Growing Up Backwoods Southern
True Stories & Confessions of Being Raised by Grandparents on a Backwoods North Carolina Farm
Philip Burrow
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"Baby Boomer" author and newspaper publisher Philip Burrow takes a heartfelt, and sometimes painful, nostalgic look at being raised in the 50's by his grandparents at a small, backwoods farm in rural North Carolina. In this first-person account, he also delves into the life and family pottery business of his great-grandfather, William Henry Chriscoe, one of the early potters of the modern day Pottery Mecca of Seagrove, NC. Many nostalgic photos of the Chriscoe family are included, some dating back to the early 1900's.
You will enjoy this book if:
- You fondly remember your aging grandparents, great-uncles, and great-aunts
- You were raised by grandparents or someone other than your parents
- You like reading of a time when life was slower
- You grew up on a small farm
- You grew up in the country
- You like reading about the "Good old days"
- You suffered abuse as a child
- You are a parent considering divorce
- You are interested in living off the land
- You are an "Old-time" Southerner
- You appreciate the "Self-sufficiency" lifestyle
- You are interested in early North Carolina pottery
- You've never shucked a bushel of corn
- You've never raised chickens
- You've never castrated a pig
- You've never sat on an outdoor privy seat and gotten a cold butt in freezing weather
- You've never had the run of a home and farm with goats, mules, cows, dogs, cats, kids, and other grand-kids -- a trusting home where relatives and farm neighbors popped in unannounced almost daily by just opening a generally unlocked door.
Being raised by grandparents of another generation was an experience to never be forgotten, according to the author. But sometimes being shuffled back and forth between a mother and grandparents was painful and fraught with mixed emotions and feelings. Nevertheless, to have had "a foot in two generations," was a privilege today savored by the author.
Growing up Backwoods Southern is a very interesting and well written book and the author did a great job holding my interest throughout the entire book. As a matter of fact, when I received the book I started reading it immediately and didn’t put it down until I had finished it. (which has been the case with all the books I’ve read by this author so far)… because I, too, grew up on Route 2, Seagrove, most everything was familiar and I couldn’t wait to see what he wrote about next …. but even if I had not grown up in Seagrove I wouldn’t have been able to put the book down before seeing what was about to unfold next.
This is a book to be enjoyed by all…whether you grew up in the North or South…. If you grew up in the South you will relate to most everything printed and if you grew up in the North …. you will most definitely appreciate the fact that your daily chores didn’t include feeding the chickens before school, bringing in fire wood before breakfast or some of the other things we had to do in the South… I was one of those who grew up Backwoods Southern, also, so the author and I shared many of the southern chores we so much dreaded every morning and afternoon.
I love all the pictures the author included in the book … it really helped to visualize just how things really were at the time.
(Amazon Review)
After reading Growing Up Backwoods Southern by Philip Burrow, I was so pleased to travel back in time with the author. I too was raised Backwoods Southern, although not by grandparents but by my own parents. I remember well, climbing the apple trees, playing in the creeks, Mamas special pies. And Mamas fried chicken. I too was the wood hauler, I did have a Radio Flyer wagon to haul the stove wood. I remember feeding the hogs, and would beg Daddy to let me skip school on hog killing day and he would some of the time. The smells that came back during the reading, the chicken house, the hog lot, the corn pulling, the wood smoke, the garden vegetables. Oh, such sweet memories. The author combines love and hurt in his growing up Backwoods. I can feel the pain from being left by his Mother and slandered by others who thought he was out of place. A child has no decision of his place and should not be the blunt of the talk. The author shows much compassion for family and the impact on his life. The quiet little talks with Grandpa,which showed the hunger for a child to be loved, and accepted, the love of his Mother was very important to him but he had to accept a different love of Grandparents. It's just not the same and can be felt in the authors writings. I loved reading this little book. So many memories that the author has kept alive, a reminder to us to talk to family, ask questions, there will come a day when you will say, I wish I could ask Grandpa or any loved family member, but cant because they are gone now. The author has a compassion about the values he has learned as a child and lives by those values, even though some lessons learned have bitter memories. This is a refreshing reminder to those of us grown up Backwoods Southern.
(Amazon Review)
This is such a great read! It reminded me of my grandparents. I too was born and raised in the country, in fact around some of the same areas most of these stories took place. Only difference I was raised by my parents but my grandparents lived right next door so I saw them often.The story that stuck out the most was the story of Grandma Chriscoe's pies. The way they were described I could almost picture them and smell them cooking. A lot of the stories reminded me of stories I had heard from my grandparents about when they were younger and growing up. If you want to take a trip back in time, this is the book. I will definitely be recommending this book to several people.
(Amazon Review)
I read this book in two days. I couldn’t put it down. I too am backwoods country and related to lots of things written in this book. While I was reared by my parents, I loved spending time with my grandparents. I wanted to hug this little boy who had trouble finding his “place” in the family dynamic.
(Amazon Review)
I grew up in rural N.C. in the 50’s and 60’s and knew many classmates and friends who grew up like this book describes. I could really relate to most everything he talked about. It was a simple life and often a struggle but I am happy for the life lessons Iearned during those days.
(Amazon Review)
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I'm a former newspaper reporter, advertising salesman, and specialty newspaper publisher (antiques) turned book writer. Words and I have a history, and we've been on and off, hot and cold. We've had break-ups and make-ups. During all this, I've lived in Seagrove, Wilmington, Robbins, Raleigh, and Greensboro, all North Carolina towns, in that order. Then, being still young and dumb, and feeling practically invincible, I tried Richmond, VA, Phoenix, AZ, and Hot Lanta, Georgia, called Atlanta by some folks. Now, I've landed in Florida, close to a mouse with big ears.
I will read most any book EXCEPT fiction, including encyclopedias and dictionaries (well, a page or two every few years). That's a pity because multitudes love fiction and it's where the big money is, and I should be reading it to learn how to write it. That's okay, though, because enough money is enough when you really think about it.
Biographies, adventure stories, how-tos, histories, and art books stay the longest in my forever evolving bookcases scattered through most every room in my home. I have a dozen bookcases of all varieties and size; a couple came from big box office supply stores but most came from local thrift shops, which I haunt weekly in search of old and rare books.
I have lost and regained the same ten to fifteen pounds at least a dozen times during my life. I made a resolution to stop drinking coffee on April 15, 2009, and have not had one cup since. Of course, I took up with green tea soon thereafter and now drink five or six cups of the stuff every day. I have a cat named Fraidycat who I believe was a human in an earlier existence.
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