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The Legend of Dell Briggers
Dell Briggers was born in Vidalia, Georgia--or so he said--and I believed him, too. When we were growing up, he was my best friend and we told each other everything. But then he died and at his funeral I learned he was actually from Hot Springs, Arkansas; that his father had never worked at a top secret Navy base; and that his mother had never even been to Hollywood ... much less acted in movies or been mentored by Tallulah Bankhead. So, after the funeral, I decided to find out who he really was. And that's where story begins. Using vivid characters, superb writing, and unforgettable stories, Joe Hilley brings us tales that read like a front porch conversation--gossip we've longed to know, questions we've wanted to ask, memories we've tried to forget. The Legend of Dell Briggers presents contemplative fiction at its finest.
- GenresFiction
270 pages, Paperback
Published February 3, 2020
About the author
Joe Hilley
17 books386 followersI was born in Alabama and grew up on the Gulf Coast. After years of practicing law, I quit to write about people and topics that interest me.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
December 1, 2020
The Legend of Dell Briggers is the most recent book by New York Times bestselling author Joe Hilley. It includes a novella and two short stories. Hilley uses vivid characters and superb writing to explore ideas about identity, gender, sexual orientation, and the way memories influence our views. Quirky, fun, engaging, thought-provoking.
November 15, 2020
This was a really great book! I was surprised by how much it made me think.
April 15, 2020
This is the best book I've read in a long time. It begins with a novella, which is the title work, and includes two short stories. The title piece is about Billy and Dell, forty-somethings who were best friends.
Billy and Dell came of age in a small Southern town. They were best friends growing up, but fell out of touch after college. Billy got married. Dell moved to Chicago. Then, while only in his forties, Dell unexpectedly died. Billy attended the funeral and that's when he met Steve - Dell's partner - and found out Dell was gay. Not only that, Dell had known he was gay all his life. How could Billy have missed this? Was he really that oblivious about the things happening around him? Through childhood and high school and college, they did everything together. Did he really not know this about Dell? Or did he know and ignore it because he thought he might be gay, too?
When he returned home from the funeral, Billy went on a quest to learn about Dell and how he could have missed knowing so much about his friend. Along the way, he learns more than he imagined about Dell, about his own family, the town where they grew up - - and about himself?
This book is well-written and wonderfully told in rich language with characters you'll want to meet in person. And its the kind of book I'll read again and probably again after that.
Billy and Dell came of age in a small Southern town. They were best friends growing up, but fell out of touch after college. Billy got married. Dell moved to Chicago. Then, while only in his forties, Dell unexpectedly died. Billy attended the funeral and that's when he met Steve - Dell's partner - and found out Dell was gay. Not only that, Dell had known he was gay all his life. How could Billy have missed this? Was he really that oblivious about the things happening around him? Through childhood and high school and college, they did everything together. Did he really not know this about Dell? Or did he know and ignore it because he thought he might be gay, too?
When he returned home from the funeral, Billy went on a quest to learn about Dell and how he could have missed knowing so much about his friend. Along the way, he learns more than he imagined about Dell, about his own family, the town where they grew up - - and about himself?
This book is well-written and wonderfully told in rich language with characters you'll want to meet in person. And its the kind of book I'll read again and probably again after that.
May 8, 2020
This is a great book! Kept me up late several nights. The title comes from the novella, but the book includes two short stories. It's billed as contemplative fiction. Makes you think. A great read!
May 18, 2020
Enjoyed this book very much. Reads sort of like Walker Percy meets Robert Penn Warren, with a dash of Ernest Hemingway - - great story, told in a lyrical manner, that makes you think. Cool set of short stories with it, too.
July 2, 2020
Not what I was expecting. Interesting and eye opening in regard to relationships. Having grown up in a very small community in the 50/60's most of us were pretty naive about sexual preferences. We had one gay classmate, or he acted gay, never knew for sure. He was a great guy and pretty much accepted. But, as in your novel, we probably never knew what he went through or how others in his family and community really felt. Being from a strong conservative Christian background and which I still participate in, this has been a difficult subject. However, I believe that everyone is loved by God and each has a choice to make in how they live. I am not the judge, Jesus is. I have a very good guy friend who is gay. I don't judge him, I just love him and point him to Jesus. I admit that I do not understand those kind of desires, but there are a lot of other desires in this world that I don't understand. Thanks for opening the door to more understanding.
May 10, 2020
Love, love, loved this book. Began in a place a didn't expect - a guy finds out his childhood best friend is gay - a Southern town with a dark past - a family with a dark past. The guy who's telling the story wonders how he could have lived such an oblivious life, unaware of any of it. Wonders what else he missed. About his family. About himself. I'm telling you, you should read this book!
May 8, 2020
Finished this book the other day - wish I was still reading it - great novella and wonderful short stories!
May 11, 2020
This is a great book! I loved every minute of it. Set in a small town in Alabama - a guy learns his best friend is gay - wonders how he missed that about him - wonders what else he missed, about himself, his life, his own identity - - and the two short stories - - this book is like the stuff you hear about that influenced the way people think - it's great!
May 9, 2020
This was the best book I've read thus far this year. A novella and two short stories. Fun read. Thought-provoking. Made me think about some of the issues in my own life, but in a good way. Read it. You won't be disappointed.
August 16, 2020
What a great book! A thoroughly entertaining and enjoyable read. Made me laugh and cry and think.
August 10, 2020
Absolutely loved this book! Totally entertaining. Engaging. Thought-provoking. Someone referred to it as a philosophical novel - made me laugh, cry, and think. Looking forward to Joe Hilley's next book.
June 9, 2021
I know this book has its praise but I just didn't see it. To me, Billy was just whiny and lacked total common sense. His wife seemed annoying and just abusive and plain. His mother was portrayed as heartless and cold. The plot of it, Dell's family's secrets, was interesting but that's about it. I would not recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews