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Southern Lady Code
Southern Lady Code: Essays | Helen Ellis
The bestselling author of American Housewife ("Dark, deadpan and truly inventive." --The New York Times Book Review) is back with a fiercely funny collection of essays on marriage and manners, thank-you notes and three-ways, ghosts, gunshots, gynecology, and the Calgon-scented, onion-dipped, monogrammed art of living as a Southern Lady. Helen Ellis has a mantra: "If you don't have something nice to say, say something not-so-nice in a nice way." Say "weathered" instead of "she looks like a cake left out in the rain." Say "early-developed" instead of "brace face and B cups." And for the love of Coke Salad, always say "Sorry you saw something that offended you" instead of "Get that stick out of your butt, Miss Prissy Pants." In these twenty-three raucous essays Ellis transforms herself into a dominatrix Donna Reed to save her marriage, inadvertently steals a $795 Burberry trench coat, witnesses a man fake his own death at a party, avoids a neck lift, and finds a black-tie gown that gives her the confidence of a drag queen. While she may have left her home in Alabama, married a New Yorker, forgotten how to drive, and abandoned the puffy headbands of her youth, Helen Ellis is clinging to her Southern accent like mayonnaise to white bread, and offering readers a hilarious, completely singular view on womanhood for both sides of the Mason-Dixon.
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britt_brooke
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🤩

82 likes1 stack add
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Mariasimon
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Pickpick

Read as a memoir/ short story mix, this book was a very enjoyable read! Discussing common southern stereotypes from a woman who grew up in Alabama, now a middle aged woman in New York. As someone who lived in Arkansas for a stint in my life, I related to her stories and found this book humorous and interesting

3 likes1 stack add
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britt_brooke
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ This #reread was just as enjoyable as the first go, but I really need Ellis‘s books to be longer! As a “southern lady” (ha) myself, I crack up at - and often relate to - her stories. I especially love her turns of phrase and accent. I just want to be friends with you, okay, Helen? You‘re a gem.

Cinfhen I still haven‘t read or listened to this one ☝️ it‘s not on #Scribd or #Hoopla - I may have to use an Audible credit 3y
britt_brooke @Cinfhen It‘s so short - I‘d hate for you to use a credit on it, but it *is* fun. Bummer it‘s not on any of your other options. 3y
Cinfhen I hear ya…I‘ll keep my eye out…it might turn up on an Audible sale 😍Thanks for the heads-up!! 3y
See All 8 Comments
Megabooks I love that she was a professional poker player for awhile. Such a Renaissance woman! I‘d love to be her friend too! 3y
rather_be_reading u saw she has a new one out? 3y
britt_brooke @rather_be_reading Yes, I loved it! 3y
MaureenMc I read this a couple of years ago, but I still remember the birthday party where her parents were trying to teach Ellis and her friends to be observant. 😂 3y
britt_brooke @MaureenMc So extreme, but such a funny story! 😂 3y
86 likes2 stack adds8 comments
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Readswithcoffee
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Pickpick

A collection of (mostly) humorous essays. I currently live in The South and found it to be delightful. The audiobook is read by the author which is a plus. This is a rare re-read for me while I wait for her new book at my library.

britt_brooke I‘m rereading this because I just finished her new one (which I loved)! 3y
35 likes1 comment
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alisiakae
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Pickpick

A quick, humorous 🎧 📖 of short essays by a born and raised Alabaman living in NYC. Nothing extraordinary, but a nice palate cleanser between heavier reads.

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RedxoHearts
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Panpan

Unfortunately I just wasn't a fan of this one. There were a couple of funny stories though. I liked the last one the best.

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rather_be_reading
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Pickpick

The perfect quick read! I laughed thru the whole thing! Its a must read!

65 likes3 stack adds
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rather_be_reading
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I had to take a break from Caste bc its alot to digest and Im extra tired today and I just could not digest what I was reading. This is exactly what I needed!

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rather_be_reading
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Book 51

40 likes1 stack add
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Scochrane26
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Pickpick

I changed my mind about which books I‘m reading this week, but I want to try getting a bingo for #bookspinbingo. I think I got this after several Litsy reviews because it‘s humorous. It‘s a short book full of stories & thoughts about the author‘s life in NYC & her childhood in Alabama. I enjoyed her mom‘s quotes. It has some humor, but I didn‘t feel like it has much of importance to say. #readnosedreindeer #wintergames2020 @StayCurious 16points

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WorldsOkayestStepMom
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Pickpick

I laughed out loud several times while reading this book. I read a couple essays aloud to my husband. This is hilarious and I loved every page of it!

kyraleseberg If you loved the book, you'll love the podcast! 🤣 4y
Reviewsbylola Fantastic cover! 4y
WorldsOkayestStepMom @kyraleseberg she had a podcast too?! What's the name of the podcast? 4y
See All 6 Comments
kyraleseberg @WorldsOkayestStepMom It's also called Southern Lady Code. Ellis hosts and the entire season was hilarious, I wish she'd make more episodes! 4y
51 likes6 comments
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JenDR
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Anyone else find that they read certain types of books in certain formats? I find that I like to read physical paper copies of “harder/literary books”or beach reads - don‘t care if salt water ruins them, would be devastated if phone was damaged. I like to listen to longer, lengthier books. But as for ebooks, I find if it is a current pop-culture related thing, I prefer it as an ebook.

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Librariana
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• "Let's Pretend This Never Happened" is like a roller-coaster! It had shock and humor aplenty!

• "we are never meeting in real life." was SO good and SO funny! I am currently anxiously awaiting my turn at the audio queue for Samantha Irby's 3rd collection of essays "wow, no thank you." I'm 6 of 7 on 2 copies! Eek!

• The tagged title is the 2nd book by Helen Ellis I've read and I LOVED it!!

#3Books
@Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @OriginalCyn620

EclecticBookLover I thought Southern Lady Code was great! I liked her other collection American Housewife, but this one was more laugh out loud funny. American Housewife was more dark funny. 4y
OriginalCyn620 😂📚😂 4y
Hooked_on_books I LOVE Samantha Irby. So funny, such an oversharer. She‘s fabulous. I‘ve loved all her books but listened to her latest on audio and I‘m so glad I have a copy so I can go back to it. It‘s awesome! 4y
28 likes2 stack adds3 comments
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Scochrane26
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Has anyone ever had this happen? Notice the page numbers. There‘s a whole section missing. When it gets to pg 139, it changes back to page 79 & the rest of the book is fine. The section between 113-139 occurs twice in the book. It‘s weird. I guess I‘ll make a bookstore trip & see if their other copies are complete.

ChasingOm Bummer! 4y
ShananigansReads Crazy! I‘ve never had that happen but I did once get an audiobook that was a whole different book on disc 3-10. The first two were fine. It was so weird. 4y
24 likes2 comments
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britt_brooke
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Pickpick

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ As a southern “lady” (heh) myself, I laughed so hard at many of Ellis‘s anecdotes. She‘s a southerner in NYC trying to stay true to her Alabama roots while embracing the city. These personal essays are mostly surface-level entertaining, but a couple really dive in. This collection was just the distraction I needed. Listened in one afternoon.

Megabooks Great audiobook! 4y
britt_brooke @Megabooks I really enjoyed her narration! I wasn‘t really a fan of her short stories, but am happy I gave her another go. 4y
Megabooks Agree! 4y
WoodyWoodson Loved this on audio! 4y
89 likes1 stack add4 comments
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JeniReadABook
Pickpick

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

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rjsthumbelina
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Pickpick

This book brought me out of a 3 month reading slump, so I'm grateful for that. I found it hilarious and relatable to a degree, even if it was sometimes over-the-top. It successfully made me forget about the world around me, and the "essays" were short enough that they each only took a few minutes, so there wasn't too much buy-in necessary, either.

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mgdenmark
Bailedbailed

As a woman born, raised and still residing in the South— I find this book very cliché and unidentifiable. This book is what people think we‘re like & not what/who

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Megabooks
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Pickpick

This is on a whole ‘nother level as an #audiobook!! I cracked up every time she said Helen Michelle because nothing says Southern like a double name.

I really loved her teenage birthday party with the actors and the first time she got high. I love that she has a blue Burberry coat. I love a woman that knows when to stand out.

I can see why some people don‘t find this funny. Bless their hearts. 😘😉🤪

#madeyoulol #booked2020

BarbaraTheBibliophage Perfect review!! 5y
Megabooks @BarbaraTheBibliophage thank you!! 😊😘 5y
KathyWheeler I liked it but I couldn‘t relate to the story about losing her coat. 5y
See All 12 Comments
Megabooks @KathyWheeler I liked almost all of the essays. Maybe I liked that one because of the same thing happening to a friend in college only it was J Crew gray pea coats. 5y
KathyWheeler @Megabooks The same thing happened to me in 1st grade. The coat I picked up was too small, so I thought I‘d grown!😄 I think it was the cost of those coats that got to me. 5y
Panic70 Bless their hearts. 😂 5y
Megabooks @KathyWheeler awww!! What a cute story!! 😁😁 yeah, Burberry is expensive. I guess the upper east side doesn‘t shock me. Would I spend that much though? No. (edited) 5y
Megabooks @Panic70 I had to! 😂😂 5y
Cinfhen Im DEFINITELY adding this audio for my upcoming trip!! Im going to need LoL listens/reads to offset the heaviness of my trip. 5y
Megabooks @Cinfhen yes!! I think it will definitely add some levity! 5y
alisiakae Stacked! The many layers of “bless your heart” was eye opening to me when I first moved to the South a few years ago. 🤣 5y
Megabooks @4thhouseontheleft yes! Definitely a context-dependent phrase!! 5y
113 likes1 stack add12 comments
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suvata
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Pickpick

I thought that American Housewife was a little bit better but this one was still entertaining as heck. Helen Ellis has a great sense of humor.

60 likes3 stack adds
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akfreeborn
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Pickpick

I loved these funny essays about life as a Southerner in New York and those quirky sayings and behaviors that people don‘t always understand who weren‘t raised in the south. Well observed and hilarious. Great quick read!

19 likes1 stack add
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Sarahreadstoomuch
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Pickpick

Needed something to listen to that would #makemelol and this did! Quick collection of light short stories that is read by the author with her amazing Southern accent that can just drip with sarcasm. #booked2020 @Cinfhen @4thhouseontheleft @BarbaraTheBibliophage

Cinfhen I‘ve been wanting to read this since @Megabooks reviewed it!!! Thanks for the reminder 😊 5y
Megabooks This is a good one! 5y
17 likes3 comments
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Readswithcoffee
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Pickpick

Very entertaining in that sugary, snarky kind of way Southern women are so good at. The audiobook was especially enjoyable as it was read by the author herself. I particularly liked “Straighten Up And Fly Right” and “Dumb Boobs.”

HerDarkHuntress1 My favorite way to be nice is by saying “Bless your heart!” Or “Isnt that just sweet!” 5y
31 likes1 comment
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Sharpeipup
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Hoping to hone my sarcasm before the holiday festivities begin. Note: my #adventcalendar in the background #tbr #wintergames #festivephotochallenge
@StayCurious @Clwojick @BarkingMadRun

BarkingMadRead Love it! 2 points 5y
26 likes1 stack add1 comment
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Gnora
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Spent my day off crafting and listening to Southern Lady Code by Helen Ellis. I did not know she was from Alabama before this book. She narrates the audio, and while she claims her Southern accent is unchanged, I can definitively tell you that it has. She might sound Southern to New Yorkers, but it‘s like a weird hybrid to my ear.

#essays #southern #nonfiction #audio

12 likes1 stack add
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Crinoline_Laphroaig
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Pickpick

Fun listen; except for the Chapter about Strong Women. That one will break your heart. Not so memorable that I wanted my own copy.
#borrownotbuy #listenwhileyouwork

34 likes1 stack add
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mrsmarch
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Verity I really enjoyed this one 5y
mrsmarch @Verity I‘m not a Southern Lady by birth or raising, but I felt very *seen*, and sometimes judged. Wait — doesn‘t everyone have a lazy Susan for their sprinkles? My mother does — I do — 5y
28 likes2 comments
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Verity
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Pickpick

I really, really enjoyed this. There‘s something about Helen Ellis‘s writing style that really speaks to me. This is funny and a little sly and although it‘s essays, it still keeps you guessing a little about the line between fact and fiction. Right in my wheelhouse.

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Verity
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This really spoke to me. I‘m not ruling out having kids just yet, but I‘m not ready for it yet and I‘m not sure if I will be. But I‘m ok with that and I love the life I have with Him Indoors.

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Verity
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Latest library hold to come in!

13 likes1 stack add
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peacegypsy
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I love books about Southern women! 🌺

32 likes2 stack adds
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swishandflick
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Panpan

As a southern woman now living in NYC I expected to relate to this at least a little bit, but ultimately found the "humor" to be dated and just kinda boring. The "Southern Lady Code" was basically one sentence per essay and the only one I liked is on the cover. Otherwise, the essays felt like weirdly pieced together ramblings and I only finished because it was short. Bless her heart, Helen was just not my cup of tea I'm afraid.

Lcsmcat Is that “Bless her heart” ⬆️ or “Bless her heart” ⬇️ 😆 5y
swishandflick @Lcsmcat "Bless her heart" is my own southern lady way of throwing shade sweetly ? 5y
cathysaid @Lcsmcat 🤣🤣🤣 I see what you did there. Intonation is everything in that phrase. 5y
Lcsmcat @cathysaid Yep. We can say the same words and mean the exact opposite. It‘s all in the inflection. 5y
78 likes4 comments
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lovelybookshelf
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Panpan

This book just got worse and worse. The humor felt completely outdated, and I didn't find it funny. Ellis romanticizes some really messed up stuff, does that gross "gay friends as trophies" thing that straight women so often do, is casually ableist, and brushes off racism like it's a cute, innocent character flaw. I really enjoyed the stories in AMERICAN HOUSEWIFE, and that's the only reason I held out hope for this book. I wish I'd DNF'd instead.

Eyelit Yikes! That‘s really unfortunate 😕 5y
Sarahreadstoomuch Bummer. I also liked the Housewife book. 5y
BookNAround Yes. Yes. 100% yes. 5y
10 likes3 comments
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swishandflick
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It's like the unofficial rule of library holds - they always, always, always seem to come in at once! I just started one of last month's BOTM picks and then I'll have to dive into one of these - they're all so different I'm not even sure where to start 😆

Megabooks I enjoyed Southern Lady Code! 5y
IndoorDame Dread Nation was great! 5y
CarolynM I love Alexis Hall's books. I've just started a reread of the two Billionaire books in preparation for the final book coming out next month. 5y
73 likes3 comments
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Lindy
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“Is this homemade?” a guest will ask. What she means is “that looks like a chew toy.”

(Internet photo of a cheese log.)

AmyG Hahaha...my first thought when I saw this was “what the hell IS this?”. (edited) 5y
Suet624 @AmyG I'm with you. 5y
Lindy @Bibliogeekery @AmyG @Suet624 I‘m glad you all enjoyed this. Lots of zingers in this collection. 😁 5y
53 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Chelsea.Poole
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Pickpick

Funny-ish little stories. Semi relatable. I don't think it's something that'll stick with me but it was entertaining. Less actual southern experiences and more NYC essays written by someone from the south.

80 likes1 stack add
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Lindy
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Pickpick

Brief nonfiction humour pieces about etiquette and modern life, collected in a short (3-hr) #audiobook narrated by the author in her southern lady voice. Most of the content is amusing in its wackiness, but one piece offended me (Young Ladies Listen to Me) and the final piece is a complete change of mood. I liked her short story collection better, but I recommend this if you‘re in the mood for genteel irreverence.

Megabooks I liked this one better. As a Southerner, I recognize a lot of myself & friends in her works. 5y
Lindy @Megabooks 😊👍 5y
48 likes2 comments
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Lindy
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“Making the bed is my cardio because to make a bed properly you have to circle it like a shark. And all the while, I listen to audiobooks I would be too embarrassed to be caught reading.”

I guess I don‘t make my bed properly, since a quick toss of the duvet is all it usually gets. Nevertheless, I am totally on board with listening to audiobooks while doing housework.

twohectobooks I mean I make my bed pretty well every morning and it takes about three minutes and two trips from side to side, not sure how much audiobook listening I‘d get done in those circumstances. Maybe her bed has lots of extra pillows and blankets! 5y
Lindy @twohectobooks The bed cardio sentence came at the end of a list of other household chores that the author has learned to embrace. Out of context, it does seem ludicrous that you would get so much listening time (ie during bed making). So, two trips from side to side? That sounds thorough. 5y
twohectobooks I could probably do it in one but I don‘t like reaching over the bed to place the pillows on the other side haha 5y
Lindy @twohectobooks It sounds like you get a much tidier effect than I do. 😊 5y
45 likes1 stack add4 comments
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Nitpickyabouttrains
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Mehso-so

This book didn‘t really resonate with me. When I got it I didn‘t realize it was based on a famous social media. Cute but not for me.

8little_paws Oh it is? I didn't realise that either. I'll pass on it then. 5y
20 likes1 comment
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Chelsea.Poole
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My grandma's apple pie 🥧
Witty new book 📕
Happy weekend vibes

Megabooks 👍🏻😁 5y
84 likes3 stack adds1 comment
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Chelsea
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Got off to a late start, but book 1 is complete. #24in48

Sweettartlaura Love Helen Ellis 🙌🏻♥️ 5y
Megabooks Fantastic book!! 5y
9 likes2 comments
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xxjenadanxx
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Pickpick



This was a super fun, super relatable book. I must have highlighted half the dang thing because it was just “so me”. The jury is still out on whether that‘s a good thing or not.

“My new ways were so new he assumed I was making sexual advances. It‘s understandable - so much dirty talk sounds so hygienic: salad spinning and putting a teabag on a saucer. It‘s like Martha Stewart wrote Urban Dictionary”

Megabooks This book is definitely hilarious! 5y
59 likes4 stack adds1 comment
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QueenJen
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Pickpick

4⭐
So many "laugh out loud" moments!
One thing that did kind of surprise me was the number of graphic moments or "hard topics" and in all the reviews I read, not even so much as a hint. One essay in particular was kind of hard to read, but I did enjoy this book immensely.

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mdemanatee
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I am about as Midwestern as they come but I like Helen Ellis after American Housewife. And I definitely like easily digestible essays after a long day at work.

Megabooks I loved this book. Very funny! 5y
11 likes1 stack add1 comment
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kbuggle
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Pickpick

I loved American Housewife and I knew that I would love Southern Lady Code. Helen Ellis makes me laugh with her pointed sarcasm and I appreciate her for it.
Ate this right up on a train trip to NYC last weekend where I walked and read and visited bookstores. It was lovely.

BlameJennyJane Love that definition on the cover! It‘s one of my favorite things about the southern women in my life! 5y
swishandflick I've got to read this! I'm from the South and have a feeling some of these tidbits will remind me off my mom 😂 5y
kbuggle @BlameJennyJane it is so true! 5y
kbuggle @swishandflick haha it‘s sharp and smart- I bet it will ;) 5y
10 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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Addison_Reads
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Pickpick

Hilarious, fast paced read that as a Southern I could relate to more than I'd care to admit. 😁 Lots of these essays made me laugh out loud. I've been a fan of Ellis for many years, and this one did not disappoint.

21 likes1 stack add
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megnews
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Pickpick

This was a slow start for me but it‘s still a quick read with lots of laugh out loud moments. 3.5 ⭐️

Book 184/265 5/21/19

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megnews
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Minus poker, this is my lifestyle in my forties too! 😂

#lunchtimereading