Publisher's Synopsis
The Illinois State Historical Society (ISHS) on April 11, 2022, awarded Joe Paradis the ISHS Best In Illinois History Award for his recent publication Looking for Cornbread: Coming of Age in Small-Town America, Circa 1950-60s. Placing Paradis' book in the Superior Achievement category, the ISHS press release's April 12 review states:
"Paradis shows life as it was-and all too often still is. He addresses the issues of race, gender, and male violence in ways that make it easy for a reader to envision these incidents and increase their own awareness of the deep roots of these problems. This is a fine book, and if nothing else, demonstrates the contradictions and complications of small-town life in what some try to view as America's Golden Age. In my years of judging this competition, this is one of the finest books I've seen." As the ISHS suggests, this is a richly detailed account of a small town life in the 1950-60s, yet this book is all of that and a whole lot more: it is also a compelling story of a young boy sometimes struggling, sometimes savoring the experiences of growing up. It is guaranteed to make you laugh, then make you cry, to shock you and finally, allow you to share in his triumph. As Dr. Linda Tucker, Associate Professor of English at the Southern University of Arkansas, stated in her insightful Foreword to the book: "...if you're looking for a memoir that captures the culture of Mayberry, this isn't it. If you're looking for a sophisticated narrative that delights and dismays readers throughout in remarkably unpredictable ways, then prepare to be engaged by this impressive work from beginning to end."
