bond between the landowner and the rich soil those slaves work for him. It has spoken eloquently—albeit from an elitist perspective—of the grand themes (war, love, death, conflicts of race, class, gender, and generation) that have crossed continents and cultures.

Blight also wrote:

From this combination of Lost Cause voices, a reunited America arose pure, guiltless, and assured that the deep conflicts in its past had been imposed upon it by otherworldly forces. The side that lost was especially assured that its cause was true and good. One of the ideas the reconciliationist Lost Cause instilled deeply into the national culture is that even when Americans lose, they win. Such was the message, the indomitable spirit, that Margaret Mitchell infused into her character Scarlett O'Hara in Gone With the Wind ...

Southerners were portrayed as noble, heroic figures, living in a doomed romantic society that limps on in these Garden Club-maintained pageants and other social activities. Certainly at this time there seems so much opportunity to help understand the present state of racial tensions that there seems to be a real missed opportunity in this book to further explore those roots and today's ramifications.

What is here is the interleaving tale of prince-turned-slave Abdulrahman Ibrahim Ibn Sori that for most of the book seems a largely unrelated biography. They payoff at the end when a descendant shows up in Natchez on a journey of genealogical self-discovery seems pretty weak tea. Rather, I wish both topics were given deeper, book-length treatment. Specifically for Sori the Torodbe Muslim ruler I would like more about the Liberia and region he comes back to with its echoes of the plantation economy and other long-lasting effects of the slave trade.

Still, I heartily recommend this book and its implicit suggestions for topics of further reading. ...more

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Sep 23, 2020 Sarah rated it really liked it · review of another edition

I discovered Richard Grant when I read his Dispatches from Pluto. I loved his writing style and his typical Britishness. He does not disappoint with The Deepest South of All. Without any preconceived ideas, he sets out to learn and write about life in Natchez, Mississippi. He befriends garden club ladies who run the social calendar of the town as well as civil rights leaders who are still fighting for racial equity in the deep south. It is filled with eccentric Mississippi characters and stomach ...more

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About Richard Grant

Richard Grant

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Richard Grant is a freelance British travel writer based in Arizona. He was born in Malaysia, lived in Kuwait as a boy and then moved to London. He went to school in Hammersmith and received a history degree from University College, London. After graduation he worked as a security guard, a janitor, a house painter and a club DJ before moving to America where he lived a nomadic life in the American ...more

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“Now the city, led by the new mayor, Darryl Grennell, was erecting a monument to honor the survivors of the Parchman Ordeal, and others who were arrested for attempting to march. The “Proud to Take a Stand” monument, a black granite wall with the names of all the 439 people who were wrongfully arrested, will stand in the grounds of the city auditorium. “It’s the first monument in Natchez that addresses a very traumatic, difficult, but ultimately victorious era in our history,” said Mayor Grennell. “No tour of civil rights history in the Deep South will be complete without a visit to this site.” — 0 likes

“The problem with divisiveness is that it doesn’t lead to prosperity. It holds us back. We use up all our energy fighting over a pie that is getting smaller and smaller as our population and tax base declines” — 0 likes

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