Charlotte Hays' book comes out this week, but I read an early release on Kindle, and it was delightful!  Her hilarious comparisons of Old White Trash vs. New White Trash are very entertaining for a Southern-raised lady like me!  She traces the spread of White Trash into the mainstream of American culture as the old forms of etiquette gave way to the "anything goes" lifestyles of today. The ultimate wedding gift when I got married, for instance, was silver serving ware; now those tarnished treasures can be bought for cheap prices in thrift stores, because nobody wants to spend the time polishing silver bowls, creamers, or pitchers and, for today's generation, the idea of actually serving tea from a silver tea service or setting a table with multiple choices of eating utensils is laughable. Indeed, I laughed my way through much of the book, except when I was awed by the truthful and penetrating insights that fill every chapter. For instance, a major theme of the book is:...(Read Full Post)