Best-Selling Author Rick Bragg Comes to Town

Oct. 5, 2015: It was standing-room only at the Marriott in Peachtree Corners on Monday night as fans filled the large meeting room to meet and hear renowned author Rick Bragg talk about his newest book, My Southern Journey: True Stories from the Heart of the South.”

Those who arrived early for the 7 p.m. event lined up with books in hand as Bragg, a former newspaperman and Pulitzer Prize-winner, greeted everyone with a handshake, a warm smile and posed for photos.

The event, sponsored by Gwinnett County Public Library and the Friends of Library West Chapter, drew over 125 people eager to get an autographed copy of his latest book.

Bragg, best known for his nonfiction books about his childhood in rural Alabama, has authored a number of books including “All Over But the Shoutin,” “The Prince of Frogtown” and “Gerry Lee Lewis: His Own Story,” among others.

The 56-year-old rose to prominence as a NY Times reporter and won the coveted Pulitzer Prize as well as 50 other awards for his work.

Mayor Mike Mason introduced Bragg, who for the past decade has been teaching journalism classes at the University of Alabama. “It’s the only talent I’ve got,” said Bragg in explaining why he writes. “I wanted to be an architect until I found out you had to do math.”

Bragg said he writes about Southerners because he felt “they are underserved.” The focus of his stories often center around characters he remembers growing up in rural Alabama.