As Seen in Savannah Magazine
Chance Beginnings by Roberts Essex is featured in the current issue of Savannah Magazine. If you are in the city,
pick up a print copy. If you are not, the feature is below and the book itself is one click away.
What Savannah Magazine Wrote
“Congratulations to Roberts Essex, who has penned his memoir ‘Chance: Beginnings.’ It is the story of a simple Georgia man shaped by faith, family, and the unrelenting tides of time. From a boyhood spent in Savannah to the lessons he later discovered through love, loss, and redemption, he paints his intimate portrait of Southern life.”
A Savannah Story, Recognized by Savannah
- Roberts Essex was born and raised in East Savannah. He lived in the city for thirty-five years before he wrote a word about it. Chance Beginnings is his love letter to that place. The neighborhoods, the barber shops, the porches, the oak trees, the moss. The city his mother made a home in against the odds. The city where a boy with a bent back grew into a man worth writing about. Being recognized by Savannah Magazine, in the city's own publication, is the kind of moment every hometown author hopes for. The city noticed. The city said so in print. The Life on the Water issue is a Savannah cultural artifact. Being featured inside it is a Savannah cultural moment.
"You will feel it. You'll smell the oak trees. You'll smell the small blossoms from the moss. You'll experience Savannah as it was in the 60s and the 70s."
The July/August 2026 Life on the Water Issue
The July/August 2026 issue of Savannah Magazine is themed around Life on the Water. The cover story is In the Swim. Additional features inside include Poolside Fashion, Discover Daufuskie, Marbled & Fin’s Distinct Sips, and a Health Guide on aging well.
The Buzz: New in 912 section, where Chance Beginnings appears, is Savannah Magazine’s monthly roundup of new books, businesses, and cultural happenings in the Savannah area. Being included in this section places Chance Beginnings on the same page as other new Southern books, new local businesses, and new cultural landmarks.
The issue is available on newsstands from June 29 through August. Digital and print copies are available directly from Savannah Magazine’s online shop.
If You're Reading This from Savannah
If you picked up a copy of the July/August issue of Savannah Magazine and turned to page 26, thank you. If you are reading this because you were curious about the memoir the magazine mentioned, welcome. This site is your starting point. The book itself is one click away.
Roberts Essex is available for Savannah-area book club visits, in-person interviews, and community appearances. If you host a book club, run a local publication, or organize a reading group in the 912 area code, reach out through the contact page.
Savvanah Reel
“You will feel it. You’ll smell the oak trees. You’ll smell the small blossoms from the moss.
You’ll experience Savannah as it was in the 60s and the 70s.”