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Welcome to Braggsville
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
LONGLISTED FOR THE 2015 NATIONAL BOOK AWARDNAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF 2015 BYTHEWASHINGTON POST,TIME,MENS JOURNAL,CHICAGO TRIBUNE,KANSAS CITY STAR, BROOKLYN MAGAZINE,NPR,HUFFINGTON POST, THE DAILY BEAST, ANDBUZZFEEDWINNER OF THE 2015 ERNEST J. GAINES AWARD FOR LITERARY EXCELLENCELONGLISTED FOR THE 2016 ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL FOR EXCELLENCE IN FICTIONNATIONAL BESTSELLERFrom the PEN/Faulkner finalist and critically acclaimed author of Hold It Til It Hurts comes a dark and socially provocative Southern-fried comedy about four UC Berkeley students who stage a dramatic protest during a Civil War reenactmenta fierce, funny, tragic work from a bold new writer.Welcome to Braggsville. The City that Love Built in the Heart of Georgia. Population 712Born and raised in the heart of old Dixie, Daron Davenport finds himself in unfamiliar territory his freshman year at UC Berkeley. Two thousand miles and a world away from his childhood, he is a small-town fish floundering in the depths of a large, hyper-liberal pond. Caught between the prosaic values of his rural hometown and the intellectualized multicultural cosmopolitanism of Berzerkeley, the nineteen-year-old white kid is uncertain about his place until one disastrous party brings him three idiosyncratic best friends: Louis, a kung-fu comedian" from California; Candice, an earnest do-gooder claiming Native roots from Iowa; and Charlie, an introspective inner-city black teen from Chicago. They dub themselves the 4 Little Indians.But everything changes in the groups alternative history class, when Daron lets slip that his hometown hosts an annual Civil War reenactment, recently rebranded Patriot Days. His announcement is met with righteous indignation, and inspires Candice to suggest a performative intervention to protest the reenactment. Armed with youthful self-importance, makeshift slave costumes, righteous zeal, and their own misguided ideas about the South, the 4 Little Indians descend on Braggsville. Their journey through backwoods churches, backroom politics, Waffle Houses, and drunken family barbecues is uproarious to start, but will have devastating consequences.With the keen wit ofBilly Lynns Long Halftime Walkand the deft argot ofThe Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao, T. Geronimo Johnson has written an astonishing, razor-sharp satire. Using a panoply of styles and tones, from tragicomic to Southern Gothic, he skewers issues of class, race, intellectual and political chauvinism, Obamaism, social media, and much more.A literary coming-of-age novel for a new generation, written with tremendous social insight and a unique, generous heart,Welcome to Braggsvillereminds us of the promise and perils of youthful exuberance, while painting an indelible portrait of contemporary America.
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Pinta
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

Four zealous Berkeley ugrads return to D‘Aron‘s hometown of Braggsville, GA to protest a Civil War reenactment by staging a fake lynching. All goes terribly wrong in an ending that both shocks & is the only possible end. Social satire skewering all & everyone: elite academic blather, militant anti-intellectuals, Klansmen, activists. All in an accelerated hip-hop riff loaded w/ academic theory, pop culture, Southern Gothic twang. Leaves a mark.2015

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azulaco
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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I have been slogging through this book for weeks. I want to like it, and I think it has some important things to say, but it just goes on and on. I‘m persevering.

14 likes2 stack adds
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ErickaS_Flyleafunfurled
Welcome to Braggsville | Geronimo Johnson T
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Mehso-so

😕
Interesting idea: 4 idealistic Berkeley students go to a small town in Georgia to stage a “performative protest” of a Civil War re-enactment.
Unfortunately, this fell prey to Iowa Writer‘s Workshop Syndrome. The author loves to indulge in academic tangents that only serve to distract the reader from his actual relevant points.

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MsLeah8417
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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“His sophomore fall was without incident, but halfway through his sophomore spring, everything changed.”

8 likes1 stack add
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VinceReads
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

I‘m still processing this one, but definitely enjoyed it.

4/5

40 likes1 stack add
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VinceReads
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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It‘s almost midnight, what better time to start my next one?

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Kappadeemom
Welcome to Braggsville | Geronimo Johnson T
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My Kindle is at 10% and I forgot my charger 8 hours away from home :(

valeriegeary Nooooooo! 😭😭😭 7y
Texreader Argh!!! 7y
10 likes2 comments
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Kappadeemom
Welcome to Braggsville | Geronimo Johnson T
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Sitting in A cafe in Alabama today

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janeycanuck
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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I had a hard time with this because of the lack of quotation marks on dialogue but man, what a thought-provoker.

#multiethnic #junebookbugs

Abailliekaras I always wonder why they do that with the lack of quotation marks? 😬 7y
11 likes1 comment
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DeborahSmall
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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@CaroPi Thank you so much for the wonderful books and journal. I'm really looking forward to the tagged book ❤️ @BookishMarginalia as usual thanks for organising another great swap #SummerSolsticeBookExchange #SummerSantaGoesPostal

ScorpioBookDreams Haven't heard of any of those books! 7y
CaroPi I am glad you like them. Sorry they were not wrapped but had problems with the paper and if I waited they would not arrive on time 7y
Reviewsbylola Great gift! 7y
See All 7 Comments
DeborahSmall @ScorpioBookDreams i love Milan Kundera and this is my 3rd copy (different cover, so great) @CaroPi no problem regards wrapping. The chocolates are delicious too! 💕 7y
Hollie Looks awesome! 7y
CaroPi @DeborahSmall they are some of my favorite ones. And I tought you can share them with your daughter 7y
DeborahSmall @CaroPi my eldest son is off school for exams so we had them with coffee and the latest Twin Peaks this morning 💕 7y
130 likes7 comments
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Mixedreader
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Cool idea @saguarosally !
1. A vacation day near Sequoia National Park 🌲🌲🌲
2. I heard about it from the @bookriot team, esp, @Liberty
3. Everything, Everything
4. Yes, his name was Loosebooty.

#welcomelittens #books #booklovers #booknerds

Mariposa_Bookworm Ha ha! I love it! Loosebooty!!!! 7y
Owlizabeth 🐢😂 Loosebooty is the best pet name 7y
Mixedreader @Mariposa_Bookworm & @Owlizabeth thanks; kid version of me loved it 😄 7y
saguarosally I loved EE. 7y
20 likes4 comments
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BookishFeminist
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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I definitely have a thing for #blackandwhitecovers. There's beauty in monochrome simplicity. This is just a small sampling of some of my favorites. 🖤#maybookflowers

MLRio Geronimo was my workshop leader at Iowa and he's a terrific teacher of many different types of writer (which is no small feat). 7y
127 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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Brie
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

Four college students from Berkeley embark on a protest of a small Southern town's Civil War reenactment in this scathing social satire that takes on racism, sexism, and homophobia. Lots of unexpected twists. The writing style is a bit unconventional and takes some getting used to, but definitely worth it for the story. It reminded me of Junot Diaz's The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.

56 likes4 stack adds
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janeycanuck
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Mehso-so

I finished this quite a while ago but still haven't decided how I feel about it. The writing style didn't work for me (I'm a girl that needs her quotation marks...) but the story was such an interesting one.

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PacingTheCage
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Why must I live a life that prevents me from reading all day, every day? I will finish this one tonight! !

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PacingTheCage
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Welcome to Thursday night!

1 like1 stack add
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DocBrown
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
Mehso-so

A beautiful yet hot mess. Plenty of twists, but ultimately unsatisfying because at every turn I was hoping he'd go in the exact opposite direction. What did the protagonist learn about himself or the world? What do the readers learn? I guess the writer didn't set out to answer those questions. Frustrating. Story: Pan. Writing: Pick. Never have I had such a bipolar reaction to a book.

Spiderfelt This book has been adapted for the stage and will be performed by a literary theater company in Seattle this spring. I plan to see it, but now with trepidation. 7y
1 like1 stack add1 comment
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Carleneishere
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

Standing in line at my polling place. #wherewhitetovote

Carleneishere Ah I just noticed my hashtag autocorrected! Or I brainfarted. Damn. 7y
7 likes1 comment
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CaroPi
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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#day4 #photoadaynov16 #setinasmalltown I know that parts of these book are in San Francisco but the most important parts are in Braggsville.. Listen only good things about this book and is in my TBR for a long time.

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JacintaMCarter
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

The unique writing style makes it a little hard to follow at times and the characters are almost unbearable, but the story itself is interesting and filled with enough twists to keep you reading.

14 likes1 stack add
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JacintaMCarter
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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🎶Daddy said not to go downtown. Like I said, you're free to go.🎶 #Hamilton #SchuylerSisters #AndPeggy

10 likes1 stack add
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JacintaMCarter
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson

🎶Daddy said not to go downtown. Like I said, you're free to go.🎶

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KVanRead
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

#FunPhotoFriday One of the best books I read last year, this follows four young college friends at Berkeley and offers both scathing satire and sensitive insight into the modern day college experience. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

LeahBergen I've heard this is great! 8y
KVanRead @LeahBergen It's unlike anything I've ever read. Loved it. 8y
38 likes4 stack adds2 comments
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nyashajunior
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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I had to bail on this one. Just not doing it for me. Trying too hard.

4 likes1 stack add
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bookshopsc
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

Welcome to Braggsville shocked, delighted, and hit me right where it hurt. D‘aron, a white Southern teen, escapes his small town for the UC Berkeley campus and experiences culture shock at its finest. Bizarre, heart-breaking, cringe-inducing...this quickly became one of my favorites.
— Rachel

WilliamMorrowBooks Love this book! 8y
44 likes15 stack adds1 comment
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AstoriaBookshop
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

"I LOVED this book and Johnson's ability to capture what it feels like to be young and invincible...I definitely knew these characters in college. Johnson's dark, comedic voice (and slang, I mean dude even added a lexicon!) is perfect for this vice-grip of a novel."

@KiskyLuella staff pick!

4 likes1 stack add
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skrishna
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Whoever grabs WELCOME TO BRAGGSVILLE from my Little Free Library is a lucky soul!

Ellsbeth You have a beautiful LFL! 8y
Kenny Obsessed with that book. 8y
Matilda That is one fine library! 8y
See All 9 Comments
Gayan I love your LFL! 8y
Jeannie What a great LFL! 8y
JanuarieTimewalker13 So pretty and colorful!! 8y
Kristi I have a LFL too!! 8y
Cynbalch Gotta 💘 the library! I would visit so often!! 8y
janeycanuck I got that in the Book Riot end-of-year box. I keep forgetting I have it, I should pick it up soon 8y
125 likes16 stack adds9 comments
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Beth.Pedota
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Book haul from the library: two books, three audiobooks, two comics, and one movie!

lucy_literati Good haul! Angelmaker is near the top of my TBR. Loved The Martian. 8y
Beth.Pedota @bookworm_1978 After hearing rave reviews for Angelmaker on Get Booked, I immediately put it on hold. So excited! 8y
6 likes2 stack adds2 comments
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jessicabrazeal
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

Reading on-the-go.

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Kenny
Welcome to Braggsville: A Novel | T. Geronimo Johnson
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Pickpick

I got to this book way late, but my love is real.

BookishClaire Keep trying to convince my book club to read this. 8y
Janet Omg, is this your handwriting? Swoon! 8y
Kenny It is one of my handwritings. 8y
Rebecca9 My book group read this. It was an interesting discussion that's for sure. Most thought it a difficult read but worth it. Some felt "beat up & abused" by the writing. Hmmmm......I loved it! Blew me & left me changed. I still think about the all the time. 8y
19 likes11 stack adds4 comments