Good news! Fannie’s back in town—and the town is among the leading characters in her new novel. Along with Neighbor Dorothy, the lady with the smile in her voice, whose daily radio broadcasts keep us delightfully informed on all the local news, we also meet Bobby, her ten-year-old son, destined to live a thousand lives, most of them in his imagination; Norma and Macky Warren and their … and their ninety-eight-year-old Aunt Elner; the oddly sexy and charismatic Hamm Sparks, who starts off in life as a tractor salesman and ends up selling himself to the whole state and almost the entire country; and the two women who love him as differently as night and day. Then there is Tot Whooten, the beautician whose luck is as bad as her hairdressing skills; Beatrice Woods, the Little Blind Songbird; Cecil Figgs, the Funeral King; and the fabulous Minnie Oatman, lead vocalist of the Oatman Family Gospel Singers.
The time is 1946 until the present. The town is Elmwood Springs, Missouri, right in the middle of the country, in the midst of the mostly joyous transition from war to peace, aiming toward a dizzyingly bright future.
Once again, Fannie Flagg gives us a story of richly human characters, the saving graces of the once-maligned middle classes and small-town life, and the daily contest between laughter and tears. Fannie truly writes from the heartland, and her storytelling is, to quote Time, “utterly irresistible.”
more
This book was heartfelt, witty and informative on how a family of sisters pulled together to keep the homefront on track with WW11 and then became involved in service.
Fannie Flagg slyly wraps a spiritual story in small town characters’ lives.
Flagg again invites us in to love a small town with all its endearing cast of characters & how their lives shape the world around them!
I have loved just about every Fannie Flagg book. This one is one of my all time favorite books. I highly recommend it.
I love every book that Fanny Flagg has written. They are all so down to earth. She is a wonderful writer.
Reminded me of Garrison Keillor’s books about small town America. Interesting characters.
Fannie is always a delight.
Fannie’s characters are always fun.
I did not care for it at first because there was not a plot as such but I continued reading and eventually did enjoy it.
Love all Fannie Flagg books.
Love this author.
I did not like this book
Great story!!
I love everything Fannie Flag writes. This book covers 50 years of life in a small town. Enjoyed this book very much
This was a reread. You can not go wrong with Fanny Flag.
Great read
What a story! Typical Fanny Flag style, rich full characters dancing through life.
You might only appreciate this book if you are older or if you enjoy hearing about what it was like growing up in the 50s. A wonderful innocent time of life, you appreciated everything and never took it for granted since it was right after the war. Read about 60% of the book and it does move the 60s and so on.
I have always love ms Flaggs books but I found this book tedious and not very interesting. The characters didn’t make me care that much about them & I didn’t find her usual balance of humor.
This is one of my favorite books! I’m sure I’ve read it at least a half dozen times.