I just read Alice’s Tulips and The Persian Pickle Club by Sandra Dallas, which are period pieces (civil war and the depression, respectively) that both have a quilting theme throughout. Both are excellent period pieces with strong women as the main characters, as well as the minor characters. Both stories involve an interesting mystery with a twist. Great dialogue and period specific imagery.
Recently read The Honk and Holler Opening Soon by Billie Letts. A bittersweet story about a group of quirky folks living in a small town in Oklahoma and their sad, but spunky, and ultimately inspiring lives. Everything revolves around a little greasy spoon diner, where some of them work, some of them eat, and some of them come to fine love and/or respite. Incredible diaglogue.
The Help by Katharine Stockett. A series of stories, all interwoven, described in the first person about what it was like to live in the south during the 1960’s when many black women were employed as maids, but were clearly treated at second class citizens or worse. But the stories are multi-dimensional and describe all sorts of different types of relationships between the “help” and the employers, from loving, to disgusting, to loyal, to resigned. One woman in the town, who had her own maid/nanny, abruptly wakes up to realize that her own seemingly innocuous life, has a dark underbelly. She realizes that all the “happy maids” live very disparate lives, that she could only imagine, until she starts to talk to them. Again, the dialogue is truly amazing.
The Hot Flash Club series by Nancy Thayer. Do not be put off by the silly sounding title of the first book. This is a series of stories (that need to be read in order) about a group of middle aged women from very different backgrounds and circumstances, that meet by chance at a wedding. They all are drawn to each other, hit it off and become instant friends. The story then progresses to ideas and schemes and projects (and a mystery in each one) that the women undertake together and separately and how their family’s, or lack there of, effect each of them. Incredible descriptions of the the love and friendship women feel for each other and their families. I could not put these books down.
The Miss Julia Series by Ann B. Ross. Another series that is best read in order. A very funny, sly and fabulous series about an older woman, who is recently widowed. Set in the south, Miss Julia is very proper and knows her place, but after learning a very un-pleasant detail about her dead husband’s life, Miss Julia comes alive. She’s a strong woman with lots of opinions, lots of money (that she wasn’t aware she had, until hubby keeled over) and now she’s met some new friends, that at first she was very wary about, but now cannot live without. She’s constantly dealing with her old and dear friends, and she’s falling in love. But while all these new changes are occurring, a big, fat delicious mystery is also brewing. Miss Julia cannot seem to stay away from controversy, and always manages to get herself into a pickle and you will love her for it. Miss Julia’s maid, Lillian, is her confidante, voice of reason and favorite bearer of secret (gossip) information. All of the characters come to life on the page in these books. This is another series that I devoured voraciously.
The Lumby Series by Gail Fraser. Another series to be read in order (although this one can work as separate books). A 30 something power couple from back east decide to give up the fast lane life and move to Lumby, a little town in Colorado where they passed through on their honeymoon, years ago. They both have business and construction backgrounds, so when an old abandoned, burned out Abbey comes up for sale, they jump at the chance to purchase the property and fix it up and turn it into a bed and breakfast. They are greeted suspiciously at first, by the quirky townsfolk, but then with the aid of the monks, who used to previously occupy the Abbey (and have moved to another one in the next town) they learn all about the town and the quirky residents and become quirky, but very helpful residents on their own terms. Great descriptions about how the monks at the Abbey lived and how they make a living by creating certain products that come from the land.
Standing In the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg. An extraordinary story about ordinary people.
Composing members:
0
Composing members:
0
