Not That Fancy: Simple Lessons on Living, Loving, Eating, and Dusting Off Your Boots

Reba McEntire, signed to her first recording contract in 1975, has long been a country music icon. Her career includes performances on stage, in film, and on TV. She’s also helped to revitalize the town of Atoka, OK, with her restaurant, Reba’s Place. Part of her appeal is her humility and work ethic; she seems to take nothing for granted and clearly delights in her community of family, friends, contemporaries and longtime fans. In this book, McEntire tends to glide over difficult moments in her life and career, such as the deaths of her tour manager and seven members of her band in a plane crash in 1991. She does, however, make clear that her strong Christian faith has kept her fortified through the years. The overall effect of the work is that of a Hallmark movie in book form, replete with stylized photos of McEntire sipping tea, holding plates of comfort food, and relaxing against a Pendleton blanket. Her many fans will be grateful for this book’s tips, montage of memories, and warm, folksy outlook.