This is a book about growing up in the last years (1950's-1960's) of the old South, and in the shadow of Birmingham, Alabama. Many of the people, events, and circumstances of those years made Alabama, the Heart of Dixie, and the entire South the center of attention for the nation and for the world. While big newsworthy events were occurring that eventually led to the "end" of the old South, smaller events were occurring in the lives of ordinary people that also resulted in profound change. This book chronicles such events in the life of the author. His life, like that of most Southerners of his time, unfolded in light of three basic and daily realities: race, religion, and roots (family). Through stories like "Fish Tail and Her Bag," "Hamburger Memories," and "Remembering Selma," the author takes the reader on a journey back to a time that merits never being forgotten. -- Back cover