The Sweet Potato Queens' Book of Love

Unlike other beauty queens, the Jackson, Miss., Sweet Potato Queens are self-crowned, rule for life (there's no ""former"" tag for these gals) and are real women--figure flaws and all. Originally organized in 1982, the Queens are, by their own account, ""fallen Southern belles"" and ""female drag queens""--and as such, they are all about attitude and humor. This buoyantly funny guide to life and love is a hoot from the get-go as ringleader Browne offers queenly observations on life's most pressing issues. Some topics may seem trivial, such as tanning, making the most of big hair and delighting in ""big, sturdy, serviceable, substantial Russian immigrant underwear"" for pregnant women (it's so ""indescribably comfy"" that ""you may never go back""), but they are expertly mined for laughs. Non-cooks may reconsider when reading the hilariously artery-clogging recipes in the chapter ""What to Eat When Tragedy Strikes,"" highlighting the four main food groups (sweet, salty, fried and au gratin) and suitable for both therapeutic and recreational eating. The life-affirming final chapter reminds readers of life's many options: ""Life may indeed be short, but it is, for a fact, wide."" If you can't get enough of the Queens, you can visit their Web site (coming in January): www.sweetpotatoqueens.com. (Feb.)