House of Smoke

“John T. Edge has proven to be a deft and insightful chronicler of Southern ways and foodways. . . . Now he turns his probing eye on his own life in a moving memoir that sees him reckoning with growing up in a fascinating but difficult (and sometimes violent) environment, in a fraught South.”—Garden & Gun

“Clear-eyed, bighearted, and beautifully written, this nourishing memoir offers readers plenty to chew on.”—Publishers Weekly

“An insightful consideration of food, race and racism, and sins historical and contemporary.”—Kirkus Reviews

“This is a story of one Southern man who has become a trusted and beloved voice, but it landed on me as the story of all Southern men—me, and you, and everyone we’ve ever known. House of Smoke is ultimately a story for all Americans on a path to self-awareness, honesty, and love.”—Wright Thompson, author of The Barn

“John T. Edge refuses to allow himself or the reader the comfort of spectacle here. He does that Mississippi work and creates a lush, self-reflexive Southern monument that will last forever.”—Kiese Laymon, author of Heavy

“Navigating the ingrained cultural tensions that haunt the South, John T. Edge reveals how pain distorts identity and success breeds unintended harm. This raw and honest portrait of self-discovery is a must-read for anyone who has ever questioned where they truly belong.”—Erick Williams, founder, Virtue Hospitality Group

“Making no excuses for his ancestors, John T. Edge shines light on the troubled soils from which he grew, telling a story from the South that burns bright.”—Joe Kwon, cellist, The Avett Brothers

“John T. Edge’s story lays open the collective soul of the South.”—Frank Stitt, author and chef-owner, Highlands Bar and Grill

“House of Smoke is a heart-wrenching reckoning of the truths that remain after the world you think you know—your home, your homeland, your life’s work, your very self—is reduced to ruins. More than a white Southerner’s quest to become fully awake to a past that will never be past, this book is a model for nurturing the new life that can rise out of the deepest ashes.”—Margaret Renkl, author of Graceland, at Last