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

by Reba McEntire, Garth Brooks (Foreword by)

Overview

Notes From Your Bookseller

This book is everything Reba McEntire. With full-color photos, recipes, behind-the-scenes and more, it’s perfect for any fan of the country music star, or fans of fascinating life stories in general.

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER | WALL STREET JOURNAL BESTSELLER | USA TODAY BESTSELLER

The best things in life are really not that fancy. This photo-driven book featuring all-things-Reba invites you to get back to the basics of life: fun, food, friends, and family. In her first book in over two decades, actress and country music legend Reba McEntire takes you behind the scenes and shares the stories, recipes, and Oklahoma-style truths that guide her life.

The perfect gift for anyone who loves down-home recipes, the western lifestyle, heartwarming stories, and a good laugh from the Queen of Country!

FROM REBA:

"To me, there's nothing better than sitting on the back porch looking out at the land that goes on for miles. A beautiful sunset and then me, just sipping on a glass of iced tea (or whiskey and Sprite) with my friends and family. I don't know what heaven's going to look like, but I hope it feels like Oklahoma. Throw in some beans and cornbread, and I'm all set.

"Okies know that the secret to a good life is to keep things simple and be thankful for what the good Lord's given you. That's what I want to get back to. Simple fun, hard work, good food, and laughing with those you love. Everything I'm doing in my life from here on out—personal or professional, doesn't matter—I'm going to have fun.

"That’s what I'm sharing in this book—some simple, not-that-fancy truths I live by and a bunch of good stories, photos, and recipes that go along with them. So if you're looking to slow down, get back to basics, and have a heckuva lot of fun, I think we're going to have a good time together in these pages. Come on in, kick off your boots (or leave them on, I don’t care), and learn how to bring a little bit of my downhome-inspired life into your own."

FROM THE PUBLISHER:

Not That Fancy includes:

• Nearly 200 photographs from Reba's childhood, career, and personal life—many of which are straight from Reba's phone
• Never-before-told stories from rodeoing with her family to pranks with Brooks & Dunn to falling in love over a plate of tater tots
• Behind-the-scenes anecdotes from her music and acting career, with inspiration on how to follow your passion, trust your gut, and take a chance on yourself
• More than 60 recipes of appetizers, mains, sides, desserts, and cocktails from Reba's personal kitchen, from friends and family, and from her restaurant, Reba's Place
• Lighthearted lifestyle tips on how to achieve Reba's signature hairstyle, plan a down-to-earth date night, throw an effortless dinner party, and more

Not That Fancy is the perfect deluxe gift for Christmas, birthdays, Mother's Day, Father's Day, and special occasions. This keepsake book is ideal for Reba fans, country music lovers, or anyone who enjoys an easygoing western lifestyle.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781400238262
Publisher:	Harper Celebrate
Publication date:	10/10/2023
Sold by:	HarperCollins Publishing
Format:	eBook
Pages:	288
Sales rank:	22,605
File size:	60 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Multimedia entertainment mogul Reba McEntire has become a household name through a successful career that includes music, television, film, theater, retail, and hospitality. The Country Music Hall of Fame and Hollywood Bowl member has more than 50 award wins under her belt, earning honors from the Academy of Country Music (ACM) Awards, American Music Awards, People's Choice Awards, Country Music Association (CMA) Awards, GRAMMY® Awards, and Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards. Reba was also a 2018 Kennedy Center Honors recipient in addition to multiple philanthropic and leadership honors.

Reba has celebrated unprecedented success, including 35 career number one singles and more than 58 million albums sold worldwide. Reba earned her 60th Top 10 on the Billboard Country Airplay chart, extending her record for the most Top 10 hits among female artists. Reba's Top 10 success spans five straight decades, landing her in the singular group with only George Jones, Willie Nelson, and Dolly Parton, who have the same achievement.

The Oklahoma native and Golden Globe®-nominated actress has multiple movie credits to her name, a critically acclaimed lead role on Broadway in Irving Berlin's Annie Get Your Gun, and starred in the six-season television sitcom Reba. Reba has also proven to be a savvy entrepreneur, with longstanding brand partnerships that include her Dillard's clothing line and her western footwear collection REBA by Justin™. She has even added restaurateur to the list with Reba's Place, a restaurant, bar, retail, and entertainment venue in Atoka, Oklahoma. For more information, visit? www.Reba.com.

Editorial Reviews

10/02/2023

“If you’re looking to slow down, get back to basics, and just have a heckuva lot of fun, then I think we’re going to have a good time together in these pages,” promises country singer McEntire (Comfort from a Country Quilt) in this entertaining mix of cookbook and memoir. Between recipes, she shares dozens of stories, ranging from the amusing (cutting her signature curly locks in the ’90s) to the heart-wrenching (her mother’s death right before the start of the Covid pandemic). Some dishes draw inspiration from the menu at McEntire’s Oklahoma restaurant, Reba’s Place, including cherry Coke barbecue burgers, fried green tomato slices, and onion and jalapeño haystacks. Others she collects from family and friends, such as her mother’s pimento cheese sandwich, roasted chicken and vegetables from her Reba costar Chris Rich, and white-chocolate cranberry cookies created by her manicurist and friend Nikki Spalaris. Charmingly folksy sidebars offer advice for living a “not that fancy” lifestyle, including how to pick out cowboy boots, how to pray to God (singing and spending time in nature are some of McEntire’s favorite ways), and how to throw an outdoor party (making a one-pot meal and a large pitcher of sangria will help save time). This is a treat for McEntire’s fans. (Oct.)

Publishers Weekly

'The title is not only a play on one of her classic tunes (1990's 'Fancy'), it epitomizes her down-home philosophy.'

Parade

'As you'll see in this book, Reba is nothing fancy when it comes to being friends. She's not only the girl next door. She is also what the girl next door dreams of being. You can never forget she's a superstar, but it won't be Reba who reminds you. I don't know how she does it, but the great ones always do.'

Garth Brooks

'—jam-packed with life lessons and anecdotes.'

Style Blueprint

'An homage to her faith, family, and Oklahoma upbringing, this image-heavy lifestyle guide from country music superstar Reba McEntire is part memoir, part cookbook. McEntire recommends enjoying life to the fullest not by indulging in extravagances but by finding nourishment in the simple pleasures of foods and traditions that reflect heritage.'

Booklist

'—a lifestyle guide that has a sense of humor.'

Garden & Gun

'—embodies McEntire's relaxed entertaining style, encompassing every area of her life.'

Better Homes & Gardens

'entertaining mix of cookbook and memoir... a treat for McEntire's fans.'

Publisher’s Weekly

2023-07-21
Lessons for the simple life from the country music star.

A longtime resident of Nashville, McEntire (b. 1955) grew up in rural Oklahoma. Following her mother’s death at the beginning of the pandemic, she returned to her home state to spend time reconnecting with her family. In this coffee-table book, which contains dozens of full-color photos and sidebars (“Clothes Every Cowgirl Should Own,” “Bring the Outside In”), the author reflects on that time, memories of her childhood, and her professional career as a musician, actor, retailer, and restaurateur. Throughout, she also includes numerous recipes, including “wild west” chili, chicken-fried steak, fried green tomatoes, and her “hands-down” personal favorite, pinto beans and cornbread. In addition to music and food, Christian faith is an important theme. “On the ranch,” she writes, “we make it a point to put God first, take care of our families, work hard, eat well, and always make time for a good, hearty laugh….Okies know that the secret to a good life is to keep things simple and be thankful for the things the good Lord’s given you.” In that vein, McEntire shares her favorite religious songs and gives advice about talking to God. She offers lighthearted lifestyle tips, including how to talk like a native Oklahoman or approximate her signature hairstyles. As McEntire notes, she couldn’t have achieved her level of success alone. To that end, she presents guidance received from her family and friends, including what she learned from the women who came before her in country music, and she is candid about the difficulties she had to overcome as a female singer. While McEntire’s advice is relatable, the text leans heavily toward self-promotion and marketing of her brand, reducing the feel of sincerity. Garth Brooks provides the foreword.

Down-home, straightforward guidance that will appeal most to McEntire fans and the HGTV set.

Kirkus Reviews