Southern Discomfort

By: Tena Clark

Narrated by: Tena Clark

“Southern Discomfort is a raw, thought-provoking examination of privilege, racism, sexism, the masks we wear to conform to society’s expectations, and the journey toward authentic identity.” (Read with Us: Caste, An Oprah’s Book Club Discussion Guide)

For fans of beloved memoirs like Educated and The Glass Castle, a “raw and deeply honest” (Publishers Weekly, starred review) true story set in rural Mississippi during the Civil Rights era about a White girl coming of age in a repressive society and the woman who gave her the strength to forge her own path - the Black nanny who cared for her.

In her memoir that is a “story of love and fury” (Jackson Clarion-Ledger), Grammy Award-winning songwriter and producer Tena Clark recounts her chaotic childhood in a time fraught with racial and social tension. Tena was born in 1953 in a tiny Mississippi town close to the Alabama border, where the legacy of slavery and racial injustice still permeated every aspect of life. On the outside, Tena’s childhood looked like a fairytale. Her father was one of the richest men in the state; her mother was a regal beauty. The family lived on a sprawling farm and had the only swimming pool in town; Tena was given her first car - a royal blue Camaro - at 12.

But behind closed doors, Tena’s family life was deeply lonely and dysfunctional. By the time she was three, her parents’ marriage had dissolved into a swamp of alcohol, rampant infidelity, and guns. Adding to the turmoil, Tena understood from a very young age that she was different from her three older sisters, all of whom had been beauty queens and majorettes. Tena knew she didn’t want to be a majorette - she wanted to marry one.

On Tena’s 10th birthday, her mother, emboldened by alcoholism and enraged by her husband’s incessant cheating, walked out for good, instantly becoming an outcast in their society. Tena was left in the care of her nanny, Virgie, even though she was raising nine of her own children and was not allowed to eat from the family’s plates or use their bathroom. It was Virgie’s acceptance and unconditional love that gave Tena the courage to stand up to her domineering father, the faith to believe in her mother’s love, and the strength to be her true self.

Combining the spirit of brave coming-of-age memoirs such as The Glass Castle and vivid, evocative Southern fiction like To Kill a Mockingbird, Southern Discomfort is “an unforgettable southern story...[that] sings brightly to the incredible strength of family ties and the great power of love” (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) and is destined to become a new classic.

©2018 Tena Clark (P)2018 Simon & Schuster

Loved it

I really enjoyed this book. I loved her easy to listen to voice. It will have you hating and loving the characters at the same time…. as the author did in her life… Insightful, educating, heart warming and funny :) 5/5 <3

Get lost in Mississippi

This was a great, insightful, shocking, and sometimes sad tale of a young lady’s life. It includes dysfunctional family drama, historical retellings, and real life pride and prejudice. The author is also very easy to listen to.

Dear, Dear Virgie.

Bless this author for all that she has lived. All of it.
While I can't speak in kindness about her father, I loved how she was able to love her mother as she neared the end of her days. And I loved the purple posicle. Very powerful. She gave her mother control of her own life.
The nannies are the most important part of her growing up years. They were the anchors in her stormy life. The last visit, and the ice cream moved me to tears. How beautiful.

Love the bpok.and the narration

Have read a tom of memoirs and this was one of my favorites. My heart broke for the 10 year old whose Mom left her birthday. Narrated by the author she did a great job with voices phrasing and inflection. Highly recommend

Beautifully written and beautifully narrated!

This is a wonderful moving story of a young child in south at some of our nations most tenuous times. To think this is a true story blows my mind even more! It’s a must listen to hear the author herself tell her story. She is so good at taking you away into the story and characters.

Sweet. and Real

I enjoyed Ms. Clark's wonderful Missisissippi lilt. I must admit that I also enjoyed that her dysfunctional southern family was slightly more dysfunctional than my southern dysfunctional family. Thank you for sharing.

Listening to Southern Discomfort went down as smooth as a shot of Southern Comfort Ahhhhh

I couldn’t help but feel a mix of curiosity and anticipation as I pressed play on the audio version of *Southern Discomfort *, written and narrated by an openly married Lesbian woman. What could her experiences possibly reveal about Mississippi, a place so often caricatured and misunderstood? I was particularly grateful for the audio format; it meant I could enjoy her storytelling without the task of reading it myself so when I pressed play, a voice that felt as smooth and comforting as butter melting on hot pancakes, could she lull me to nod off? No!!!! thankfully, what unfolded was anything but monotonous.
Tena’s storytelling is as rich as the Southern landscape she describes, and her journey through childhood resonated with me on a profound level, given that we are not too far apart in age. Raised in Delaware, I was sheltered from the complexities of race relations, and I found her stories about her beloved Black nannies strikingly charming. In those reflections, I couldn’t help but envy the warmth and wisdom they offered her, perhaps filling a void that echoes in my own upbringing.
What sets Tena’s writing apart is her ability to make every character come alive; from "Big Daddy" to her sister "Penny," I felt as if these figures were old friends of mine by the end of the book. She weaves a narrative that flows effortlessly, encapsulating the essence of growing up amid the chaos of alcoholism. If you share a similar background, her candid accounts of “those nights” will undoubtedly resonate with you. Tena approaches these painful memories with empathy and understanding, allowing readers to not only relate but also to heal alongside her.
One of the most compelling aspects of Tena’s narrative is her exploration of the civil rights unrest that permeated the South during her youth. Her fiery determination to challenge the status quo, even as a young girl, is admirable and inspiring. Through her love for the Black community, Tena shares poignant stories that serve as a powerful reminder of the struggles they faced. These insights are some of the most impactful moments in her book, and they contribute to a broader understanding of Mississippi's turbulent yet rich history.
And then after all of that prejudice she sets off for college where she faces the challenge of fully coming out as a Lesbian woman in Southern Mississippi, to her home town and family (GULP)!!! That in and of itself could have been it’s own book but in her own unique and talented way she weaves it into the story and makes it all come together with various twists and turns that will make you so happy that you read the book. I’m actually behind in writing my review because I kept wanting to go back to read more and it was just plain sad that it was done/finished/over. I cried and I think it needs to be a play or a movie or a series on Netflix. Do you hear me Tena?
Get this book you will be pleased 🥰

Riveting, Heartbreaking, and Thought Provoking

Southern Discomfort helped me see growing up in the south from a completely different perspective and helped me to understand that although on the surface we all may seem different but that we are more alike and are more connected with each other than we think—we just have to open our eyes to see it. This story is heartbreaking but provides hope that regardless of your circumstances, you can choose to be Victor and not merely a victim!!! It is well written and very well performed by the author!!! Excellent book!!!

Kept my attention-which is hard to do!

Enjoyed the story, and 10000% enjoyed the narrator! Very heartwarming story, which kept me listening all day!

Not your ordinary Southern novel

Love the author’s southern accent and passionate way of telling this unique but ever so common story of what is thrived for as a child, what is expected as a parent and how it all dissolves when the time comes.